DreamWeb sat in her darkened office with her hands folded and her
head resting on them. The intercom buzzed.
"Yes?" she answered it.
"There's a Mr. Russell McLain to see you. He doesn't have an appointment but he's insisting."
"That I sent for him. Don't worry. Send him in."
"Yes, Ma'am." The intercom buzzed off and she heard the lock on her office doors hum slightly as the security lock opened.
A man, just over six feet tall, with red-orange hair, walked into the room dressed in a pair of blue jeans, a white and green shirt, and a pair of brown boots. She turned to meet him. "Well, well. Mr. McLain. It's so nice of you to join me."
"Like I had a choice?" he answered, his voice rumbling deep in his chest. "You summoned me and I had no alternative but to answer. When I figure out a way to break this."
"You won't. So stop trying." she assured him. "And if you continue to be a good boy, then I won't have to do this again."
She glowed briefly with a bright pinkish-silverish light. McLain fell to his knees, clutching his head and crying out.
"Wha.what did you do that for?" he gasped as she let go of his mind.
"Politeness is everything in this business my friend," DreamWeb told him. "Learn some. I can do this two ways, I can leave you with your mind intact and just compel you to work for me or, I can seize complete control of your mind and body and turn you into a grunt who will never be able to think above a kindergarten level ever again."
"You want me to get this Eric whoever out of his prison cell," McLain resigned himself.
"Good boy," DreamWeb praised him with absolutely no emotion in her voice. "You also have to make it appear as if he got out all on his own."
"What?" the red-haired man stammered. "But. wait, you want to make this guy look like he's absolutely powerful. Like he was just playing with everyone all this time."
"Perceptive. See, this is why I like you with a brain rather than without," DreamWeb purred. "You could be a useful permanent asset to the New Realm."
His stomach lurched at the thought. "It's going to be hard to get in without anyone noticing me."
"Which is why I had Checkmate make up one of these for you."
She pulled open a desk drawer and pulled out a belt with a strange looking buckle on it. "The green button activates the distortion field that will render you invisible. The red button deactivates it."
"And the blue?" he asked, taking it from her warily.
"Panic button to call my team if you should need back-up, but you won't need it will you?"
"Meaning if I get caught, I'm on my own because your team won't answer my distress signal," he spat. "I was acting alone and you had nothing to do with it."
"And don't even think of getting caught deliberately," DreamWeb cautioned him. "I have a long reach with those I'm 'connected' to. I'll find you and kill you."
"Understood." He turned on his heel and marched out of the room, not quite slamming the door behind him.
A figure moved out from the shadows of the far corner of her vast office. "I don't like this. If you're going to use him, then just take him over and run him like a puppet. You're taking too many risks."
"Ah, Mr. Sabertooth. You worry too much," DreamWeb reassured him. "There's only one telepath in the world that's ever been able to break my hypnotic control over someone once I've placed my psychokinetic net of energy inside the victim's mind. And she's occupied elsewhere."
"Statements like that make me nervous," Sabertooth answered.
"Trust me. Have faith in the New Realm. We take care of our own," DreamWeb cooed.
"Yeah, I saw how well," Sabertooth sniffed. "Just remember, you don't get the rest of your money until Magneto is safe and back with the Brotherhood."
"Of course, Mr. Sabertooth," she said as she steepled her hands. "Of course."
The blonde man growled softly as he silently strode out of the office.
Students at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters walked quietly through the halls today. Rumors surrounding the return of Wolverine and his new companion were running rampant throughout the school. So when the strange woman known as Glow came downstairs for breakfast, the halls were surprisingly bare of teenagers. Aware that she was being watched from corners and whispered about, Glow wandered around the first floor until she recognized the hallway that leads to the kitchen. She went in, hoping to find something to eat.
When she entered she found Scott, Xavier, Logan, Storm, Jubilee, and Bobby already there. They were sitting around a rather large round table. Plates in the center of the table held toast and scrambled eggs for anyone to help themselves to.
"Morning everyone," Glow said as she entered.
"Good morning Glow," Xavier said sprightly. "Will you join us?"
