Chapter Three - HATE

Wolverine shed the jacket of his suit as soon as Rogue had put him back on the ground. He wanted the extra freedom of movement, though he had no idea how to engage a fireball in a fistfight. Rogue was making similar preparations, tearing her dress so that it now ended above the knee. She hovered next to him, her feet about a foot above the street. Around them, people ran for their lives away from the burning mass of destruction. Wolverine and Rogue stood their ground, a living barrier to the fireball's progress. Not that either of them felt that it would do much good.

'So what's the plan, Wolvie?' Rogue asked, running a hand through her skunk-streaked hair.

Wolverine scowled. He was not a natural leader and hated being treated like one. 'I ain't got a clue, darlin',' he admitted. He extended his claws. 'Somehow I doubt these are gonna do any good.'

'With Storm's powers, she could have dealt with that critter' Rogue tailed off. 'But now, I don't see what we can do.'

'What we must,' said a voice from the heavens. 'That is what the X-Men have always done.'

Storm descended from the sky to land beside her companions. She had been held aloft by the powers of Magneto, who had also brought Nightcrawler with them.

'We came as soon as we heard,' the master of magnetism said. 'What on Earth is that thing.'

'I don't think it has anything to do with Earth, sir.' Shadowcat and Colossus rounded the corner at the end of the street and hurried to join their team-mates. 'I'll bet that's the thing that Illyana was trying to warn me about,' Kitty continued.

'Demonic, eh?' Magneto mused.

'I think the kid's right, Maggie,' Wolverine agreed. 'It sure smells like nothing I smelled before.'

Kitty bridled at being called a kid, but appreciated the elder X-Man's support.

'Whatever its origins,' Storm interjected, 'it appears to manifest itself as the province of fire. Kurt, find Rachel and bring her here. The powers of the Phoenix may assist us.'

Wolverine nodded approvingly as Nightcrawler disappeared in a puff of smoke. The Phoenix was primarily a psionic entity, but she had shown influence over fire before now. If they could only contain the blaze, then the local fire department could finish it off. If.

Unfortunately, Wolverine could see one major flaw in the plan. A couple of strides took him over to where Storm and Magneto were standing. As he moved, he noticed Rogue, Colossus and Shadowcat gathering together at the side of the street. They appeared to be having an animated discussion, but above the roar of the blaze, even Wolverine could not pick out any words. He turned his attention to the pair in front of him. Storm was tense. She was impatient for Nightcrawler to return, but was doing her best to hide it. Magneto was a portrait of calm as usual. Wolverine found the former villain impossible to read and normally that would bother him immensely. Magneto, however, had proved his loyalty to the X-Men many times over the past few months and that was more than enough for the feral mutant. If Magneto wanted to keep secrets, that was his business. Hell, Wolverine had enough skeletons in his own closet. So long as Magneto remained on the side of the angels, he could count Wolverine as an ally.

'What's the matter, 'roro?' he asked his friend. Storm was no use to the X-Men coiled like a spring as she was. And in this situation, Storm was possibly their greatest asset.

'I just feel souseless,' Storm admitted. 'If I still had my powers the blaze would be out by now.'

'It's hardly your fault Gyrich blasted you with his gadget,' Wolverine commented. 'If it hadn't been for you, Rogue would've been the one who got zapped.'

'Yes, and she would probably have thanked me for it,' Storm snapped.

'You don't mean that, Ororo,' Wolverine growled, his voice just above a whisper.

'You are right, Logan, I do not,' Storm admitted, dispelling the tension with a shake of her head. 'I just cannot stand being helpless. Even on the streets of Cairo I had skills I could rely on.' Orphaned as a child, Ororo had spent her formative years surviving as a pickpocket in Egypt's capital.

'You're not helpless, 'roro,' Wolverine assured her. 'You're still the best leader the X-Men have ever had. Believe me, we'd be completely lost without you. You've got something none of us can hope to imitate. You can look at a problem and instantly see what needs to be done; you've proved yourself more times than I care to count. Never doubt yourself, girl, you're the most valuable member of the team and don't you forget it.'

