The cliffs were fogged over. Good. No one would see. A figure sat on the edge, long legs dangling over the water far below. A woman, thin and tall, with a graceful pose and a haughty heir. She looked over her shoulder at the institute looming up a few miles away, barely visible for the fog. She smiled, revealing fangs, then stood. The fanged woman threw a cloak over her shoulders and ran into the forest bordering the Cliffside, looking over her shoulder once more. In seconds she was gone.



Amanda looked at her watch. The bus was late again! She hated this foggy weather; it was like being trapped inside a nightmare. She wished someone she knew would come along with a car so she could get home, away from the suffocating fog. Her thoughts drifted to her new boyfriend. Well, she couldn't really call him her boyfriend but he was close enough. They had gone to that school dance together after all. Of course, she had known since before then. She'd known since before he knew who she was. Amanda thought back to when she had told him. It was still a little scary, and exciting. He was still cute, despite how he looked. And even though he looked mean and scary he was still the same sweet guy. He'd warned her, but she'd insisted.

Amanda sighed.

Kurt.

She really cared for him. He was, after all, her boyfriend. Even if he didn't know it yet.

At that moment, a cloaked figure approached the bench Amanda was sitting on. A blue hand reached out and grabbed her shoulder. Amanda screamed and a second blue hand seized her around the mouth. Before she knew what was happening Amanda was yanked backwards, into an alley shrouded in darkness.

Amanda felt the hand being taken away as a deep woman's voice said, "Do not scream child, I only wish to talk."

Amanda nodded with fear in her eyes. The hand was removed and Amanda squeaked out a barrage of questions. "Who are you? What do you want from me? Why did you grab me? Why are you here?"

"Hush." Came the voice, "One question at a time."

"Okay." Breathed Amanda, "Who are you?"

"I am only a woman exiled from a life she should have had." Came the reply.

Amanda's eyes narrowed in confusion. "Okay, next question: Why are your hands blue?"

The voice in the shadows answered, "Because the rest of me is blue."

Amanda let out a breath. "Okay, I know someone else like that. What do you want from me?"

This time the voice hesitated. After a pause the woman said: "Answers."

"I don't understand."

"My name is Raven. You know my son, far better than I have been able to. I want to learn of him. The kind of Kurt Wagner that you know."

Amanda gasped. "But, but Kurt is German. You sound American. And he told me he was adopted."

Raven shook her head under the cloak. "That is because I was separated from him when he was a child. I have not been able to be his mother as he grew, and so he does not consider me as such. Now, please tell me what my son is like in average daily life."

Amanda shrugged and described him as best she could. When the sound of a car approaching distracted her she turned to find that Raven was gone. All that remained was a crumpled cloak lying on the asphalt.

"Amanda?" Came an all to familiar voice. "Why didn't you get on the bus?"

Amanda turned to be greeted by a blue, furry Kurt Wagner. "I guess I missed it."

"What were you doing in there?" Asked Scott Summers from behind the wheel.

Amanda shrugged. "I thought I saw something in there. Like a stray cat or something."

Kurt's milky white eyes looked disbelieving, but he shrugged it off. "Let us give you a ride home." He suggested as he pressed a button on his halo- watch. "I don't think your parents will flip if they see me like this." He said with a smile.

Amanda smiled back and got into the car. "Thanks."

Scott shrugged. "No problem."

Amanda didn't even think to ask what they were doing driving around at night.