Title: An Ending And A Beginning
Author: Phatz
Rating: R
Disclaimer: Don't own them. So get the hell off my back.
Summary: Logan and Marie's friendship takes a nosedive, but will it lead to something better? Or is it too late?
Authors Notes: The third Chapter.
~Thoughts~
Telepathic Speech
Chapter 3Marie and Jubilee walked into the mission room with their uniforms on, taking their time. Apparently, they were the last ones there.
"Rogue, Jubilee, please have a seat." Scott said. "Now that everyone is here, we can begin the mission briefing."
Marie looked around the room. Bobby, Jean, Ororo, Hank, and Kurt were all seated around the table. Remy wasn't there, he was apparently still in town. ~Having sex with strange women.~ Marie thought bitterly. She didn't see Logan anywhere.
"There is a small group of 'Friends Of Humanity' (FOH) members heading towards a mutant halfway house outside of Erie, Pa. We are to make sure the mutants, who are mostly children, are safe."
"Pretty simple huh?" Bobby commented.
"Simple maybe. But it is still dangerous." Jean said.
"Yes, it is dangerous," Scott began " That is why we will split up into two groups. Jean, Hank, Ororo, and Myself will be the first group. We are to intercept the FOH members directly. Logan, you will lead the second group, consisting of Bobby, Kurt, Jubilee, and Rogue. You are to go to the halfway house and protect the children."
"Whatever." Logan grunted.
Marie looked over at Logan, leaning against the wall in the far corner of the room. No wonder she didn't see him when she walked in. Jubilee was right though. He looked terrible.
"Ok, any questions?" Scott asked. "No? Ok, My team will take the Blackbird. Logan, your team will take the Falcon. Everyone, keep communications with each team member at all times, got it?" Every nodded. "Ok, let's go."
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Kurt Landed the Falcon a few hundred feet away from the house, in a clearing. The jet landed fairly soundlessly, but kicked dust, leaves and blades of grass into the air. Logan, Kurt, Marie, Jubilee, and Bobby all filed out quietly.
Logan pressed the com-link button on his leather uniform. "Cyclops, this is Wolverine. We are in position."
"Good. We will be arriving at our destination in a few minutes. Please keep me updated. Cyclops out."
Logan cracked his neck and looked at his team. He almost laughed. He was in charge of the damn kiddy team. Except for Kurt, everyone was younger than twenty-two. He sighed. He wanted to kick some ass. Instead, he was babysitting. He would have to 'discuss' that with Scott later.
"Nightcrawler, you take Jubilee and Iceman into the house to explain to those mutants why we are here, and make sure the building is secure. Rogue and I are gonna stay out here and keep a lookout."
"Ok." Nightcrawler said. He looked at Bobby and Jubilee. "Let's go." They headed towards the house.
Logan looked at Marie. She may hate him, but he was gonna make damn sure she was safe, and the best way to do that was to keep her in eyesight. Logan peered out into the woods, concentrating on the sounds and smell coming from them, and waited.
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Scott landed the Blackbird about a mile away from the FOH's current position. Like usual, the landing was less than stellar.
"Ok," Scott began, "Everybody out." Jean, Hank and Ororo exited the Blackbird. Scott stood by the controls, and checked the plane's radar. The FOH group was about a mile away, South East from their current location.
"Wolverine, this is Cyclops. We have landed." Scott said through his com-link.
"Good for you." Logan snarled.
"I will keep in touch. Cyclops out." Scott replied, ignoring Logan's comment. It was commonplace for him. Scott exited the Blackbird, and stood in front of his team.
"The FOH members are about a mile away south East from here. With their current speed, they should be here in approximately twelve minutes. Storm, I want you to fly ahead and analyze exactly what we are up against."
"Yes Cyclops." Strong gusts of wind circled the team, as Ororo rose into the sky, and flew towards the mob.
"What do you think Scott?" Jean asked.
"It appears to be a small group. Smaller than usual. But they are still a threat. Most of those mutant's are kids."
"Sometimes a smaller, more maneuverable group is easier to penetrate enemy defenses." Hank said, scratching his nose.