'Wolverine is absolutely right, Storm,' Magneto agreed. 'We need your wisdom now more than ever.'

'What's the world comin' to,' Wolverine muttered. 'Me and the leader of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants agreeing on something. I think I'll just go and curl up an' die.'

Storm grinned. Despite its more sinister beginnings, Wolverine and Magneto's verbal sparring was now just a bit of fun. 'Thanks,' she said, 'both of you.'

'Whatever.' Wolverine shrugged. 'Are you sure Rachel's up to this. We still don't know if she can control her power.'

'To be honest,' Storm admitted, 'I really do not know. Rachel does, however, have a better chance than any of us at controlling that thing, whatever it may be. It is the best plan I can think of.'

Wolverine nodded. 'That's all I needed to know.'

A cloud of pungent purple smoke heralded Nightcrawler's return. 'Sorry we took so long,' Nightcrawler sighed wearily. Then he collapsed. Wolverine rushed to his side, but the German mutant waved away his assistance. 'I'll be alright in a minute,' he assured his colleague, 'I just need a chance to get my breath back.' Wolverine simply nodded. He knew how difficult it was for Nightcrawler to teleport others. He also knew how the knowledge never caused Nightcrawler to shirk his duty.

Rachel had gone straight to Storm and was being told exactly what was expected of her. The young girl nervously ran her hands through her short red hair. 'I don't know if this will work,' she said, 'but I'm ready to give it a go.'

Storm nodded and rested a hand on the youngster's shoulder. 'Good luck,' she said.

'Luck has very little to do with it,' Rachel replied, flashing a lop-sided grin. It reminded Wolverine, painfully, of the girl's mother. 'You'd all better stand well back,' Rachel continued. 'Things are going to get very hot around here very soon.'

'Not me darlin',' Wolverine replied. 'A little heat won't bother the ol' Canucklehead and you could do with some support.' Besides, he thought, I owe it to Jeannie to watch out for you.

Rachel acknowledged his decision and then turned to face the slowly advancing fireball. Wolverine would burn just as easily as anyone else, but his mutant healing factor should give him the chance to recover. The pain would still be excruciating, though. Still, it was his decision and Rachel had too much respect for him to try and talk him out of it.

'Ready?' Wolverine asked when the others had all retreated to a safe distance. Rachel nodded.

She spread her arms above her head and screamed. Gradually the pitch of the scream got higher and higher until it passed from the vocal range to the psionic. At this point, a shape began to blossom out of Rachel's back. Slowly it grew to the size of a man. It looked like a giant bird, a bird of fire. This was the Phoenix. Gradually it expanded, swelling to mammoth proportions. It appeared to defy the laws of physics by fitting into a space to small to accommodate it. Then the screaming stopped.

Rachel stretched out her left hand towards the fireball. The Phoenix twitched in anticipation. An amphora of blazing white energy coalesced in Rachel's hand. The girl, now one with the energies of the cosmic entity, gently caressed the vase. An arc leapt from her hands to the approaching menace. Rachel's back arched and she cried out in pain. The Phoenix and the fireball were now one.

Rachel's eyes glazed over. She let her eyelids flutter close. When she opened them again, her eyes were blazing pools of white flame. 'Now,' she murmured in a voice not her own. The link between her and the fireball quivered. Energy pulsed down the coruscating chain. Rachel/Phoenix moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue and cried out in pleasure.

'Rachel,' Storm screamed, 'stop! You're strengthening the fireball, not draining it.'

Rachel/Phoenix seemed oblivious to her leader's pleas.

'Wolverine,' Storm and Magneto shouted together, 'stop her!'

Wolverine grunted. His clothing was ablaze and his hair had all but burnt away. His flesh was blistered and scarred. Despite it all, he had managed to find a level of consciousness that transcended the pain. Those years spent studying with a ninja master had paid off.

'Sorry, darlin',' he cried, bringing his hands down in a blow across Rachel's shoulders. She collapsed unconscious and the Phoenix entity dissipated.

As the smoke cleared, the other X-Men had already clustered round.