"I never turn down free food," she grinned and parked herself in a chair next to Logan.
"Jean sends her regrets, but she has classes today until four," Storm told her. "She will not be able to work with you on your - project until after that."
"And I'm not allowed near the fancy stuff without adult supervision right?" Glow gave her a resigned smile.
The two teens giggled, drawing Glow's attention to them. "So why aren't the two of you in classes right now?"
"These two were trying to sneak food after hours when Bobby's little mishap with the fridge occurred," Scott told her as he stared at the two youngsters. "They're on detention duty today. They get to do all those messy, long chores that no one else ever volunteers for."
"Ouch."
Glow leaned over and helped herself to a piece of Logan's toast, ignoring his protest that there was a whole plate in the middle of the table for her to help herself to. "Since I can't get any work done this morning, I was wondering if you knew of any place I could go shopping around here? I've got some things to pick up."
"There's a mall in town. I could show you around," Jubilee offered.
"And what makes you think you're going anywhere you could possibly have fun?" Storm asked her, hiding a smile.
"Aww," Jubilee grumbled, picking at her eggs with her fork.
"Are you gonna eat that?" Glow asked Logan, pointing at his plate.
He stared at her, sighed, and pushed the plate in her direction.
"Thanks." She dug in without even changing the fork.
A set of bemused looks encompassed the table.
"You're more than welcome to go into Westchester and do some shopping," Xavier said. "I think I'll assign Logan as your guide."
"What? Why me?" he asked.
"Because you're the only one who doesn't have to teach a class," The professor said calmly. "And take Bobby and Jubilee with you. I think they could stand to learn some socialization skills from the two of you."
Glow stopped eating, looked at the kids, and then back at Logan. "Why does that sound ominous?"
The adults could barely hear her above the cheering of the kids. Xavier brought them back to earth immediately. "Of course, you do realize that the chores assigned to you by Mr. Summers will still be waiting for you when you get back?"
"Oh." Their faces fell for a moment before Jubilee piped up, "I don't have a thing to wear. I need to change if we're going out! May I be excused?"
She barely waited for Xavier's nod when she ran off.
"So how are we getting there?" Glow changed the subject. "I don't drive. I was just planning to take the bus, but if I'm going to be watching out for three kids then I want to be a bit more secure."
"Three?" Logan asked her.
She ignored him and looked to Xavier for an answer. Logan growled at Scott who was snickering behind his hand.
"You can take one of the cars in the garage. Logan can drive," The professor assured her.
"There's no turbo switches on any of those, are there?" she asked pensively.
"Not that I'm aware of. Why?" Charles Xavier questioned, his curiosity piqued.
"No reason," she answered off-handedly.
It was Logan's turn to snicker behind his hand. Bobby watched the exchange with blatant confusion on his face.
"Ah, um, I think I'm gonna go see what Jubilee's up to," he hurriedly excused himself from the table.
"So what do you need to get?" Storm asked Glow. "Perhaps I can recommend some stores."
"A sleeping bag and a pillow, first off."
"Why a sleeping bag and pillow?" the white haired woman asked, taken slightly aback.
"I owe him," she thumbed at Logan, who in turn colored at the looks the three X-Men were giving him.
"Well. there's a Sears in the mall. I'm sure you'll find what you're looking for in there." Storm hid her mystification behind her coffee mug as she took a sip.
"One more question," Glow said, turning back to face Xavier.
"By all means, ask away," the older man offered.
"You got a place around here I could let off some 'tricity?" she asked.
"I'm not sure I understand."
Glow elaborated at his request. "My eye color is a side-effect of my mutant power. The more electricity I've got in my system the brighter an orange my eyes turn. When I've completely expelled all my stored up energy my eyes return to normal."
"I see, since you're going out in public you want to return to your natural eye color," Storm said.
"Keeps me from sticking out in a crowd," Glow said, finishing Logan's coffee for him. "And it beats having to wear a pair of shades all the time - and then having to explain why."
"Hey!" Scott half-rose before Xavier put a restraining arm on him.
"Yes, we have a place like that," he enlightened her. "We affectionately call it, The Danger Room."
