Back To Normal, Whatever that is…

It was early in the evening when they returned to the mansion. Everyone was congratulating each other. Jean took Taryn home who had agreed to keep their secret if they never told her parents that she had been kidnapped. "Well I say it was a pretty successful mission all around," Scott said. "So I guess now that Cobra's gone you guys will be going too huh?"

"Actually we're going to stick around for a while," Jinx said.

"What do you mean?" Rogue asked.

"Well headquarters is convinced that after today's incident you kids still need someone to watch out for you," Falcon said. "In fact they're going to send a few more subs tomorrow to fill the place of the Cobras."

"So you're gonna keep spying on us?" Kitty fumed. "But you don't need to! Hello! We beat the bad guys!"

"Hello!" Alpine snapped. "Have all of you forgotten that Cobra is still out there? And Trask and Guyrich aren't that far behind! They're not gonna just let this matter drop! Trust me! We know about people like them! They are not just gonna go away!"

"Students," Xavier said. "I think it would be best if we adults finished this conversation."

"Professor as leader of the team I think I should stay," Scott said.

"Very well," Xavier nodded. "You may, the rest of you go upstairs. There's still school tomorrow as well as the dance." The students did so.

"I understand you aren't happy about this," Gung Ho told them. "But it's really for your own protection."

"Protection?" Xavier looked at him. "I'm not so sure."

"Don't tell me you're afraid of us," Falcon scoffed.

"I'm more afraid of what you would do with the knowledge you have acquired about us," Xavier pointed out. "I have to protect my students."

"We're not sure that it's a good idea for you to remain here," Ororo said.

"Well I'm not so sure it's a good idea for you to have your own little kiddie commando squad running around, so I guess that makes us even." Falcon asked.

"I set up the X-Men not just to protect mutants but to protect humanity if need be," Xavier said.

"Protect us?" Mainframe looked at him. "Gee and all this time I thought that was our job."

"As mutants we have a duty to protect others with our powers," Xavier said. "As well as teach humans to accept us."

"Teach us?" Falcon asked. "Excuse me, but last I checked humans have been on this earth a lot longer than mutants! Mutants are the children of humanity. Not the other way around!"

"Typical kids," Alpine quipped. "Think they know everything."

"I'm serious," Xavier frowned.

"So am I," Falcon said. "Look there is a time and a place for standing on your own, but now isn't it. Personally I think that you training a group of kids to be vigilantes is a big mistake, but I'm not gonna tell you to stop. Even though technically it is illegal!"

"How generous of you," Xavier said sarcastically.

"You know what I think?" Gung Ho looked at Xavier. "I think you're scared of us even more than humans are scared of you. We may not have fancy powers, but we humans have guts and ingenuity that's pulled our fat out of a lot of sticky situations long before you came around. Humans may fear you because they don't understand you, but you fear them because you understand them perfectly."

"Or you think you understand us," Mainframe said.

"This is exactly what I am worried about," Xavier said. "Ingenuity you say? The same type of ingenuity that created the atomic bomb? The same kind of courage that was used in ancient times to destroy and enslave different cultures? We understand human reactions better than you think and the tendency of humans to exploit people or things for their own selfish goals. Especially the military."

"You people are unbelievable!" Falcon threw up his hands. "You all talk about co-existing with humans but when it comes down to it, you guys are as bad as Magneto! No, I take that back, at least he practices what he preaches!"

"We're nothing like Magneto!" Scott snapped.

"Don't be so sure," Falcon told him.

"This isn't just about Cobra is it?" Xavier looked at him.

"No," Falcon admitted. "Our other objective is to make sure your kids and the Brotherhood don't get out of control."

"So you are spying on us for the government," Xavier frowned.

"Somebody has to keep an eye out for you," Falcon said. "Quite frankly, with all the trouble you and the kids get into I'm amazed Bayville High is still standing. I mean how many times have you guys destroyed the school gym? Two, three?"

"Look Chuck I admit I'm not to crazy about it either but they do have a point," Logan told him.

"Trust you to defend them," Ororo sniffed.

"Listen lady they're the good guys!" Logan snapped. "They just want to keep these kids alive and to stop any more incidents like this from happening ever again!"

"Really?" Xavier raised an eyebrow. "While I was on Cerebro I detected a small blip on the Joe base. It was brief and there was no way I could get a positive identification, but the signal was clearly a mutant signature. Is that mutant there on that base to protect him? Or for some other purpose?"

"You have a mutant on your base?" Logan looked at them. "Who is he?"

"That's classified," Falcon said simply.

"Don't hand me that line! Who is it?" Logan snapped.

"Look all I can say is that mutant is there of his or her own free will," Falcon told him. "We are not forcing anyone to stay there if they don't have to."

"Why do I have a hard time believing that?" Xavier asked.

"It's the truth whether you want to believe it or not," Falcon said. "I guess when it comes down to it, you're going to have to trust us."

"I don't know if I can take that chance," Xavier said. He focused his mind on Falcons. Suddenly he gave a loud cry. At the same time something sparked on Falcon's forehead.

"Ow!" Falcon snapped. "What the…you tried to read my mind didn't you?"

"So much for trust," Alpine grunted.

"I wouldn't try that again if I were you," Falcon growled.

"What was that?" Xavier groaned, rubbing his temples.

"A little device to keep telepaths from nosing around where they aren't supposed to," Falcon indicated the small Band-Aid like device on his temple, now plainly seen. "See that's what I'm talking about! You're just as reckless with your powers as the kids!"

"I only use my gifts as I see fit to protect mutants," Xavier rubbed his head.

"Funny," Falcon glared. "That's the same line Magneto uses."

They glared at each other for a moment. "I'm not crazy about the situation either," Falcon said. "But the fact is you're stuck with us. We're here whether you like it or not. I'd rather work with you than against you. We both have the same goals. You want mutants to start getting along with humans? Well now's your chance. If you can't do that, then maybe you agree with Magneto more than you think." Falcon stormed out.

"Well that went well," Scott groaned.

"You really shouldn't have done that Chuck. Look I'm not exactly known for being a team player," Logan told them. "But even I know when I'm outmatched. You have no idea how big Cobra really is. That little scrap we had with them is nothing compared to what they are really capable of."

"It appears we have no choice," Ororo sighed.

"I just hope nothing more comes from this," Xavier sighed. "But I have a sinking feeling things are only going to get worse."

************************************************************************

"I can't believe we got out of that," Lance groaned as they made their way home.

"I can't believe those soldiers and mercenaries were there in our school and we didn't know about them," Pietro groaned. "I wonder if Mystique knew?"

"Don't see the boss lady anywhere," John said. The phone rang. He answered it. "Oh…hello sir. Well you see, you'd better let Pietro tell you." He handed him the phone. "It's your dad."

"Sir?" Pietro gulped. "Well we were just in a battle with some soldiers and stuff. We don't know where they came from. They've been spying on us at school! Yeah I had no idea! Mystique? I don't know where she went. Maybe she got captured too? Okay. Okay I'll tell her." He hung up with a grin on his face.

"What?" Lance asked.

"Somebody's gonna get in trouble," Pietro smiled. "And for once it isn't us!"