Disclaimer: All characters depicted in this fic belong to Marvel and are used without permission for shits and giggles.

Mutatis Mutandis is archived at www.originofspecies.cjb.net

Conversation's End
By N

"Well," Storm said as Mystique rushed into the room. She stopped when Storm blocked her path, her eyes narrowing. "It seems we have the information you tried so hard to keep from us. We no longer need reside here." Mystique retreated a step, cat-eyes shifting restlessly.

"And you, Mystique…" A chilling smirk played across Storm's lips and her eerily blank eyes blazed. "You are no longer useful."

Mystique snarled, her eyes darting like a wild animal's before they settled with blistering ferocity on the two present Brotherhood Boys. "Don't just stand there you idiots," she said. "Help me!"

Scott tensed in his crouch beside Rogue's prone figure as Avalanche advanced a step… and turned away.

Way to go, Alvers, Scott thought.

Mystique let out an appalling, wordless shriek of rage. The sound was positively inhuman, and Toad actually leapt behind the couch while Lance flinched. Mystique lunged from her cornered position against the wall and Storm descended upon her. Scott turned away as lighting flashed and screams rent the air. Chaos reigned for bare seconds and then there was the unmistakable sound of breaking glass. When Scott chanced another look he found the window was broken and there was no sign of Mystique. Storm turned to face him, her features tight with anger.

"She got away?" Scott asked, knowing the answer already.

"Yes."

"Woman's lahk a… snake," Rogue muttered. She put a hand to her head. Scott made sure he was supporting her and helped her to stand.

"Rogue?" he asked. "You okay?"

"Not really," she replied. Scott smiled, relieved at the familiar surliness of her tone. "Ah NEVER want t'do that again."

"You won't have to," Scott said. "Rogue, can you tell me… The Professor--?"

"Keep your shorts on, Scott," Rogue replied. "Ah know where he is. Ah just have to sort mah head out a little."

Storm placed a hand on Scott's shoulder before he could reply. "Scott, let her rest," she said and smiled. "The Professor can wait another few minutes, I'm sure."

Scott nodded and reluctantly relinquished his hold on Rogue. Storm took the girl aside, leaving Scott to look about the room sort of dazedly. After a second's hesitation he approached the Brotherhood Boys, who were looking out of the broken window. Scott stopped behind them, unsure of how to proceed. Lance's face, he noticed, was not angry as he'd expected, but rather incredibly weary.

"Hey," Scott said. They turned to look at him with tired suspicion. "Thanks."

"Whatever, yo," Toad replied. "Ain't like we owed Mystique no favours."

Scott shrugged. "Still. I appreciate it." He looked directly at Lance, who seemed to be purposely ignoring him. "So I guess we'll be out of your hair real soon."

"Sure," Lance replied listlessly. Toad was looking at Lance with something approaching accusation, a look the older boy either didn't notice or was also ignoring.

They have nowhere to go, Scott thought suddenly.

"Alvers," he started but was cut off as Lance shouldered his way past him, his head down.

"Save it, Summers," he whispered.

* * *

"She's gonna kill us, oh man, she's gonna kill us…" Toad was babbling. He had followed Lance up to his room, grabbing Freddy along the way and explaining the situation to him. Now the Blob stood at the window, looking outside with a deep frown creasing his heavy features while Lance sat on the end of his bed, smoking and staring moodily at nothing.

Toad hopped in front of him, his bulging eyes accusatory. "You shoulda HELPED her, yo!"

"Didn't see you doing anything," Lance muttered.

"I had to protect my woman," Toad replied with a disdainful sniff.

"Jesus, Toad," Lance said, standing suddenly. Toad backed up so quickly his butt banged against the wall. "YOU'RE the one who said we didn't owe Mystique any favours! Fuck, YOU'RE the one who said that she was gonna fucking leave us behind at the fucking compound!" The house was shaking. Fred looked at the falling plaster without much interest or concern. "And now," Lance continued, advancing on Toad until the smaller boy was crammed into a corner. "You're gonna sit there and tell me I should have HELPED the bitch?! Why?!"

"Because now she's gonna KILL us!" Toad squeaked. "Without the X-men here there ain't nobody who's gonna help us, yo!"

"I'm gonna kill you myself!" Lance shouted. A large piece of the ceiling came crashing down, causing Freddy to finally turn away from the window.

"Hey," he said. Lance, who had picked Toad up by the scruff of the neck, paused. "We should get outta here. And would you put Todd down already? It's not helping."

The earthquake stopped abruptly and Lance tossed Toad aside with a muttered curse. Still, he looked surprised. It wasn't often Fred sounded so serious.

"They're leaving," Fred announced, looking out the window again. Toad and Lance crowded over as well and watched silently as the X-men filed out of the house, apparently being organized by Cyclops and Storm.

"Must be going to find the Prof, yo," Toad whispered.

They were quiet for another minute or two as the X-Men moved off into the dark. Then they saw another familiar figure moving after them with long strides, her red coat flapping behind her.

"Wanda!" they cried in unison. Toad turned immediately and hopped out of the room, hollering "Wait, sweetums!"

Fred looked at Lance, who shrugged. "They're still our team," Lance said. "Fucked up as that is. You wanna…?"

Fred nodded. "Yeah." With that they both went after Toad, each boy coming to the realization that they might never see the Boarding House again.

* * *

Somewhere, water dripped slowly, incessantly. Drip, drip, drip. The discolored concrete walls were crumbling in places and the air was dank and chilling. Scott tried hard to maintain his composure and not curse himself for letting the professor reside so long in such a place. He could only hope the toll taken on the man's health wasn't lethal.

Rogue had led the team, being tailed conspicuously by the Brotherhood, to a run-down building in a secluded area on the seedier side of Bayville. It appeared to have once been a hospital, but years of neglect and semi-demolition had reduced it to a shadowy haven barely fit for human habitation.

"He's down there," Rogue had said, pointing at the building. "There's a stairway hidden behind a collapsed wall that leads to a basement. That's where she's keeping him."

Scott had inspected the wall, finding a crack big enough to slip behind. "Okay," he'd said. Storm, Jean, you come with me. The rest of you stay here." The others had nodded dumbly, their initial euphoria at the discovery of the Professor's whereabouts fading.

Now Scott found himself walking gingerly across a floor strewn with puddles of odd-smelling water, the occasional rat scurrying across his path. It was dark and the scent of age and neglect was starting to give Scott a headache.

"Scott," Jean said suddenly. Her voice sounded thick and Scott realized that was because it was choked with tears. Then he saw it too.

In the corner was a hospital gurney and on top of it lay a solitary figure covered in a white sheet. IV drips surrounded the gurney like solemn nurses, solely feeding their secret contents into pale, motionless arms.

"Professor Xavier!" Scott cried and rushed to the gurney's side. He grabbed one of the Professor's hands, shocked at how clammy it was to the touch. The man was unconscious, but breathing. Alive.

"We've found you," Scott whispered. "We've found you, Professor."

* * *

- Fin -

Next on the agenda: The New Mutants return, while Magneto is still up to something… and you know it can't be good. Death threats can be sent to decadentmazohyst@yahoo.ca