Part 16
Emma walked around the room and made small talk with the remaining 'interns'. Tonight they would become her protégés. She had hand picked these remaining few. These were the 'special' ones that she felt would mold into the Hell Fire Club agenda.
Remy squeezed Willow's waist and leaned down to whisper in her ear, "It's time, chere."
Willow closed her eyes briefly and then hugged Remy. She was to make her excuse to sneak up into her room to meet with Tara and Kitty. Willow grabbed a glass from a passing waiter and caught Buffy's eye.
Buffy smiled as she talked her way around the room toward Willow and Remy. She spotted an intern near Willow and zeroed in on him. "Wayne!"
Wayne jerked around to see who had called his name. Willow positioned herself near Wayne so that when he turned his elbow barely hit hers. Willow watched as she emphasized her movement and caused the Champaign to spill onto her outfit.
"Chere! You all right?"
Willow blushed under the attention. Wayne spun around, "Oh god, Willow. I'm so sorry. I didn't see you there."
"N-no harm done, Wayne. I'll just go up and change and be right back." Willow made her way over to Emma and grinned sheepishly, "Sorry, Ms. Frost. Can't take me anywhere." Willow looked down at her watch and then back up at Emma, "I need to make my appointment with you a little later, if that's all right?"
Emma smiled at Willow, "Don't worry about it, Willow. We'll probably run a little late anyway."
Remy came and put his arm around Willow, "Come on, chere. I'll go with you."
Willow smiled and turned in his embrace, "No that's okay, Remy. I'll only be a little while. You stay and enjoy the party."
Remy leaned down and kissed her cheek, "If you're sure."
Willow placed a light kiss on his lips, "I'm sure. See you in a few."
Remy reluctantly let her go and turned to Emma. "So, when am I gonna meet the mysterious Sebastian I heard so much about. T'aught he'd be at the party."
~~~~
Willow quickly ran to her room. She didn't know what time Kitty and Tara would arrive but she wanted to be there when they did. The Professor had 'talked' to Remy to let them know that the X-men were coming and that Willow was to meet Tara in her room.
Opening the closet she pulled out another dress to wear. This one was more her style and easier to move in. She wanted to be able to fight if necessary.
"AAAAAAAH!" Willow screamed and grabbed her chest. "Shit, Tara! You scared the crap outta me."
Tara and Kitty giggled as just their heads were sticking out of the wall. They both phased into the room.
"Sorry, Willow. It was too much of a temptation to resist."
Willow pulled Tara into a hug, "God, it's good to see you even if you did take a few years off my life." Willow stood back and smiled at Tara and Kitty, "Think Wolverine will give me a couple of his years in a swap?"
Kitty smiled, "Sure, I don't know why not. He's got plenty to spare. I think he's like over a hundred years old."
Willow giggled, "Well that's an improvement on Buffy's last boyfriend. He was over two hundred."
Kitty looked confused and Willow laughed harder, "Never mind. So what's the plan?"
"Wolverine thinks he knows where the room is that the transformations are going to take place. They're concentrating their efforts there."
"So we meet them there?"
Kitty nodded and stuck her head through Willow's door to look down the corridor.
"Okay, that's just creepy."
Kitty brought her head in and smiled, "All clear." She slowly opened the door and the three girls made their way quietly down the corridor.
~~~~
Kurt waited on the roof after teleporting Tara and Kitty down from the jet. A movement from the sky caught his eye and he noticed Storm using the wind to carry Wolverine and Jean using her ability to transport Cyclops to the roof.
Wolverine lightly landed next to Kurt on the roof. "Girls get down okay?"
"Ja, they phased about ten minutes ago."
Logan looked around the roof trying to get his bearings and remember where the 'hidden' room might be from where they were standing.
Jean lightly touched down with Scott next to her. "Which way?"
Storm looked around and pointed to the left. "Over there."
"You sure?"
She raised an eyebrow at Logan, "I have a photographic memory."
Logan just stared.
"Okay, I saw movement through a window as I was landing."
Logan's lips twitched as he moved in the direction that Storm had pointed. When he got closer he should be able to tell where the other mutants were.
Wolverine held up his hand for the others to wait. He sniffed the air and let his senses take over. There was another mutant nearby and it wasn't one from their team. It was coming from below.
"We're here."
"Kurt, teleport down and do a little scouting."
Kurt turned on his holographic image and winked at Storm. Wouldn't do to pop in to the party unannounced and then frighten the interns with his blue skin and tail.
He moved a little away from the others so if Emma, Mystique, Magneto or Sebastian were directly below he would be a little behind them.
BAMPF!
In a whispy cloud of black smoke and a faint smell of sulfur Kurt appeared in the corridor outside the room. He spun as he heard a noise to his left.
" 'Bout time you got here, mon ami."
Gambit began to nonchalantly shuffle his cards. "The others wit' you?"
"Waiting for a report, mein freund."
Kitty phased into the room, "Well let's do it. Tara and Willow are not that far behind me."
Kurt closed his eyes and concentrated on Jean. His eyes popped open, "Stand back."
A precision ray of red light came through the roof and cut a hole just large enough for an adult to slip through.
"He's getting' better at that, non?"
Willow came running up and skidded to a stop when she saw the red light. "What was that?"
Wolverine jumped through the hole and looked over at Willow, "Just Cyclops showin' off. Where's Buffy?"
Willow bit the inside of her lip. Oh someone was crushing. She turned twinkling green eyes at Gambit, "She inside?"
Remy winked at Willow before turning his attention to Wolverine, "Yep, went in a few minutes ago. I was supposed to wait out here and bring Willow in when she arrived."
Storm, Jean, and Scott joined the others. Wolverine sniffed the air, "Magneto's in there and two others I don't recognize."
"That's probably Emma and Sebastian."
Jean concentrated. "Emma is powerful. Not as powerful as the Professor but be careful. She can twist your perception of reality once inside."
"What about Sebastian?"
"He absorbs kinetic energy so Stormy will have to take care of Shaw."
Storm's eyes turned white and her hair blew around her. "Not a problem."
