Confessions
"Well here we go," Falcon sighed as they pulled up to the Institute's gates. "I wonder if they blabbed yet?"
"Does that answer your question?" Logan pointed to Charles and several of the students at the door. "They don't look too happy."
"Well this won't make them any happier," Falcon said. "Let's do it."
"Hello Logan," Charles said his voice even. "I take it these people are friends of yours."
"Yup," Logan nodded. "This is Lt. Falcon and Jinx of GI Joe."
"We've met," Scott frowned. "Logan what's going on here?"
"Yeah what's all this about?" Kitty asked. "Why are you guys posing as teachers?"
"Yeah what's going on?" Evan asked.
"It's a long story," Falcon said. "But first why don't we all go inside. And you might want to bring in all your students Mr. Xavier. What we have to tell them concerns every mutant in Bayville."
"If the Elf's girl is still here better bring her in too," Logan said.
Soon all the mutants and Amanda assembled in the library. "Okay so what's this all about?" Jean asked.
"Do you remember back in Hawaii when I was checking out the nightclub?" Logan said. "I ran into Falcon here. We've met before. After we both realized we were the good guys we compared notes and found out somebody tried to get information on mutants from their computer as well as Cerebro. Turns out that somebody was Cobra."
"What's Cobra?" Amara asked. "I've never heard of them."
"I have!" Jamie piped up. "It's a terrorist organization of some sorts. And you guys fight them, right?"
"That's right kid," Falcon smiled. "Multiple isn't it?"
"That's right!" Jamie said proudly.
"You told them about us?" Scott asked Logan.
"Not really," Falcon said. "We already knew about you guys from other sources. Anyway we put two and two together and figured out that they were going to try to capture some mutants here in Bayville. So the Joes put together an undercover team to stop them."
"Beware the ones who follow the snake," Rogue said quietly. "So that's who Irene saw."
"Why didn't you tell me about this?" Xavier asked Logan, his voice more surprised than anything.
"Well to be honest Chuck I was asked not to," Logan said. "That and the fact I wasn't sure how you'd react to the situation. I know you're not exactly too keen on the military finding out about our secrets, but the Joes are kind of the exception to the rule."
"Yeah with all the stuff we've seen and done mutants are no big deal," Jinx told him.
"So all this time you guys have been spying on us?" Scott asked anger evident in his voice.
"Spying is such an ugly word," Falcon scratched his head. "I'd rather put it that we were keeping an eye out for you kids. Besides, Cobra's got a few operatives in the school as well."
"Who?" Kitty asked.
Jinx and Falcon looked at each other. "You might as well tell them," Logan said.
"Okay," Jinx sighed. "The leader of this mission is the Baroness, known to all of you as Ms. Baron."
"I knew it!" Evan snapped. "I knew my history teacher was evil! She's flunking me on purpose!"
"The girl's gym teacher…" Falcon said.
"Well that explains why you two were using us to try to kill each other in class!" Ray groaned.
"Hey is the computer teacher a Cobra agent too?" Amanda asked.
"Uh no actually he's one of our guys," Falcon looked a little flustered. "It's…complicated."
"I think I can relate to that," Kitty groaned.
"Who else?" Jean asked.
"The art teacher, Mr. Rafael, the Chemistry teacher Mr. Tanzar, one of the cafeteria workers," Falcon listed them off. "And now the new school nurse. His real name is Dr. Mindbender. He has this little hobby of playing with people's DNA like they were tinkertoys."
"Most of us have classes with all of them!" Tabitha shouted.
"I told you our teachers are evil!" Evan said.
"Not all of them," Hank smirked. "I take it you also have a few more operatives on your side as well as Mr. Parker?"
"Well why not?" Falcon threw up his hands. "Okay here are the good guys. Keep in mind that these are the guys that are trying to look out for you. There's Jinx, myself, Mr. Parker, Mr. Pine the security guard…"
"Well that makes sense," Rogue shrugged.
"Your Home Ec teacher…." Jinx said.
"That I can believe," Kitty said.
"Aw man," Remy groaned. "Figures, my favorite teacher!"
"And the Janitor," Falcon finished.
"The janitor?" Bobby gasped.
"That lunatic?" Roberto asked.
"But he's a total spaz!" Kitty protested.
"Well we needed somebody to install the surveillance equipment as well as the missile defense systems!" Falcon snapped. "Oops. I probably shouldn't have mentioned that."
"You think?" Jinx glared at him.
"Great!" Ray snapped. "Our entire school is spying on us! What is Kelly in on it too?"
"Are you kidding?" Jinx asked. "What he doesn't know won't give him a heart attack."
"I can't believe you people have been spying on us all this time!" Jean frowned. "Isn't that some kind of invasion of privacy or something?"
