Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine, except for Aurora, Granite and Serpentine, and the weapons I gave to Orion, plus her name. But the character itself remains Marvel's. Plot is mine though.

Throughout story: " " = Speech ' ' = Thoughts ^ ^ = Telepath

Yay! How I love reviews. And for the beta reading, I think it may be easier if I just double check better from now on, because sending emails back and forth will take a while and I like to get them out and on the net.

Chapter 36

The words were icy splinters in his chest, lodging as he tried to reply; quite dumbfounded by her dramatic answer she had presented him with. It made no sense to him. As they walked on, Logan had his head hung in silence, mind running over what she said, whilst Aurora stopped by his side, nervously waiting, watching, but inside her soul was urging her to press on, wanting her to tell him everything.

They remained that way as the laboratory doors opened. The heads that looked down upon the Professor suddenly lifted to view the activity of sound. Gasps came from the corner, Storm hurrying over with her hands to her cheeks, "Oh my God!" She cried, staring at the sheet, "It's not a student is it? Please don't say it is!"

Logan said nothing at first, thoughts still clouded over by Aurora's words. He stepped to one side, placing the body upon the metallic table in the centre of the room, he slowly pulled back the sheet from the head, and let it drop back down as noises of grief and refusal were sounded, "Found him in the corridor like this."

Charles had sat up in his bed, watching across the room with a sorrowful silence, until, "Do you have any clue what might have done it, Logan?"

"This is the only clue." Logan replied softly, turning the body round to reveal the blackened bite mark.

"That's peculiar." Commented Scott quietly, "It almost looks like a snake bite."

"Black venom?" Said Storm, mainly to herself; "There's no snakes with venom like that in America. The only one I know of.. Is the Yellow Diamond Back* snake, native to Africa."

"It is doubtful that it is a snake." Said Kurt, looking up over the group, "How would a snake get down below the levels? The only way down is through the lift or the basketball court."

"This is too suspicious.." Came the soft voice of the Professor, bright blue eyes upon the body, "It must be related some way to the disappearance of all the children."

Storm turned towards the Professor, leaning over the bed, her eyes filled with begging and her words spoken shakily, "We need to find them.." Her gloved hands cupped at his cheeks, "Please! Remember something Charles! You must!" She gasped, pleading escalating with her voice.

Charles' head sank from her grip, lids closing over his striking eyes. A tense silence shifted over the room, eyes upon Storm and Charles. Storm remained watching him, her head shaking, refusing to accept denial of any memories.

"Please Charles.." Muttered Storm softly, "The children! What happened! Who's got them!" She cried, her gloved hands trembling round his cheeks.

Charles' head slowly rose, lids lifting to reveal his gaze now scarred with a fresh rage that he concealed within his soul, "Magneto..He's taken the children."

"What? Why would he do that?" Came the anxious voice of Aurora, "It's not the children he wants to get rid of!"

"He's decided to put his idea's across.." Began Charles, "He wants to set the record straight."

"What do you mean?" muttered Logan softly, stepping over from the table.

"He's going to use them.." Came the calm words that hid the Professor's anger.

"Use them?" Repeated Kurt, each X-Men urging their Professor to battle with his memory and allow him to speak.

"Use them.. To kill humans!"

*** To view pictures and detailed profiles of my created characters, visit: (www.freewebs.com/xwotw)

*Yellow Diamond Back snake = this isn't a real snake. I made it up for the purpose of the story. (:

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