'Remind me not to try that again,' Wolverine complained, nursing a badly burned hand. His hair was literally growing back before their eyes and his flesh was losing its pinkish hue. 'Shame the healing factor doesn't repair clothes,' he commented, accepting Magneto's proffered coat.

'Well, that didn't work did it,' Nightcrawler said, never afraid to state the obvious. 'What do we do now?'

'I do not know,' Storm admitted. 'Has anyone else got any ideas?'

'Kitty thought of something,' Rogue piped up. 'We were discussing it earlier on.'

Shadowcat looked up from were she was examining Rachel's condition. 'I didn't want to mention it before because it's so dangerous,' she explained.

'We don't have a lot of choice at the moment,' Magneto replied. 'Let's here it.'

Shadowcat explained her plan indicating what she wanted Rogue and Colossus to do.

'You are right,' Storm agreed, 'it is dangerous. Colossus, are you certain you wish to try this.'

'I have been in life-threatening situations before, Storm,' he said, 'we all have. And it is our only option.'

'Very well,' Storm replied. 'Rogue, you may begin when you are ready.'

Rogue wrapped her arms around Colossus's waist. 'I hope Kitty don't mind me carrying a big Russian hunk like you away with me,' she drawled, ''cause I know I sure don't.'

Without another word, the pair took to the air. Magneto sat, cross-legged, on the ground. He frowned and beads of sweat formed on his brow. He was clearly concentrating deeply.

'What's up, Maggie,' Wolverine asked.

'If this goes wrong,' Magneto replied, 'I may be the only person who can pull Colossus out of there, but if I hesitate at all then it will no longer matter. Now, if you don't mind, I would appreciate some quiet.'

Rogue and Colossus were now approaching the zenith of their flight. They were directly above the fireball.

'Now, tovarisch!' Colossus shouted. Rogue dropped him. As he fell, Colossus drew upon his mutant power, turning his body into a form of organic steel. Many observers believed that the change went only skin deep, that there was still flesh and blood beneath the armoured shell. Colossus knew better. Every fibre of his being was now the same dense metallic substance.

'For Kitty and Illyana,' he screamed as he penetrated the flaming sphere.

'Lenin's ghost,' he spat as he hit the ground. The fireball had dispersed as soon as he had touched it. The danger was no more.

'It seems you were right, Katya,' he said as Shadowcat raced forward to embrace him.

'Hey, it's you're sister's influence, not me,' Shadowcat replied. 'She's the one who taught me that iron disrupts magic. Guess the same holds true for organic steel.'

Wolverine could here sirens in the distance. 'Police,' he warned Storm. 'It's about time they showed up.'

'Do not be too hard on them, Logan,' Storm replied. 'They were probably held up by the devastation. Still, it would be better if we were not here when they arrived.'

'Yes,' Magneto agreed. 'Despite their noble deeds the X-Men do not have a lily-white reputation as far as the public is concerned.'

'You almost sound pleased about that, Maggie,' Wolverine growled.

'Enough, both of you,' Storm snapped. 'Start looking for some transportation for the team.

With a screech of brakes, a car swerved into the street behind them. Jessica Drew stepped out. 'Anyone need a lift?' she asked. The X-Men piled in.

'Let's go,' Wolverine ordered.

'Yes, sir.' Jessica offered a mock salute and was rewarded by a snarl from Logan.

They accelerated down the street, but Jessica was forced to break suddenly. Two police cars blocked the street. 'Damn,' she swore.

'Back the way we came,' Wolverine suggested.

'No good,' Jessica replied, glancing in her mirrors. 'It's blocked that way as well.'

'Allow me,' Magneto offered. As he spoke, the car levitated into the air and continued on its way high above the streets of San Francisco. 'Impressive, isn't it?' He grinned.

'Just don't damage the car,' Jessica warned him. 'It was expensive.'