Glow raised an eyebrow.
"Yes?" she answered it.
"There's a Mr. Russell McLain to see you. He doesn't have an appointment but he's insisting."
"That I sent for him. Don't worry. Send him in."
"Yes, Ma'am." The intercom buzzed off and she heard the lock on her office doors hum slightly as the security lock opened.
A man, just over six feet tall, with red-orange hair, walked into the room dressed in a pair of blue jeans, a white and green shirt, and a pair of brown boots. She turned to meet him. "Well, well. Mr. McLain. It's so nice of you to join me."
"Like I had a choice?" he answered, his voice rumbling deep in his chest. "You summoned me and I had no alternative but to answer. When I figure out a way to break this."
"You won't. So stop trying." she assured him. "And if you continue to be a good boy, then I won't have to do this again."
She glowed briefly with a bright pinkish-silverish light. McLain fell to his knees, clutching his head and crying out.
"Wha.what did you do that for?" he gasped as she let go of his mind.
"Politeness is everything in this business my friend," DreamWeb told him. "Learn some. I can do this two ways, I can leave you with your mind intact and just compel you to work for me or, I can seize complete control of your mind and body and turn you into a grunt who will never be able to think above a kindergarten level ever again."
"You want me to get this Eric whoever out of his prison cell," McLain resigned himself.
"Good boy," DreamWeb praised him with absolutely no emotion in her voice. "You also have to make it appear as if he got out all on his own."
"What?" the red-haired man stammered. "But. wait, you want to make this guy look like he's absolutely powerful. Like he was just playing with everyone all this time."
"Perceptive. See, this is why I like you with a brain rather than without," DreamWeb purred. "You could be a useful permanent asset to the New Realm."
His stomach lurched at the thought. "It's going to be hard to get in without anyone noticing me."
"Which is why I had Checkmate make up one of these for you."
She pulled open a desk drawer and pulled out a belt with a strange looking buckle on it. "The green button activates the distortion field that will render you invisible. The red button deactivates it."
"And the blue?" he asked, taking it from her warily.
"Panic button to call my team if you should need back-up, but you won't need it will you?"
"Meaning if I get caught, I'm on my own because your team won't answer my distress signal," he spat. "I was acting alone and you had nothing to do with it."
"And don't even think of getting caught deliberately," DreamWeb cautioned him. "I have a long reach with those I'm 'connected' to. I'll find you and kill you."
"Understood." He turned on his heel and marched out of the room, not quite slamming the door behind him.
A figure moved out from the shadows of the far corner of her vast office. "I don't like this. If you're going to use him, then just take him over and run him like a puppet. You're taking too many risks."
"Ah, Mr. Sabertooth. You worry too much," DreamWeb reassured him. "There's only one telepath in the world that's ever been able to break my hypnotic control over someone once I've placed my psychokinetic net of energy inside the victim's mind. And she's occupied elsewhere."
"Statements like that make me nervous," Sabertooth answered.
"Trust me. Have faith in the New Realm. We take care of our own," DreamWeb cooed.
"Yeah, I saw how well," Sabertooth sniffed. "Just remember, you don't get the rest of your money until Magneto is safe and back with the Brotherhood."
"Of course, Mr. Sabertooth," she said as she steepled her hands. "Of course."
The blonde man growled softly as he silently strode out of the office.
Students at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters walked quietly through the halls today. Rumors surrounding the return of Wolverine and his new companion were running rampant throughout the school. So when the strange woman known as Glow came downstairs for breakfast, the halls were surprisingly bare of teenagers. Aware that she was being watched from corners and whispered about, Glow wandered around the first floor until she recognized the hallway that leads to the kitchen. She went in, hoping to find something to eat.
When she entered she found Scott, Xavier, Logan, Storm, Jubilee, and Bobby already there. They were sitting around a rather large round table. Plates in the center of the table held toast and scrambled eggs for anyone to help themselves to.
"Morning everyone," Glow said as she entered.
"Good morning Glow," Xavier said sprightly. "Will you join us?"
"I never turn down free food," she grinned and parked herself in a chair next to Logan.
