Chapter One
It was early Tuesday evening and last lesson had been cancelled due and incident involving a girl who could walk up any surface, a boy who can shoot a sticky residue from his wrists and a lovers tiff. Scott and Jean had decided to spend the evening together rather than help clean up the school.
Scott was at the table reading the paper he had meaning to read all day while Jean was writing up a report on the mentioned incident.
"Jean, come over here." Scott called out to his girlfriend signalling for her to some and look at the article he was reading. "Look at what it says ' Mutant Trashes Church BBQ' what do you think?"
" I think we need to get the Professor." She said while reading the article over his shoulder.
" I agree." Folding up the paper, he stood up, put it in his back pocket and followed Jean out the door. Heading towards the Professors office they avoided the afflicted rooms by taking the long way round. Knocking on the door they called out for the Professor.
"Come on in Jean, Scott." The professor was talking to a young girl with long black hair and a boy of similar age with dyed blue hair. The atmosphere in the room was tense, most likely created by the death glares both of the pupils were giving each other. The professor excused them from his office and signalled to Jean and Scott to take a seat.
"So Jean, Scott what can I do for you?" He said smiling warmly towards the both of them. He was wearing a dark grey suit with a matching tie and a white shirt. The professor sat behind his dark mahogany desk and watched Jean and Scott sit down, noticing that they were both worked up about something.
"We're here about an article in the paper. I don't know if you've seen it yet but look." Cyclopes pulled the paper out of his back pocket and planted on the table. Xavier picked it up and started to read.
" Yes I have. I've been waiting to see when someone would come to me about the article." He paused to look at them both, " I think immediate action is needed so Jean can you get Ororo, Logan and Marie and tell them to come to my office at 7pm. Scott can you find Bobby and get the jet ready for a flight tonight and then meet here at 7. Any problems?" They shook their heads. "See you at 7 then."
***
Six figures approached the stealth jet hidden under the basketball court at about 7:30pm on a chilly Tuesday evening. The first to ascend the ramp to the jet was a women in her early 30's with auburn hair and a concerning look on her face. Next was a woman who was in her late 20's with long white hair and a black cloak flowing dramatically out behind her. Flicking the cloak out of his path with a quick bat of his a hand a shortish yet broad and powerful man with huge side burns followed the women up the ramp while looking over his shoulder at a young boy and girl lagging behind. The pair, about 10 meters behind the others, were 17 or 18 in age and holding hands. The boy, slightly taller than the girl had short hair and wore a cheeky grin on his face. The girl had long dark hair with two white streaks at the front and wore smooth black gloves over her hands. Last to board the jet was a tall handsome man in his 30's who had a red visor over his eyes. He wore the uniform tight leather suit with an X on it and pulled it off almost as good as the females.
Jean sat in the pilots seat with Storm to her right. In the second row Wolverine and Cyclops sat silently, glancing at each other and Jean. Behind them in the fuselage Rogue and Iceman sat across from each other, sending flirty eye signals, but out the other X-men's line of vision. The inside of the jet was made of a sleek shiny metal that was warm to the touch but left no mark when something was pressed against it. The sound of the powerful engines was barely heard, hardly any louder than the hum of a laptop. The switching on of the engines automated the sliding doors concealed in the basketball court above. As the light flooded in the jet slowly and silently rose through the opening in the court. A couple of kids who had been playing basketball before they were interrupted stood at the side of the pitch in awe of what they were seeing. Even though the jet was as black as night it still went almost unnoticed in the pale pink and golden sky. As it rose further and further into the sky it turned west and headed for Buffalo.
Jean turned her head round to talk to the pair in the back. "Rogue, Bobby. I have only one rule and one rule only. No back seat driving. Alright."
"Shouldn't you be watching were your going Doctor?" Bobby cheekily replied. Jean glared at him then averted her vision forwards.
"So how long 'till we arrive at Buffalo then Doc." Logan lent forward to talk to Jean. She tapped on the touch screen mounted in the control panel.
"According to my calculations we should arrive in about 30 minutes." Jean returned to the monitor and pressed the plasma screen while it bleeped contentedly.
" So does this thing have a radio?" Logan leant forward again, much to Scott's disapproval.
"No." Scott cut in before Jean had the chance to answer. In the fuselage Bobby leant forward and whispered to Rogue. She giggled. The pair went on in whispers for most of the remaining journey.
As they approached Buffalo, they felt the jet slow down. Scott unbuckled his belt and turned around to face the crew.
