Disclaimer: I do not own, nor am I making any money from, the X-Men
characters. Thank you to Corrinth for the loan of Ilehana Xavier. Blaze is,
always has been, and forever will be mine, so there!
A/N: Don't forget to review!
Scene 11
"Thank you Kurt," Blaze spluttered as she untangled herself from her friend's support. "Rescue much appreciated."
"Gern geschehen." Nightcrawler replied shyly, meaning you're welcome. "But where was Gambit going just then? He look like he seen a ghost, he ran past so fast."
"I think maybe he had." The Professor approached his X-Men in the alleyway outside the hotel. "Good job, Nightcrawler, though I wish I had not had to have you watching over us like that tonight. Blaze, are you really okay?"
"I will be." The Englishwoman looked pale and ill. "Can we go home now please?"
Relieved that Blaze hadn't asked to go after Gambit, Xavier was only too happy to oblige. Within the hour, with Blaze being fed cocoa and the essential pizza by a concerned Scott, Xavier was at work in Cerebro trying to track down not only Gambit, but also the shooter or shooters from the hotel. Gambit was easy to find, he'd been back to the mansion for his X-Men uniform, some supplies and his motorbike, before heading out of town towards the south. Not far away at all. Yet. Xavier called out to his X- Man.
**Running again? ** To his disappointment, Gambit refused to answer the Professor. Not wanting to push the younger man away, Xavier left him be. At least he could tell Blaze that Gambit was physically fine. Pushing his concern for Remy aside, Xavier returned to the hotel in his mind. The trail of the would-be-assassin was difficult to find in such an envelope of white- hot emotion. Even now the party guests had left, the building still echoed fear and panic and anger in Xavier's mind. Charles sifted through the emotions until he found a trace of calm. Through Cerebro he followed the emotion, tracking the mutant who had felt it out of the building and into the night.
Xavier found his quarry ready to embark an internal flight. A man, tall, brown haired and bearded but not old. With no heavy luggage, he carried only a small battered rucksack over the shoulder of his knee-length trench coat. Behind designer sunglasses the man smiled as Xavier brushed his consciousness.
**An' somehow I knew you'd be followin' me, Xavier. Kinda disappointin' after you fooled me with that blue teleporter. Crafty, keepin' him on d'roof where I didn't register him. Tell the belle redhead I see her again soon... **
The stranger was gone, closed off just like that to Xavier's mind. A telepath then, and one of some power. One who had learned to use his power to assess probable future actions of his victims? Xavier shuddered as he removed the Cerebro helmet, hoping that Blaze could at least cast a little light on the evening's events.
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"Ah Greyton Creed! What a pleasure to speak to you!"
"You're very chirpy, Jacobi. Is there somethin' you should be tellin' me?"
Alessandro Jacobi tugged his thinning mousy hair back into its usual tail at the back of his neck, a broad smile on his face. Things were coming along nicely. Finished preening himself he adjusted the laptop screen to get a better look at the crude head of the FoH.
"Now now, don't pry Mr Creed. How goes business?"
"Not well. Don't get me wrong; the trained troops you're loanin' me are more than satisfactory. But it's difficult to exterminate any mutant scum when we can't pin them down as to who they are."
"So then, you come back to me my friend, hoping I may be able to sell you the desired information?" Jacobi smiled cruelly. Creed was hardly the type of man Jacobi would call a friend, but he was at least loyal in his business. And useful, Jacobi had to give him that. The world's mutants were now only a step away from being under Jacobi's thumb in terms of the supply of ace, a drug that not only improved ones powers but also gave the biggest confidence boost to the much-beleaguered mutant population. Now Creed gave Jacobi the means to start this long-brewing war, a name and organisation for his mercenary soldiers to fight under against the mutants. And with war full-blown on the streets, and the X-Men undoubtedly caught up in the middle, Jacobi would be left free to make as much profit, gather as much power as possible.
"Can you do it?" Creed hated to ask Jacobi again. His own research into the crime lord's past said he had had as much to do with the mutant scum as anyone, even as far as working with them. But Jacobi was so useful to him, and backing the FoH with troops and money like no other businessman on earth had committed, so far at least.
"Of course." Jacobi's voice came back smug over the video link. "If you promise to begin by exterminating certain X-freaks...."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Gambit pushed the bike hard, weaving through the light early morning traffic as though the devil himself was on his tail. Under the tinted visor of his plain black helmet, his eyes were narrow and cold. Old wounds thought healed reopened worse than ever; pain contorted his face into a twisted mask as he fought back an overwhelming tide of memories. Around him, the day had dawned hazy but promising; sunshine that so contradicted his mood somehow seemed the most suitable of weather. In his cavernous coat pocket, the snip of deadly nightshade brushed gently against a pack of cards.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Blaze's morning didn't start well. After sleeping badly, she barely made it to the bathroom before she threw up. Dizziness swamped her and for a while the world spun. She didn't know how long past before someone's fist tapping on the door brought her around.
"Alright already." She muttered, flicking the lock to open.