* * *

Ororo Munroe tugged a robe on over her nightdress as she made her way down to the dining room. Magnus was already eating breakfast, dressed, as always, in an immaculate dark suit. It was details like that that really got on Ororo's nerves. Why should she have to suffer the indignity of looking like a hedge had attacked her during the night when he could put Greek statues to shame? Life just was not fair sometimes. Correction, life was not fair most of the time, at least as far as Ororo was concerned. With a sigh she flicked her white hair, cut into a Mohawk, out of her eyes and collapsed in one of the wooden chairs surrounding the large table. Magnus poured her a large cup of strong black coffee while she helped herself to French toast.

'So, you had a hard time sleeping as well,' Magnus said.

'Is it that obvious?' Ororo asked, knowing that it was. Damn, not only can he look the picture of sophistication, but he can do it without sleep as well.

'I take it we were both worrying about the same thing,' her companion continued.

'That is hardly a surprise,' Ororo replied. 'Since the Beyonder and the Sentinels, we have had precious little to concern us.'

'And now this,' Magnus prompted.

'And now this,' she agreed, refusing to elaborate until she had consumed at least one cup of coffee.

Logan thumped his way downstairs to join them. He was wearing a white T-shirt and jeans that looked like he had slept in them. Ororo would not have put it past him.

'Good morning, Logan,' Ororo announced. Logan merely grunted in response as he rotated a chair so he could sit on it backwards.

'Would you care to join us for breakfast,' the African continued.

'Already taken care of, fraulein,' announced a voice from the kitchen. 'He fences, he teleports, he cooks; is there no end to this man's talents?'

'I assume that was rhetorical, elf,' Logan called back, 'or do you really want me to tell you the answer.'

'Ah, I see you got out of the wrong side of bed this morning, mein freund,' the voice floated back. 'It is therefore the duty of Wagner family cuisine to perk you up again. Unless, of course, you would prefer a song?'

'Don't try it, elf, or I promise you'll regret it,' Logan grunted in reply.

'We shall really have to do something about that temper of yours.' Kurt Wagner bounded in carrying three trays of breakfast items, one in each hand and one held by his tail. He was a mutant who certainly felt it was cool to be blue. 'I have just the thing to soothe your soul: muesli, French toast, pancakes and maple syrup, fresh orange juice and, of course, lots of coffee.'

'Pass me the caffeine, elf, before I wring your scrawny blue neck,' Logan ordered.

Kurt grinned as he complied. 'He likes me really,' he confided in the others.

Kitty Pryde dropped through the ceiling and landed gracefully in an empty chair. 'Morning, all,' she said, reaching for the coffeepot. The others acknowledged her, completely unfazed by her showy entrance, a fact that annoyed Kitty somewhat.

'So,' Magnus said to Ororo, 'what are we going to do about last night?'

Ororo steepled her fingers and stared into the middle distance. 'We need more information,' she said. 'Presumably, the police will have already investigated the site. We need to know everything they know.'

'Sounds like a job for me,' Kitty put in between mouthfuls of toast and coffee. The others nodded; Kitty's powers made her an excellent spy, part of the reason behind her choice of code-name. 'I'll just go and change into costume,' she continued, leaving her seat.

'I would rather you did not, Kitty,' Ororo said. 'It would be better if the X-Men were not seen to be involved in this.'

'Okay,' Kitty agreed. 'Save me some lunch, I won't be too long.'

Kitty dashed out and Magneto also rose to leave. 'You are wise to keep the X-Men out of this,' he commented. 'It is possible that the public may react in an-,' he paused, '-unhelpful manner.'

'What's this about keeping the X-Men out of this,' Jessica Drew asked as she came downstairs. 'I think it may be a little late for that.' She switched on the television.

Storm inhaled sharply, her normal calm façade penetrated by the images. Someone had filmed Phoenix and her attempts to stop the fireball. Or not.

'They're accusing Phoenix of causing the fireball,' Jessica elaborated.

'With some justification,' Logan admitted.

'And by implication,' Ororo commented, 'the X-Men are deemed responsible for the disaster.'

'So now there's more at stake than just the fireball,' Logan said, 'now we have to clear our names.'

'Nothing has changed,' Ororo corrected him. 'We find the people responsible and stop them.'

'I'll call in some favours and see what I can find out,' Jessica assured them.

'Thanks, Jess,' Logan said.

