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
Be patient Lone Eagle, we don't want the story ending within a few days do we? O.o
Anyway, these are necessary bits aren't they? I needed that for the sympathy plot, also to get Jean back on the scene.
Chapter 43
Logan passed along through the corridor where he had once been with Aurora. She had gone now, the corridor silent and lonesome with her vibrant presence. Warm brown eyes glanced upwards to glance out of one of the many 10ft windows that lined the outside wall of the East corridor in a neat row. The sky was a crystal blue, pale clouds lingering on the horizon, signalling an oncoming storm of sorts. Judging by the cool mist that escaped as he breathed, it was possibly going to snow.
He walked at a steady pace, eager to get going and find out where the hell these students were, but also lingering, for his mind was now dominated by the images of two females that caused his concentration to wander freely. Too freely for him, for he missed the faint run of wheels down a corridor running off his own.
It appeared Charles was well now, for he ran across sleek wooden floors in his wheelchair, dressed in his usual suit. He paused gracefully by the lift doors, a simple press of a button causing it to open and accept his presence. The doors closed slowly, lowering the Professor to the underground levels.
It opened up upon the brightly lit corridor he had just exited a good fifteen minutes before to change clothes. The faint voices of some of the X- Men still lingered in the air as he directed himself to the doors of Cerebro.
The familiar scan of a single alert blue eye caused the doors to part silently. Inwards the Professor wheeled, finally placing the metal instrument called Cerebro upon his head.
Familiar surroundings shifted in a blur, and red pulsing dots signalled over the world map of each living mutant. A large group hoarded together in one particular spot on the map, zooming in with his mutation he saw that all these minds where familiar. They were the students from his school.
Though now Charles could never pick up on Magneto's mind anymore, his minions were still passing unprotected. And it was true, in with the group of vibrant red lights came more familiar minds, Mystique, Granite, Orion, Serpentine, and Pyro, all were there.
Scott had reluctantly exited from his room and had now returned to the lab, a severe expression of misery and grief upon his visage. Rogue had drifted back to sleep, this time not forced. Kurt and Storm lingered together, sat upon one of the beds, in quiet conversation. As Scott entered, they both looked up expectantly.
"Looked through the film of the senate hearing again. It does fit in. She wants to show America how mutants can be violent. She was using Rogue for that purpose." Said Scott in monotone, eyes drifting down upon the file he held open.
"Are we sure that Rogue's kidnap was the work of Senator Brooks though?" Asked Storm curiously, a palm resting upon a cheek as she sat.
Scott gave a single nod, "Yes. Logan confirmed that for me on the jet. He said he smelt her there."
A pause of silence lingered over the room, not much conversation passing, just the occasional glance to each other. This silence was abruptly broken however as the doors slid open. Once more, expectant eyes travelled to the door, waiting for the appearance of Charles. However, the figure entering was not the Professor, but Logan, who gave the others a surly glance as he sulked into his seat beside Rogue.
He then looked up to meet the eyes watching his silent entry, "Any of y' seen Aurora?" He asked roughly, looking round the room, as if expecting to find her lurking in some corner.
He was met by the shaking of heads and a quiet, "No," from Kurt.
Logan sighed quietly, eyeing the room some more in a suspicious manner, "Charles gone to Cerebro?" He asked, trying to break the tension that lingered so visibly in the room, even more so since the incident of Scott and he.
"Yes." Answered Storm softly, now wringing her hands in a nervous fashion, "He should be back any minute."
"Then we'll be off?"
"Likely."
More silence followed.
Logan lowered his heads to his hands. Nerves had entered the room and prowled the atmosphere darkly. The silence only made it worse, but no one found anything to say, all minds focused on what could be happening in the next few hours.
A faint sound caught Logan's ears, causing his head to rise and look down beside him. His head canted, scanning the floor before he saw a flash of a tail disappear under the bed beside Rogue's.
Logan jumped to his feet, eyes narrowing at the small creature that was scurrying round the room. Unseen and unheard to the remaining X-Men, but Logan could sense it.
"What's wrong now?" Asked Scott in a quiet voice, attitude torn between dislike and a faint respect for Logan's earlier sympathy.
"Some animal in here.. It's running round." Logan stalked over the room some more, eyeing the floor, "I thought this was a injury wing? Why have we got animals here?"
"Is it a rat?" Suddenly gasped Storm, eyes flitting nervously to the floor, "It's not a rat is it? Is it?!"
"No.." Muttered Logan, slinking to a crouch in such silence, you would have never known of his movements if you had been blind. Like a predator in wait for prey, Logan sat, senses effortlessly alert.