"Bout time..." Logan snarled, eyes half glued shut with sleep he locked the door behind him.
**Blaze? If you are up can we please begin with the images I took from Alex and Tabitha's memories? **
**One minute, Professor, let me throw some clothes on first? ** He didn't argue so she went back to her room to dress. Leaving again, brushing her tight curls as she walked down the stairs, she almost bumped into Scott and Tsunami going up the stairs the other way.
"Morning Blaze," Sun offered her fellow elemental a sympathetic smile. "Sorry to hear Gambit's run off, but I'm sure he'll be back soon." Blaze tried to smile, but she couldn't echo that sentiment. A lump rose in her throat as Tsunami offered a small slip of paper. "I did you a copy of the photo from last night. Its not bad either, even if I do say so myself." Blaze took the photograph in her shaking fingers, but couldn't bring herself to look at it right there and then.
"Tsunami's leaving today, hotel room's all empty, just a few bits here to gather up." Scott filled Blaze in. True enough Tsunami could have stayed at the school, but both she and Scott hadn't been comfortable with that, not with Jean's memory still haunting the place.
"It's been great seeing you again," Blaze offered genuinely. "I hope next time you visit won't be so chaotic."
"Hey, me too." Tsunami embraced Blaze solidly then began sprinting up the stairs, followed by Scott. Still without looking at the photograph and trying to blank out the happy couple as they chatted away evenly upstairs, Blaze headed for the lift to the underground lair of the X-Men.
Xavier was already waiting for her, putting the finishing touches to the e- fits of the faces from the students' memories. The sheer strength of the walls Blaze had thrown up around herself unnerved the powerful telepath as the fiery mutant entered the room. Time they had a talk...
"I'm proud of you Blaze, for not charging off after Gambit, for knowing how much I need you here right now." She nodded her head slightly at his words, pulling up a chair, but didn't speak. Xavier continued. "But you can't keep the whole world at arms length like you are attempting to now, its just not healthy..."
"I have to Professor." Her voice was sombre and drained. "I'll lose it if I don't, just like I did the last time someone drove Remy away and tried to kill me. Besides I trust you enough to know you'll be keeping an eye on him, it will be better all round if I let you call the shots on this. I just hope..." She shut up, eyes clouding over with frightened tears.
"Hope what, Blaze?" Xavier encouraged gently.
"I just hope its just another petty ex of Gambit's. First love or whatever, I can even deal with that. But if it's Jacobi pulling the strings..." Blaze closed her eyes. The Professor waited until she looked at him again, her emotional and mental barriers secure once more, before he answered her.
"You are an X-Man now Blaze. Even if it is Jacobi, you no longer fight alone."
A/N: Don't forget to review!
Scene 11
"Thank you Kurt," Blaze spluttered as she untangled herself from her friend's support. "Rescue much appreciated."
"Gern geschehen." Nightcrawler replied shyly, meaning you're welcome. "But where was Gambit going just then? He look like he seen a ghost, he ran past so fast."
"I think maybe he had." The Professor approached his X-Men in the alleyway outside the hotel. "Good job, Nightcrawler, though I wish I had not had to have you watching over us like that tonight. Blaze, are you really okay?"
"I will be." The Englishwoman looked pale and ill. "Can we go home now please?"
Relieved that Blaze hadn't asked to go after Gambit, Xavier was only too happy to oblige. Within the hour, with Blaze being fed cocoa and the essential pizza by a concerned Scott, Xavier was at work in Cerebro trying to track down not only Gambit, but also the shooter or shooters from the hotel. Gambit was easy to find, he'd been back to the mansion for his X-Men uniform, some supplies and his motorbike, before heading out of town towards the south. Not far away at all. Yet. Xavier called out to his X- Man.
**Running again? ** To his disappointment, Gambit refused to answer the Professor. Not wanting to push the younger man away, Xavier left him be. At least he could tell Blaze that Gambit was physically fine. Pushing his concern for Remy aside, Xavier returned to the hotel in his mind. The trail of the would-be-assassin was difficult to find in such an envelope of white- hot emotion. Even now the party guests had left, the building still echoed fear and panic and anger in Xavier's mind. Charles sifted through the emotions until he found a trace of calm. Through Cerebro he followed the emotion, tracking the mutant who had felt it out of the building and into the night.
Xavier found his quarry ready to embark an internal flight. A man, tall, brown haired and bearded but not old. With no heavy luggage, he carried only a small battered rucksack over the shoulder of his knee-length trench coat. Behind designer sunglasses the man smiled as Xavier brushed his consciousness.
**An' somehow I knew you'd be followin' me, Xavier. Kinda disappointin' after you fooled me with that blue teleporter. Crafty, keepin' him on d'roof where I didn't register him. Tell the belle redhead I see her again soon... **
The stranger was gone, closed off just like that to Xavier's mind. A telepath then, and one of some power. One who had learned to use his power to assess probable future actions of his victims? Xavier shuddered as he removed the Cerebro helmet, hoping that Blaze could at least cast a little light on the evening's events.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Ah Greyton Creed! What a pleasure to speak to you!"