"Okay folks. You all know what the professor said. In and out with as little as possible damage. Now you all know the basic drill. Storm, we're going to land in a near by copse, so I need you to make something to help conceal it. I don't know a quick thunderstorm should distract any visitors. While we were in the air Jean pulled up a schematic of the estate and the general layout is something like this." A blue technical drawing appeared out of thin air "Ok. Jean and I will take the front. We will enter through this door here," He pointed to a double door at the front of the spinning schematic. "We will be taken into one of these reception rooms here or here. Now from what we know the oldest daughter as moved out so we don't have to think about that. Wolverine you and Rogue take the back and enter through the conservatory. I want to you to search the downstairs" He pointed to Rogue " And Logan take the upstairs. Remember to look for attics and cellars. They're the most likely places were people would try to conceal a mutant. Okay. Storm you stay here with the jet and Bobby you guard the outside. If anything goes wrong just think about what it is and Jean'll pick it up. That goes for all of you. If anything happens just think and either Jean and I will come." He clicked her fingers and the schematic disappeared. "Now the address is 34 Rector Road and is about ½ a mile west. When we land I'll give you further instructions."
Bobby pulled his hands up to face and breathed heavily upon them. How ironic. The Iceman was cold. When Jean had clouded the sky over she also made it cold. Another deterrent to any nosy neighbours.
It was completely dark and the only light he could see by was the moon. Jean and Cyclops had just entered the house and he couldn't see Rogue or Wolverine. Stepping out from behind the tree he had been told to stand behind the thought about how this wasn't how he imagined his first official X-men outing. He stalked round the side of the house trying to avoid the security lights of both this house and the neighbours. His mind wandered to Rogue and what fun she would be having. He envied her for being assigned to the inside job, not only because it was cold outside but it also was more exciting inside. Searching rooms and looking for trap doors, the stuff he had dreamed of since he was knee-high. He was still imaging everything happening on the inside when he heard a noise. It was almost like a hissing scrape.
Turning around he saw a small, grey tabby cat, her hackles up. Bending down he cooed softly to her, gently putting his hand out to her. Backing down she came slowly over to him and sniffed him. Deciding he was okay she started to wind in and out of his legs. The small cat took him back to when he was a child. He had always loved animals, ever since his mom let him keep those little goldfish you win at fairs. They were the happy times. Believe it or not he'd want to become a vet until recently. Until his power put a stop to that. He had images of examining someone's beloved a pet and some how freezing them.
A quick, sharp breeze passed across the back of his back neck taking him out of his cat induced unawareness. Standing up he turned quickly around searching the surroundings. Continuing tepidly forward he started circle the house, his senses on high alert.
It was early Tuesday evening and last lesson had been cancelled due and incident involving a girl who could walk up any surface, a boy who can shoot a sticky residue from his wrists and a lovers tiff. Scott and Jean had decided to spend the evening together rather than help clean up the school.
Scott was at the table reading the paper he had meaning to read all day while Jean was writing up a report on the mentioned incident.
"Jean, come over here." Scott called out to his girlfriend signalling for her to some and look at the article he was reading. "Look at what it says ' Mutant Trashes Church BBQ' what do you think?"
" I think we need to get the Professor." She said while reading the article over his shoulder.
" I agree." Folding up the paper, he stood up, put it in his back pocket and followed Jean out the door. Heading towards the Professors office they avoided the afflicted rooms by taking the long way round. Knocking on the door they called out for the Professor.
"Come on in Jean, Scott." The professor was talking to a young girl with long black hair and a boy of similar age with dyed blue hair. The atmosphere in the room was tense, most likely created by the death glares both of the pupils were giving each other. The professor excused them from his office and signalled to Jean and Scott to take a seat.
"So Jean, Scott what can I do for you?" He said smiling warmly towards the both of them. He was wearing a dark grey suit with a matching tie and a white shirt. The professor sat behind his dark mahogany desk and watched Jean and Scott sit down, noticing that they were both worked up about something.
"We're here about an article in the paper. I don't know if you've seen it yet but look." Cyclopes pulled the paper out of his back pocket and planted on the table. Xavier picked it up and started to read.
" Yes I have. I've been waiting to see when someone would come to me about the article." He paused to look at them both, " I think immediate action is needed so Jean can you get Ororo, Logan and Marie and tell them to come to my office at 7pm. Scott can you find Bobby and get the jet ready for a flight tonight and then meet here at 7. Any problems?" They shook their heads. "See you at 7 then."
***
Six figures approached the stealth jet hidden under the basketball court at about 7:30pm on a chilly Tuesday evening. The first to ascend the ramp to the jet was a women in her early 30's with auburn hair and a concerning look on her face. Next was a woman who was in her late 20's with long white hair and a black cloak flowing dramatically out behind her. Flicking the cloak out of his path with a quick bat of his a hand a shortish yet broad and powerful man with huge side burns followed the women up the ramp while looking over his shoulder at a young boy and girl lagging behind. The pair, about 10 meters behind the others, were 17 or 18 in age and holding hands. The boy, slightly taller than the girl had short hair and wore a cheeky grin on his face. The girl had long dark hair with two white streaks at the front and wore smooth black gloves over her hands. Last to board the jet was a tall handsome man in his 30's who had a red visor over his eyes. He wore the uniform tight leather suit with an X on it and pulled it off almost as good as the females.