He suddenly made a grab from behind him, black-gloved hand disappearing beneath the bed behind him. Storm made a weak gasp as Logan grabbed for something beneath her bed. Which she was sat firmly upon, no feet touching the floor now.
Logan made a quiet noise of faint pain, withdrawing his hand quickly, "Ugh."
Storm stared at him panicky, "It bit him! The rat bit him!"
Scott glanced towards Storm, hidden eyes rolling at her actions, "Storm.." He faded away, hinting for her to calm down her panics.
Logan however grinned as he dragged out a bushy tail, colour a wondrous shade of hazy red, "Gotcha."
He glared down to the animal he had pulled out, staring in the face of a large red squirrel, which made a random noise of annoyed chirps in his direction.
Logan eyed the squirrel suspiciously, trying to work out if it was Aurora or not, before he managed to glance at the body, it had flitted from his gaze, bounding across the floor with fresh squeals from Storm.
Logan growled, flinging himself towards it and grabbed it neatly in a hand, careful to not hurt the animal however. Another series of chirping before the flesh in his palm grew and expanded.
Within a few seconds, he was laid on the floor holding Aurora by the waist.
The room went silent.
The doors slid open and the Professor returned to the lab, wheels running smoothly over the surface as ever as he passed, "It is Magneto. We need to get to the other side of New York, there's - "
He stopped, now looking down to Logan and Aurora. Aurora was still trapped beneath Logan who had only just removed his hand after noticing.
The silence remained.
Logan jumped up briskly, wandering in a random circle before sitting down, a if nothing happened, scrutinizing the expression he got from Charles with a completely innocent one of his own.
Charles just then continued, undeterred by the furious glare Aurora was currently giving Logan, who refused to look in her direction, "There's a unused prison block there. I've got the co-ordinates Storm. I trust you will be able to get the X-Men there sharpish. And I want no rash movements. We have no idea how far Magneto will risk the lives of the children." He was met by nods, and then a voice from Logan.
"What about Rogue?" Logan asked, sitting straight in his seat, looking down to the sleeping girl then to Charles.
"Don't worry. I'll keep an eye out here for her."
"Right then." Said Scott softly, dropping the files down upon the nearby table, "Storm, go and get the jet ready. Aurora.." He glanced to her, "Logan, Kurt." He passed them all a glance as he addressed them, "No time to waste. Get yourselves in the jet."
Sounds of movement now spurred the tension and it fell away instantly. A buzz of nerves hovered and adrenalin pulsed through each living vein.
There indeed was no time to waste.
*** To view pictures and detailed profiles of my created characters, visit: (www.freewebs.com/xwotw)
Throughout story: " " = Speech ' ' = Thoughts ^ ^ = Telepath
Be patient Lone Eagle, we don't want the story ending within a few days do we? O.o
Anyway, these are necessary bits aren't they? I needed that for the sympathy plot, also to get Jean back on the scene.
Chapter 43
Logan passed along through the corridor where he had once been with Aurora. She had gone now, the corridor silent and lonesome with her vibrant presence. Warm brown eyes glanced upwards to glance out of one of the many 10ft windows that lined the outside wall of the East corridor in a neat row. The sky was a crystal blue, pale clouds lingering on the horizon, signalling an oncoming storm of sorts. Judging by the cool mist that escaped as he breathed, it was possibly going to snow.
He walked at a steady pace, eager to get going and find out where the hell these students were, but also lingering, for his mind was now dominated by the images of two females that caused his concentration to wander freely. Too freely for him, for he missed the faint run of wheels down a corridor running off his own.
It appeared Charles was well now, for he ran across sleek wooden floors in his wheelchair, dressed in his usual suit. He paused gracefully by the lift doors, a simple press of a button causing it to open and accept his presence. The doors closed slowly, lowering the Professor to the underground levels.
It opened up upon the brightly lit corridor he had just exited a good fifteen minutes before to change clothes. The faint voices of some of the X- Men still lingered in the air as he directed himself to the doors of Cerebro.
The familiar scan of a single alert blue eye caused the doors to part silently. Inwards the Professor wheeled, finally placing the metal instrument called Cerebro upon his head.
Familiar surroundings shifted in a blur, and red pulsing dots signalled over the world map of each living mutant. A large group hoarded together in one particular spot on the map, zooming in with his mutation he saw that all these minds where familiar. They were the students from his school.
Though now Charles could never pick up on Magneto's mind anymore, his minions were still passing unprotected. And it was true, in with the group of vibrant red lights came more familiar minds, Mystique, Granite, Orion, Serpentine, and Pyro, all were there.
Scott had reluctantly exited from his room and had now returned to the lab, a severe expression of misery and grief upon his visage. Rogue had drifted back to sleep, this time not forced. Kurt and Storm lingered together, sat upon one of the beds, in quiet conversation. As Scott entered, they both looked up expectantly.
