Disclaimer:  I own nothing in regards to the Marvel and other characters portrayed in this little ditty.  Ramblings…read on.

Author's note:  Thanks again for all reviews!  I think I need to say that a lot because I do appreciate the feedback.  I've got to warn you, some of my favorite characters are in the Brotherhood so I plan to spend some time on them.  I hate to reintroduce characters, but I want to give them each a setting and frame of mind for what happened after X2, just like with Remy or the Professor in the first book.  Crossover characters will come soon, but let's get to know the Brothers (and Sisters) a little bit better first.  :-)

Chapter Three:

Walking down the round stone corridor, Yuriko typed quickly with a sharp stylus onto a small hand-held computer.  The reconnaissance video and photos were labeled and dated in preparation for their addition to the Brotherhood's mainframe. 

In her months on the Island, she had helped Magneto update all of the electronic systems, slowly making the Island's computer one of the most powerful in the world.  The software had been sorely outdated, but the hardware and mechanical systems had been pristine, diligently cared for by the mutant Magneto called Toad.  With his assistance, Yuriko had been able to integrate her knowledge of military software and technology into the Island's existing systems.  The efficiency had been greatly improved, but still did not yet completely meet the Lady's standards.

On the surface, the Lady Deathstrike was all she had once been, disciplined, efficient and terrifyingly deadly to her enemies.  Inwardly, however, she had changed much from the mindless, hollow slave that Stryker had made her to be.  Her eyes were dark, no longer discolored by the mind-altering enzyme, which had been used to keep her a prisoner for so long, and they blazed with an inner light.

Her emotionless facade was betrayed only by the burning need for revenge she held towards all those who were associated with William Stryker.  Magneto had persuaded her to join his Brotherhood with that promise, that one day she would have her chance for vengeance. 

And, he had been true to his word. 

Barely a month after the flood at Alkalai Lake, Magneto had given the Lady a mission, to find a base run by Stryker's surviving teams and gather information regarding the recent increase in mutant activity around the world.  What remained unspoken, however, had been the manner in which Deathstrike would accomplish this task.  He had left that for her to decide...

Her decision...her choice...her own free will...

In the end, she never discussed with her new commander how she fulfilled her task, and he never asked.  She had simply handed him the information, flexed her strong fingers with a metallic cracking and smiled, quite satisfied.

She was still a soldier, still ready to follow her commander's orders, and the decision to follow those orders remained entirely her own.  There in was the difference between her life now and her life before...

Magneto, like any experienced leader, expected the only the best from his followers, yet, unlike Stryker, he treated them with an unspoken respect.  They were all equals, they were all Brothers, they were all mutants, and he expected no more from them then they expected from him.

So, Yuriko would use of her skills, everything she had learned in captivity, to strengthen her new Brothers, and help Magneto fight his war against the oppression of 'normal' human beings.

There was one other, however, whom Deathstrike had been unable to find, one other who she intended to take her vengeance on.  Under Alkalai Lake, when she had been a lost and unwilling pawn of William Stryker, one of her own had turned against her.  One of her own, a man just like her, had attacked her.  One of her own had killed her.

The Wolverine, she thought viciously, tightening her fingers into fists with a loud cracking.  He was one of Stryker's men, no matter how long ago his service had ended.  He had also been one of Stryker's experiments, and should have understood the pain Yuriko had endured, should have known she was Stryker's victim and not acting by her own will.  And, yet, he had killed her, leaving her to die in the same room in which she had suffered so much torture.

She would find him, just as she had found all of Striker's other soldiers, and she would destroy him.  Magneto had told her of the Wolverine's association with Charles Xavier, and he assured her, the Brotherhood would meet the X-Men again, but any union that had existed was broken.

So, she waited, making the most of her new life as a free being.  The wild animal inside of her patiently leashed...until the moment of revenge was upon her.

Yuriko walked through a large circular doorway opening onto a cold stony field.  The chamber, stretching almost a hundred yards in length, opened to the sky hundreds of feet above her head.  The night was dark and starless, which gave the chamber an unnerving illusion of having no upper walls or ceiling.  The lights were dim, as long as the chamber was unused, and the wind whistled loudly from the outside.

In warmer months, the chamber would be carpeted with short grass, the natural plant life of the Island untouched by the molded metal of the other walls.  The boy, Pyro, had begun calling the area the 'Lawn' and most of the Brotherhood had picked up the nickname.  Yuriko smiled slightly at the thought of the boy mowing the chamber come spring, and an unusual sensation passed through the Lady.  As hard and cold as the Island seemed, she found more comfort here than anywhere else she could remember, and simple amusements still surprised her.

As she reached the other side, she opened one large door leading into a long, wide hallway.  The passage was lined with machinery, and several large grated fans.  The blades turned slowly, but the draw of air caused a kind of wind tunnel effect.  Deathstrike moved easily against the wind, her heavy bones encased in enough adamantium to keep the strong gusts from causing her discomfort. 

She approached one humming machine, and looked down at the boy as he sat against it, a large book in his lap.  He did not notice her presence, headphones over his ears blaring loudly and his eyes focused on his text, which he held open with some difficulty in the windy hall.