"Yes, I suppose your right." Scott had a bad feeling. Usually the FOH pulled out all the stops when it came to attacking mutant housing.
Ororo landed behind Scott, startling him out of his train of thought. "The group is consistent of about twelve FOH members, and they are moderately armed with no vehicles." Ororo reported.
"Good. They shouldn't be too tough. Let's go intercept them. Storm and I will be in the front. Beast, you and Jean stay in the rear."
"Of course." Hank replied.
"Everyone ready?" Scott asked. They all nodded. "Ok. Let's go."
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Logan kicked the ground in front of him, a rock flying out toward the trees. He was bored out of his mind. He wanted desperately to kick some FOH ass, he hated those guys. But no, he had to be a fucking babysitter.
"Nightcrawler." Logan said, tapping his com-link.
"Ya?"
"How those kids holding up?"
"Their scared mien friend. But they trust us."
"Good."
"Any sign of the FOH?"
"No. Can't hear or smell 'em."
"You sound disappointed."
"A little."
Kurt Laughed. "Well after the mission, I'll buy you a beer, that should cheer you up."
"Sounds good elf." Logan ended the transmission. She Marie hated him now; Kurt was Logan's only friend. Sure, everyone at the mansion was friendly with him, and he respected all of them, but he didn't consider any of them his friends. He simply didn't have friends, except for one or two exceptions.
Marie stood fifteen feet away from Logan, staring at him. He still looked so sad. Marie felt terrible. It was her fault. She needed to tell him how sorry she was, and that he was right about Remy. She still wasn't sure if she was in love with him, like Jubilee seemed to think, but she definitely missed his friendship.
"Logan? Can I ask you something?"
Logan's body twitched in surprise. Marie hasn't talked to him in weeks. She probably wants to tell him how much she hated him and couldn't be anywhere near him, so he would let her go inside. Bracing himself for the worst, he answered "Sure."
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Scott blasted another FOH member, having his visor filter the blast to non-lethal intensity. Hank was engaged with a man in hand-to-hand combat, easily beating his by tossing him into another FOH member. Ororo flew high above the group, and called upon nature's elements and blew rain and large gusts of wind on them. Jean was standing behind them, using her telekinesis to keep some of the FOH off of Scott and Hank.
"Beast look out!" Jean yelled in warning, as Hank ducked a swing of a bat. Hank punched the offender in the jaw, sending him flying.
"Thank you for your assistance Jean." Hank said to the red head, smiling.
Scott took out another one, and ran towards his wife, to help her out with a group of three that suddenly converged on her. Jean and Scott disabled them quickly, Scott punching one in the gut and then upper cutting him in the jaw, and Jean telekinetically throwing the other two into one another. With the men down, Scott and Jean looked towards Hank and Ororo, to see if they needed any help.
Hank jumped up, grabbing a tree limb, and hurled him self curled up into a ball, at two more FOH members running towards him. He hit them with great impact, sending them tumbling in opposite directions. They were unconscious.
"Fall back!" The apparent leader of the FOH yelled. They began to retreat, with the conscience members grabbing and dragging the unconscious members behind them.
"Storm, follow them!" Scott ordered. Ororo nodded, and flew into the sky, her white hair flapping in the wind.
Scott, Hank, and Jean stood in the field, catching their breath. Scott couldn't help but think how easy that was.
"They are gone." Ororo said, hovering in the air in front of them. "The got in their vehicles and sped off."
"Good." Scott said. The nagging thought at how easy that confrontation was still bugging him, he decided to voice his concern. "Anyone else think that was a little too easy?"
"Yes. They retreated rather quickly, and were not heavily armed." Hank replied.
"And the group was even smaller than we originally thought." Jean added.
"It was almost like…" Scott stopped speaking, the situation finally dawning on him. "It was almost like a distraction. A dummy group." The team looked at him, the expressions on their faces telling him they realized the same exact thing. "Everyone to the Blackbird now!" Scott yelled.
Scott tapped his com-link as they all ran back towards their jet. "Logan! Get the mutants and your team out of there! It's a trap!"
(To be continued…)