'My pleasure.' Jessica opened the front door. 'See you later.'

'I shall call Charles and appraise him of our situation,' Magnus said.

'Let me know what you discuss,' Ororo replied. 'I'll be out in the garden tending the plants.'

* * *

Logan watched her go and felt a twinge of pity. Ororo had spent years nurturing the plants in her attic at the mansion. With a wave of his hand, the Beyonder had destroyed them all. Soon he and Kurt were the only ones left at the table. 'I'll say this for you, elf,' Logan muttered, 'you can cook.'

'Compliments!' Kurt gasped theatrically. 'Are you sure you are feeling well, mein freund.'

'Cut the comedy, misfit, I wanna ask you somethin'.'

'Ask away,' Kurt suggested, steepling his fingers – what few he had – in front of him. 'I assume this has some bearing on the events of last night.'

'Yeah,' Logan drawled, suddenly reluctant to confide in his friend.

'Logan,' Kurt said when he could see further comments were not going to be forthcoming, 'incredibly talented I may be, but I cannot help you if you will not tell me what you want me to do.'

'Ororo and Jessica are good people, elf, but they're way off base if they think they're gonna find any leads on the street,' Logan explained. 'Way I see it, Kitty was right when she said that fireball was magic and that only leaves two explanations. One, we've got one or more rogue magicians runnin' around causing trouble.'

'And the other?' Kurt asked.

'Intentionally or otherwise, Rachel was the cause.'

The two friends considered the possibility for a few moments, neither liking the taste it left behind.

'What would you like me to do,' Kurt asked, his playful manner completely swamped by seriousness.

'Amanda's into all this sorcery and stuff, ain't she,' Logan began.

'If by that you mean is my girlfriend a witch then yes, I would have to agree with you,' Kurt replied. 'I know you're uncomfortable with magic, mein freund, but it has been a fact of life for me since childhood. There are more things in heaven and earth, as the Bard put it.'

'Yeah, whatever,' Logan responded. 'Well, if you're so hot on this dungeons and dragons stuff, howsabout you and Amanda figure out what we can do about it.'

'As if I need an excuse to talk to my girlfriend,' Kurt said. 'And in the meantime, you will be looking out for Rachel, I suppose?'

'Yeah,' Logan agreed. 'Just in case.'

* * *

Kitty Pryde was depressed. She had just taken a peak at the police file for last night's incident and it turned out they knew even less than the X-Men did. Now she was going to have to return empty-handed. She kicked a stone out of her path. She hated being the neophyte. She was convinced that the professor was just looking for an excuse to kick her of the team and back into the X-Babies. According to Illyana, the New Mutants were not so bad, but Kitty was an X-Man. So why was it any time she was given a chance to prove it she fouled up?

Well, no sense in prolonging the agony. She pulled her A to Z from her pocket and consulted it. It looked as if there was a shortcut back to Jessica's house down this way. She started off, lost in her own self-doubt. One chance, that was all she needed. Okay, one more chance, but she knew she could do it. Sure her power may not be as flashy as Nightcrawler's or Wolverine's, but that did not make her any less a hero, did it? Were heroes beaten up by their school friends?

There was a scream from round the corner. Kitty did not hesitate, hurling herself in its direction. A homeless guy was being beaten up on by a gang of youth's with clubs and knives.

'Hey, leave him alone!' she cried, trying to pull the largest thug away. In the struggle, the wrappings around the victim's face came loose and Kitty could see that he had green skin. They were attacking a mutant.

'Get out of here, sweetheart, if you know what's good for you,' one of the thug's suggested.

'Oh, I don't know, Mickey,' another guy said. 'I'm thinking we could have some fun here.'

'Well, whadya say, honeybunch?' Mikey asked, swinging a knife in her direction.

He expected her to step back, out of the blade's reach. Instead, Kitty did what came naturally and phased. The knife passed right through her face.

'Hey, what is she? Some kind of ghost?'

'Get a grip, Stuey. She's a freak. A mutie freak.'

'Well, in that case, it's up to us to make sure she gets what she deserves.'

Kitty suddenly realised that there were a lot more of them than she has first thought.