"You're very chirpy, Jacobi. Is there somethin' you should be tellin' me?"
Alessandro Jacobi tugged his thinning mousy hair back into its usual tail at the back of his neck, a broad smile on his face. Things were coming along nicely. Finished preening himself he adjusted the laptop screen to get a better look at the crude head of the FoH.
"Now now, don't pry Mr Creed. How goes business?"
"Not well. Don't get me wrong; the trained troops you're loanin' me are more than satisfactory. But it's difficult to exterminate any mutant scum when we can't pin them down as to who they are."
"So then, you come back to me my friend, hoping I may be able to sell you the desired information?" Jacobi smiled cruelly. Creed was hardly the type of man Jacobi would call a friend, but he was at least loyal in his business. And useful, Jacobi had to give him that. The world's mutants were now only a step away from being under Jacobi's thumb in terms of the supply of ace, a drug that not only improved ones powers but also gave the biggest confidence boost to the much-beleaguered mutant population. Now Creed gave Jacobi the means to start this long-brewing war, a name and organisation for his mercenary soldiers to fight under against the mutants. And with war full-blown on the streets, and the X-Men undoubtedly caught up in the middle, Jacobi would be left free to make as much profit, gather as much power as possible.
"Can you do it?" Creed hated to ask Jacobi again. His own research into the crime lord's past said he had had as much to do with the mutant scum as anyone, even as far as working with them. But Jacobi was so useful to him, and backing the FoH with troops and money like no other businessman on earth had committed, so far at least.
"Of course." Jacobi's voice came back smug over the video link. "If you promise to begin by exterminating certain X-freaks...."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Gambit pushed the bike hard, weaving through the light early morning traffic as though the devil himself was on his tail. Under the tinted visor of his plain black helmet, his eyes were narrow and cold. Old wounds thought healed reopened worse than ever; pain contorted his face into a twisted mask as he fought back an overwhelming tide of memories. Around him, the day had dawned hazy but promising; sunshine that so contradicted his mood somehow seemed the most suitable of weather. In his cavernous coat pocket, the snip of deadly nightshade brushed gently against a pack of cards.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Blaze's morning didn't start well. After sleeping badly, she barely made it to the bathroom before she threw up. Dizziness swamped her and for a while the world spun. She didn't know how long past before someone's fist tapping on the door brought her around.
"Alright already." She muttered, flicking the lock to open.
"Bout time..." Logan snarled, eyes half glued shut with sleep he locked the door behind him.
**Blaze? If you are up can we please begin with the images I took from Alex and Tabitha's memories? **
**One minute, Professor, let me throw some clothes on first? ** He didn't argue so she went back to her room to dress. Leaving again, brushing her tight curls as she walked down the stairs, she almost bumped into Scott and Tsunami going up the stairs the other way.
"Morning Blaze," Sun offered her fellow elemental a sympathetic smile. "Sorry to hear Gambit's run off, but I'm sure he'll be back soon." Blaze tried to smile, but she couldn't echo that sentiment. A lump rose in her throat as Tsunami offered a small slip of paper. "I did you a copy of the photo from last night. Its not bad either, even if I do say so myself." Blaze took the photograph in her shaking fingers, but couldn't bring herself to look at it right there and then.
"Tsunami's leaving today, hotel room's all empty, just a few bits here to gather up." Scott filled Blaze in. True enough Tsunami could have stayed at the school, but both she and Scott hadn't been comfortable with that, not with Jean's memory still haunting the place.
"It's been great seeing you again," Blaze offered genuinely. "I hope next time you visit won't be so chaotic."
"Hey, me too." Tsunami embraced Blaze solidly then began sprinting up the stairs, followed by Scott. Still without looking at the photograph and trying to blank out the happy couple as they chatted away evenly upstairs, Blaze headed for the lift to the underground lair of the X-Men.
Xavier was already waiting for her, putting the finishing touches to the e- fits of the faces from the students' memories. The sheer strength of the walls Blaze had thrown up around herself unnerved the powerful telepath as the fiery mutant entered the room. Time they had a talk...
"I'm proud of you Blaze, for not charging off after Gambit, for knowing how much I need you here right now." She nodded her head slightly at his words, pulling up a chair, but didn't speak. Xavier continued. "But you can't keep the whole world at arms length like you are attempting to now, its just not healthy..."
"I have to Professor." Her voice was sombre and drained. "I'll lose it if I don't, just like I did the last time someone drove Remy away and tried to kill me. Besides I trust you enough to know you'll be keeping an eye on him, it will be better all round if I let you call the shots on this. I just hope..." She shut up, eyes clouding over with frightened tears.
"Hope what, Blaze?" Xavier encouraged gently.
"I just hope its just another petty ex of Gambit's. First love or whatever, I can even deal with that. But if it's Jacobi pulling the strings..." Blaze closed her eyes. The Professor waited until she looked at him again, her emotional and mental barriers secure once more, before he answered her.
"You are an X-Man now Blaze. Even if it is Jacobi, you no longer fight alone."