"Well considering how many times we've had to separate you from the Brotherhood these past few months that's not necessarily a bad thing!" Falcon snapped. "Did you really think it was a coincidence that one of us showed up every time you guys started to fight? Like before the Chicago incident on the football field after school?" At this the students became sheepish.
"What?" Xavier looked at them. "You almost got into a brawl with the Brotherhood in public?"
"Several brawls actually," Jinx frowned. "Like Falcon said, we're here to keep an eye on you. Especially to make sure you kids don't tear the school apart!"
"Okay maybe things with the Brotherhood get a little out of hand sometimes but if we can handle them, we can handle these Cobra characters!" Scott said.
"Yeah we're not exactly new at this fighting stuff you know!" Kurt said.
"Right!" Bobby said. "If they mess with us they're gonna get iced!" Several other students agreed with him.
"NO YOU ARE NOT!" Falcon shouted. "This is our job! We are the professionals! We've done things like this before! We don't want to worry about you kids getting in the way!"
"Hey man this is our turf!" Evan protested.
"You may end up getting in our way!" Remy said. "In case you forgot we're the ones with the powers."
"You people have no idea how dangerous Cobra is!" Jinx told them. "Or how many powerful backers they have!"
"For example your Vice Principal," Falcon said. "Who just happens to really work for Bolivar Trask."
"Trask!" Logan popped out his claws.
"Yeah a real fun guy," Jinx nodded. "He's planning on giving the Baroness plans to build more Sentinels. The irony is Cobra isn't gonna use them just to hunt mutants."
"We had trouble with just one," Xavier frowned. "An army of those machines could be devastating."
"And it could give Cobra the edge it needs to take over the planet," Falcon told him.
"Oh this is just getting better and better," Kurt groaned.
"It might be a good idea if you kids stayed home from school for a while," Falcon said. "We think they've already kidnapped members of the Brotherhood and we don't want to risk any more of you."
"What?" Several students gasped.
"We're already looking for them," Falcon said. "But if you can help us pinpoint their location with Cerebro that would be helpful. However that may not be possible. Cobra might have installed special devices that block out mutant signatures."
"Well all the more reason for us to go to school," Rogue said. "Maybe one of them will slip up and we can find something out that will help us."
"Personally they can keep the Brotherhood," Evan grumbled.
"That's not funny kid," Falcon looked at him. "You don't know what Cobra does to mutants. Even Trask isn't as bad as they are and that's saying something!"
"Look we can't just sit around and do nothing," Scott said. "Even if they are our enemies they're still mutants and we should help them." Many other students agreed.
"I think the students have made their choice," Xavier smiled wryly.
"Why am I not surprised," Falcon sighed.
"Then there's one other thing you should know," Jinx sighed. "This is going to be really hard on some of you. Especially you Rogue. Mystique's been spying on you. Pretending to be another student."
"Who?" Rogue's eyes narrowed.
"Risty Wilde," Jinx said.
"You mean Mystique has been impersonating Risty?" Rogue asked.
"Rogue…we did some checking," Falcon said gently. "There is no Risty Wilde. It's been her all along."
Rogue's eyes narrowed. "It's a lie," Her voice was shaking.
"No, it's not," Jinx said softly. "I'm sorry."
"YOU'RE LYING!" Rouge tore away and stormed out.
"I'll go talk to her," Kitty said following her. The sound of several things breaking could be heard in the next room.
"Will she be okay?" Jinx asked.
"Yeah," Logan sighed. "She just needs to blow off some steam. That's all."
"I don't believe it," Kurt frowned. "She's been pretending to be our friend all along!"
"Hey she's the one who suggested that party a while back," Evan said. "Remember when Cerebro's files got hacked into? It's all making sense now!"
"We all need to have a talk about what's going to happen at school tomorrow," Xavier sighed. "I'll see if I can locate the Brotherhood. Students would you mind if Logan and I speak to the Joes alone?" The kids left with Ororo and Hank. He turned to them. "If what you're saying is true, we are in more danger than we thought. Perhaps I should take steps to ensure our safety."
"Oh no, I know where this is going. Listen Xavier you can't just use your powers to erase everybody's mind all the time. It doesn't work like that," Falcon told him. "Not every situation can be solved like that soccer game incident."
"How did you find out about that?" Logan gasped.
"You didn't tell them?" Xavier asked.
"Of course not," Logan snapped.
"Well you didn't think you were our only source of information did you Logan?" Falcon asked. "Listen fighting Cobra is our job. Can you at least promise me you'll try to convince some of them to stay home?"
"I think I may convince some of the Newer Mutants," Xavier sighed. "But I can't promise anything. I still don't like the fact that the military knows about us."
"Well sorry about that but even you guys can't hide forever," Falcon pointed out.
"I fear you are right," Xavier sighed.