"Jean sends her regrets, but she has classes today until four," Storm told her. "She will not be able to work with you on your - project until after that."
"And I'm not allowed near the fancy stuff without adult supervision right?" Glow gave her a resigned smile.
The two teens giggled, drawing Glow's attention to them. "So why aren't the two of you in classes right now?"
"These two were trying to sneak food after hours when Bobby's little mishap with the fridge occurred," Scott told her as he stared at the two youngsters. "They're on detention duty today. They get to do all those messy, long chores that no one else ever volunteers for."
"Ouch."
Glow leaned over and helped herself to a piece of Logan's toast, ignoring his protest that there was a whole plate in the middle of the table for her to help herself to. "Since I can't get any work done this morning, I was wondering if you knew of any place I could go shopping around here? I've got some things to pick up."
"There's a mall in town. I could show you around," Jubilee offered.
"And what makes you think you're going anywhere you could possibly have fun?" Storm asked her, hiding a smile.
"Aww," Jubilee grumbled, picking at her eggs with her fork.
"Are you gonna eat that?" Glow asked Logan, pointing at his plate.
He stared at her, sighed, and pushed the plate in her direction.
"Thanks." She dug in without even changing the fork.
A set of bemused looks encompassed the table.
"You're more than welcome to go into Westchester and do some shopping," Xavier said. "I think I'll assign Logan as your guide."
"What? Why me?" he asked.
"Because you're the only one who doesn't have to teach a class," The professor said calmly. "And take Bobby and Jubilee with you. I think they could stand to learn some socialization skills from the two of you."
Glow stopped eating, looked at the kids, and then back at Logan. "Why does that sound ominous?"
The adults could barely hear her above the cheering of the kids. Xavier brought them back to earth immediately. "Of course, you do realize that the chores assigned to you by Mr. Summers will still be waiting for you when you get back?"
"Oh." Their faces fell for a moment before Jubilee piped up, "I don't have a thing to wear. I need to change if we're going out! May I be excused?"
She barely waited for Xavier's nod when she ran off.
"So how are we getting there?" Glow changed the subject. "I don't drive. I was just planning to take the bus, but if I'm going to be watching out for three kids then I want to be a bit more secure."
"Three?" Logan asked her.
She ignored him and looked to Xavier for an answer. Logan growled at Scott who was snickering behind his hand.
"You can take one of the cars in the garage. Logan can drive," The professor assured her.
"There's no turbo switches on any of those, are there?" she asked pensively.
"Not that I'm aware of. Why?" Charles Xavier questioned, his curiosity piqued.
"No reason," she answered off-handedly.
It was Logan's turn to snicker behind his hand. Bobby watched the exchange with blatant confusion on his face.
"Ah, um, I think I'm gonna go see what Jubilee's up to," he hurriedly excused himself from the table.
"So what do you need to get?" Storm asked Glow. "Perhaps I can recommend some stores."
"A sleeping bag and a pillow, first off."
"Why a sleeping bag and pillow?" the white haired woman asked, taken slightly aback.
"I owe him," she thumbed at Logan, who in turn colored at the looks the three X-Men were giving him.
"Well. there's a Sears in the mall. I'm sure you'll find what you're looking for in there." Storm hid her mystification behind her coffee mug as she took a sip.
"One more question," Glow said, turning back to face Xavier.
"By all means, ask away," the older man offered.
"You got a place around here I could let off some 'tricity?" she asked.
"I'm not sure I understand."
Glow elaborated at his request. "My eye color is a side-effect of my mutant power. The more electricity I've got in my system the brighter an orange my eyes turn. When I've completely expelled all my stored up energy my eyes return to normal."
"I see, since you're going out in public you want to return to your natural eye color," Storm said.
"Keeps me from sticking out in a crowd," Glow said, finishing Logan's coffee for him. "And it beats having to wear a pair of shades all the time - and then having to explain why."
"Hey!" Scott half-rose before Xavier put a restraining arm on him.
"Yes, we have a place like that," he enlightened her. "We affectionately call it, The Danger Room."
Glow raised an eyebrow.
