Chapter Two
As soon as they were parked all of the members of the X-Men headed immediately up to Xavier's office. Even before the door was opened Storm could hear the familiar restless *snikt* of Wolverine's knife-like claws extending and retracting. As soon as they entered and took their seats Logan began his report.
"I found out where those mutant kids are that have been abducted," Logan said. "I caught a break, which is why I'm back so early." "Some rich sicko has offered a hefty price for a cartload of mutant children below the age of seven." Wolverine began to pace, still talking. "I don't know what he wants with them, but I do know where they will be delivered to him at." "Tonight, in a few hours, a truck is going to drop them off in a warehouse on 24th." "We need to release them there and shut down this guy's business."
"We should leave now," Scott said, "it'll give us a little while to canvas the place."
"The children will most likely be scared," Rogue said. "Someone may have to physically help them get out if they are too small to understand where to run."
"I'll take care of them if you guys keep the others off of us," Storm said, a glint in her eyes. She couldn't stand people who hurt children.
"Good, then I'll see you later tonight," Xavier said, motioning them to get moving. The conversation consisted of tactics and strategy as they all headed to the uniform lockers to get changed.
They arrived at the warehouse and Rogue was elected against her wishes to remain in the jet in, both to take care of the children and as guard. The others commenced with surveillance. Several black cars were parked outside and a man in a dark suit was smoking a cigarette while leaning against the side of the door. He was trying to look nonchalant, but only succeeded in looking conspicuous. Wolverine and Iceman quickly made their way to the back of the building and entered. Jean stayed in constant contact with all the members to relay communications. About half an hour into the wait a large truck pulled up to the side and fifteen minutes later the men driving it unloaded five small boxes.
Jean's head suddenly twitched. "The men are talking about money, one of them is going to open the boxes." Jean suddenly drew a sharp breath, her expression hardening into icy anger. "Allright, it's confirmed, let's take them."
The team moved efficiently, closing in on the warehouse. The lone guard was quickly taken out by Jean and they entered silently. "Ok, NOW!" Jean said telepathically to the group. Immediately they sprang into action, Storm running to the center of the room where a small crate was now full of obviously mutant children. Most of them looked drugged. Storm's eyes began to glow an ominous white and a huge gust of wind blew the guards away from the cage. She quickly opened it and herded the children towards the door, carrying the youngest.
"Come on now," she said soothingly, "it isn't far." Behind her Wolverine viciously gutted someone and raked his claws across another man's face. Cyclops hit someone with a blast from his visor in the corner of the room while Iceman encased two of the men's feet in ice. Ororo tried to shield the children from as much of the violence as possible as they ran for the jet outside. Five minutes later they were safely in the Institute's private plane with Rogue, while Storm was headed back into the fray. By the time she reached the building again everyone who was involved with the kidnapping was either unconscious or bleeding profusely. Jean had just finished reading the last man's mind and the X-Men were about to head back.
"Find out anything?" Ororo asked.
"Perhaps," Jean said, looking a little concerned. "I'll have to sort it out later, during meditation." "Right now, though, I need sleep and we still have to return the children to the police station."
Wolverine led the way to the jet and Ororo slipped into the pilot's seat. "I'm going to the police station first, I'll take them in, the rest of you can rest."
"You're tired too, Storm," Scott protested.
"Yes, but I barely did anything in there, so I'll be fine to take care of this." Ororo didn't allow him to protest anymore, taking the plane quickly to the nearest station.
An hour later Storm finally landed at the Xavier Institute. The others were awoken and Jean mentally checked in with the Professor. Ororo felt sorry for him, not even having the adrenaline of a mission to help keep him up. She quickly went to her room. "Thank goodness it is Friday," she said silently as she collapsed onto her bed. She didn't even bother to change her clothing. Strangely enough, or perhaps not, the last person she thought of was Kurt.
As soon as they were parked all of the members of the X-Men headed immediately up to Xavier's office. Even before the door was opened Storm could hear the familiar restless *snikt* of Wolverine's knife-like claws extending and retracting. As soon as they entered and took their seats Logan began his report.
"I found out where those mutant kids are that have been abducted," Logan said. "I caught a break, which is why I'm back so early." "Some rich sicko has offered a hefty price for a cartload of mutant children below the age of seven." Wolverine began to pace, still talking. "I don't know what he wants with them, but I do know where they will be delivered to him at." "Tonight, in a few hours, a truck is going to drop them off in a warehouse on 24th." "We need to release them there and shut down this guy's business."
"We should leave now," Scott said, "it'll give us a little while to canvas the place."
"The children will most likely be scared," Rogue said. "Someone may have to physically help them get out if they are too small to understand where to run."
"I'll take care of them if you guys keep the others off of us," Storm said, a glint in her eyes. She couldn't stand people who hurt children.
"Good, then I'll see you later tonight," Xavier said, motioning them to get moving. The conversation consisted of tactics and strategy as they all headed to the uniform lockers to get changed.
They arrived at the warehouse and Rogue was elected against her wishes to remain in the jet in, both to take care of the children and as guard. The others commenced with surveillance. Several black cars were parked outside and a man in a dark suit was smoking a cigarette while leaning against the side of the door. He was trying to look nonchalant, but only succeeded in looking conspicuous. Wolverine and Iceman quickly made their way to the back of the building and entered. Jean stayed in constant contact with all the members to relay communications. About half an hour into the wait a large truck pulled up to the side and fifteen minutes later the men driving it unloaded five small boxes.
Jean's head suddenly twitched. "The men are talking about money, one of them is going to open the boxes." Jean suddenly drew a sharp breath, her expression hardening into icy anger. "Allright, it's confirmed, let's take them."
The team moved efficiently, closing in on the warehouse. The lone guard was quickly taken out by Jean and they entered silently. "Ok, NOW!" Jean said telepathically to the group. Immediately they sprang into action, Storm running to the center of the room where a small crate was now full of obviously mutant children. Most of them looked drugged. Storm's eyes began to glow an ominous white and a huge gust of wind blew the guards away from the cage. She quickly opened it and herded the children towards the door, carrying the youngest.
"Come on now," she said soothingly, "it isn't far." Behind her Wolverine viciously gutted someone and raked his claws across another man's face. Cyclops hit someone with a blast from his visor in the corner of the room while Iceman encased two of the men's feet in ice. Ororo tried to shield the children from as much of the violence as possible as they ran for the jet outside. Five minutes later they were safely in the Institute's private plane with Rogue, while Storm was headed back into the fray. By the time she reached the building again everyone who was involved with the kidnapping was either unconscious or bleeding profusely. Jean had just finished reading the last man's mind and the X-Men were about to head back.
"Find out anything?" Ororo asked.
"Perhaps," Jean said, looking a little concerned. "I'll have to sort it out later, during meditation." "Right now, though, I need sleep and we still have to return the children to the police station."
Wolverine led the way to the jet and Ororo slipped into the pilot's seat. "I'm going to the police station first, I'll take them in, the rest of you can rest."
"You're tired too, Storm," Scott protested.
"Yes, but I barely did anything in there, so I'll be fine to take care of this." Ororo didn't allow him to protest anymore, taking the plane quickly to the nearest station.
An hour later Storm finally landed at the Xavier Institute. The others were awoken and Jean mentally checked in with the Professor. Ororo felt sorry for him, not even having the adrenaline of a mission to help keep him up. She quickly went to her room. "Thank goodness it is Friday," she said silently as she collapsed onto her bed. She didn't even bother to change her clothing. Strangely enough, or perhaps not, the last person she thought of was Kurt.