Jean sat in the pilots seat with Storm to her right. In the second row Wolverine and Cyclops sat silently, glancing at each other and Jean. Behind them in the fuselage Rogue and Iceman sat across from each other, sending flirty eye signals, but out the other X-men's line of vision. The inside of the jet was made of a sleek shiny metal that was warm to the touch but left no mark when something was pressed against it. The sound of the powerful engines was barely heard, hardly any louder than the hum of a laptop. The switching on of the engines automated the sliding doors concealed in the basketball court above. As the light flooded in the jet slowly and silently rose through the opening in the court. A couple of kids who had been playing basketball before they were interrupted stood at the side of the pitch in awe of what they were seeing. Even though the jet was as black as night it still went almost unnoticed in the pale pink and golden sky. As it rose further and further into the sky it turned west and headed for Buffalo.
Jean turned her head round to talk to the pair in the back. "Rogue, Bobby. I have only one rule and one rule only. No back seat driving. Alright."
"Shouldn't you be watching were your going Doctor?" Bobby cheekily replied. Jean glared at him then averted her vision forwards.
"So how long 'till we arrive at Buffalo then Doc." Logan lent forward to talk to Jean. She tapped on the touch screen mounted in the control panel.
"According to my calculations we should arrive in about 30 minutes." Jean returned to the monitor and pressed the plasma screen while it bleeped contentedly.
" So does this thing have a radio?" Logan leant forward again, much to Scott's disapproval.
"No." Scott cut in before Jean had the chance to answer. In the fuselage Bobby leant forward and whispered to Rogue. She giggled. The pair went on in whispers for most of the remaining journey.
As they approached Buffalo, they felt the jet slow down. Scott unbuckled his belt and turned around to face the crew.
"Okay folks. You all know what the professor said. In and out with as little as possible damage. Now you all know the basic drill. Storm, we're going to land in a near by copse, so I need you to make something to help conceal it. I don't know a quick thunderstorm should distract any visitors. While we were in the air Jean pulled up a schematic of the estate and the general layout is something like this." A blue technical drawing appeared out of thin air "Ok. Jean and I will take the front. We will enter through this door here," He pointed to a double door at the front of the spinning schematic. "We will be taken into one of these reception rooms here or here. Now from what we know the oldest daughter as moved out so we don't have to think about that. Wolverine you and Rogue take the back and enter through the conservatory. I want to you to search the downstairs" He pointed to Rogue " And Logan take the upstairs. Remember to look for attics and cellars. They're the most likely places were people would try to conceal a mutant. Okay. Storm you stay here with the jet and Bobby you guard the outside. If anything goes wrong just think about what it is and Jean'll pick it up. That goes for all of you. If anything happens just think and either Jean and I will come." He clicked her fingers and the schematic disappeared. "Now the address is 34 Rector Road and is about ½ a mile west. When we land I'll give you further instructions."
Bobby pulled his hands up to face and breathed heavily upon them. How ironic. The Iceman was cold. When Jean had clouded the sky over she also made it cold. Another deterrent to any nosy neighbours.
It was completely dark and the only light he could see by was the moon. Jean and Cyclops had just entered the house and he couldn't see Rogue or Wolverine. Stepping out from behind the tree he had been told to stand behind the thought about how this wasn't how he imagined his first official X-men outing. He stalked round the side of the house trying to avoid the security lights of both this house and the neighbours. His mind wandered to Rogue and what fun she would be having. He envied her for being assigned to the inside job, not only because it was cold outside but it also was more exciting inside. Searching rooms and looking for trap doors, the stuff he had dreamed of since he was knee-high. He was still imaging everything happening on the inside when he heard a noise. It was almost like a hissing scrape.
Turning around he saw a small, grey tabby cat, her hackles up. Bending down he cooed softly to her, gently putting his hand out to her. Backing down she came slowly over to him and sniffed him. Deciding he was okay she started to wind in and out of his legs. The small cat took him back to when he was a child. He had always loved animals, ever since his mom let him keep those little goldfish you win at fairs. They were the happy times. Believe it or not he'd want to become a vet until recently. Until his power put a stop to that. He had images of examining someone's beloved a pet and some how freezing them.
A quick, sharp breeze passed across the back of his back neck taking him out of his cat induced unawareness. Standing up he turned quickly around searching the surroundings. Continuing tepidly forward he started circle the house, his senses on high alert.