Pyro was nodding his head slightly to the music, and Yuriko watched him for a moment curiously.  He was the youngest of the Brotherhood by far, and took turns following each of the others around, learning what he could about the Island and its mechanics.  His permanent role was yet to be established, as he was so young, and Magneto encouraged him to spend the majority of his free time practicing his pyretic abilities. 

However, his most recent 'training session' had resulted in a large fire in the Brotherhood's make-shift gym, and he had been forbidden to use it again until he had made the proper repairs to that chamber. 

So, for the past few weeks, he had been working with Toad to learn the most efficient repair techniques to complete the task.  Apparently, the boy had been sent off to do some helpful reading with this tech manual, which usually meant Toad had grown dangerously impatient with young Pyro, and had sent him off before the urge to knock him out became too great.  Magneto did not tolerate aggression between members of the Brotherhood.

Yuriko saw a frown form on the boy's face as he noticed her shoes, and he grinned as he looked up at her.

"Hey," he said, loudly, "You guys are back..."

He said this with some relief, and stood up as she spoke.

"Is Toad with you?" she asked, and Pyro motioned upward.

"He's still fixin' that thing on the top," the boy replied, and then shrugged, "Too far up for me...I don't do that great with heights..."

Yuriko nodded, remembering her first flight with Pyro to the Island.  The boy had held onto the restraints for dear life until they landed again, the openness of the helicopter quite different from the X-Men's small, compact jet.

"Thank you," she replied and began to move past him.

"Hey," he called before she could take more than a few steps, "Did you get my stuff?"

Yuriko smiled slightly and drew a small square packet from inside her jacket.  Pyro grinned and took it from her gratefully.  He tore open the brown paper, and opened the CD case quickly.  It was more of the same loud music he always had, a luxury Magneto tolerated, but did not appreciate quite as much as the boy.

"You're not supposed to have that until you finish the repairs," she said evenly.

Pyro grinned again, "And you weren't supposed to give it to me..."

Yuriko looked at him unblinkingly, "Only because I expect your duties to be completed before you listen to it."

"Oh," Pyro said, disappointed but still grinning, "Well, thanks anyway…"

Yuriko nodded and turned to walk away.  Pyro called out to her again.

"Um…hey, will you need any help with, um…you know, whatever?" he asked vaguely. 

He had only had a few chances to leave the Island over the past few months, and Yuriko imagined after three weeks with two less people to interact with, he must be starving for conversation.  Magneto was generally too engaged in his own affairs to be a constant presence for the boy and Toad was even more elusive.

"Tomorrow…" she said firmly, remembering Magneto's request that she rest, "I could use your assistance with some new upgrades for the mainframe.  I trust you have been learning its basic functions…"

"Yeah," Pyro said, looking a little brighter, "Sure…"

Yuriko nodded again, and turned away one last time, leaving the boy again to his studies.  She imagined it must be very difficult for him to live among so few after living among so many.  She thought of her own captivity, isolated, left without human contact for days on end, and she sympathized with the boy.  She was once again, surprised by her emotions, and she refocused on her last duties of the night.

She looked upward, and saw movement among the highest scaffolding of the machine.  Quickly, she climbed a stationary, wall-mounted ladder until she reached the upper tier.  The wind was milder above the main fans, and she frowned as she looked around.

There was no sign of the other Brotherhood member anywhere.  She walked forward, until she passed a low overhang, and found several tools scattered around an open grate in the floor.  She was glancing down through the dark opening when she heard noise from above.

The rhythmic clicking of a socket wrench guided her eyes to the spot where Toad was hanging, upside down from underneath the over hang.  She heard him cursing softly in his heavy English accent as he worked, angry insulting words aimed at the inanimate machine.

"Bloody piece of shit…" he muttered, "If it wasn't so cold you'd be…ah, fuckin' hell…"

Toad opened his fist and the socket wrench dropped noisily to the floor.  It passed bear inches from the Lady's head, but she did not even blink.  When Toad finally looked down, ready to reach for another tool, he noticed her standing below him.

He did not speak, just turned away and began to work again.  After a moment, he glanced down again, saw she was still there and sighed.

"Jet?" he asked, sounding almost bored.

"Yes," she replied.

"Which wing?" he asked.

"Left," she replied.

Toad nodded in acknowledgement, "Right."

Yuriko was not sure if that was an attempt at humor or not so she offered a small smile.  Toad sighed again and began to open a power panel.  He had worked for about a minute before he noticed she had not left.

"Something else, then?" he asked, sounding annoyed.

"Surveillance footage," she said simply, knowing that would stir a reaction.

Toad looked down at her, his wide eyes exaggerated by the round work goggles he wore, but Yuriko could tell she caught his interest.

"Right," he repeated, almost thoughtfully, "We reviewin' it tonight or tomorrow?"

Yuriko heard a touch of anticipation in his voice, and said with finality, "Tomorrow."

Toad did not respond, but he did not need to.  She knew he heard her quite well.

Yuriko walked away quickly, and left Toad to ponder alone.  As she reached the ladder, she heard a quick snap sound, as Toad finally grabbed another tool from the ground with his long tongue.