"Looked through the film of the senate hearing again. It does fit in. She wants to show America how mutants can be violent. She was using Rogue for that purpose." Said Scott in monotone, eyes drifting down upon the file he held open.
"Are we sure that Rogue's kidnap was the work of Senator Brooks though?" Asked Storm curiously, a palm resting upon a cheek as she sat.
Scott gave a single nod, "Yes. Logan confirmed that for me on the jet. He said he smelt her there."
A pause of silence lingered over the room, not much conversation passing, just the occasional glance to each other. This silence was abruptly broken however as the doors slid open. Once more, expectant eyes travelled to the door, waiting for the appearance of Charles. However, the figure entering was not the Professor, but Logan, who gave the others a surly glance as he sulked into his seat beside Rogue.
He then looked up to meet the eyes watching his silent entry, "Any of y' seen Aurora?" He asked roughly, looking round the room, as if expecting to find her lurking in some corner.
He was met by the shaking of heads and a quiet, "No," from Kurt.
Logan sighed quietly, eyeing the room some more in a suspicious manner, "Charles gone to Cerebro?" He asked, trying to break the tension that lingered so visibly in the room, even more so since the incident of Scott and he.
"Yes." Answered Storm softly, now wringing her hands in a nervous fashion, "He should be back any minute."
"Then we'll be off?"
"Likely."
More silence followed.
Logan lowered his heads to his hands. Nerves had entered the room and prowled the atmosphere darkly. The silence only made it worse, but no one found anything to say, all minds focused on what could be happening in the next few hours.
A faint sound caught Logan's ears, causing his head to rise and look down beside him. His head canted, scanning the floor before he saw a flash of a tail disappear under the bed beside Rogue's.
Logan jumped to his feet, eyes narrowing at the small creature that was scurrying round the room. Unseen and unheard to the remaining X-Men, but Logan could sense it.
"What's wrong now?" Asked Scott in a quiet voice, attitude torn between dislike and a faint respect for Logan's earlier sympathy.
"Some animal in here.. It's running round." Logan stalked over the room some more, eyeing the floor, "I thought this was a injury wing? Why have we got animals here?"
"Is it a rat?" Suddenly gasped Storm, eyes flitting nervously to the floor, "It's not a rat is it? Is it?!"
"No.." Muttered Logan, slinking to a crouch in such silence, you would have never known of his movements if you had been blind. Like a predator in wait for prey, Logan sat, senses effortlessly alert.
He suddenly made a grab from behind him, black-gloved hand disappearing beneath the bed behind him. Storm made a weak gasp as Logan grabbed for something beneath her bed. Which she was sat firmly upon, no feet touching the floor now.
Logan made a quiet noise of faint pain, withdrawing his hand quickly, "Ugh."
Storm stared at him panicky, "It bit him! The rat bit him!"
Scott glanced towards Storm, hidden eyes rolling at her actions, "Storm.." He faded away, hinting for her to calm down her panics.
Logan however grinned as he dragged out a bushy tail, colour a wondrous shade of hazy red, "Gotcha."
He glared down to the animal he had pulled out, staring in the face of a large red squirrel, which made a random noise of annoyed chirps in his direction.
Logan eyed the squirrel suspiciously, trying to work out if it was Aurora or not, before he managed to glance at the body, it had flitted from his gaze, bounding across the floor with fresh squeals from Storm.
Logan growled, flinging himself towards it and grabbed it neatly in a hand, careful to not hurt the animal however. Another series of chirping before the flesh in his palm grew and expanded.
Within a few seconds, he was laid on the floor holding Aurora by the waist.
The room went silent.
The doors slid open and the Professor returned to the lab, wheels running smoothly over the surface as ever as he passed, "It is Magneto. We need to get to the other side of New York, there's - "
He stopped, now looking down to Logan and Aurora. Aurora was still trapped beneath Logan who had only just removed his hand after noticing.
The silence remained.
Logan jumped up briskly, wandering in a random circle before sitting down, a if nothing happened, scrutinizing the expression he got from Charles with a completely innocent one of his own.
Charles just then continued, undeterred by the furious glare Aurora was currently giving Logan, who refused to look in her direction, "There's a unused prison block there. I've got the co-ordinates Storm. I trust you will be able to get the X-Men there sharpish. And I want no rash movements. We have no idea how far Magneto will risk the lives of the children." He was met by nods, and then a voice from Logan.
"What about Rogue?" Logan asked, sitting straight in his seat, looking down to the sleeping girl then to Charles.
"Don't worry. I'll keep an eye out here for her."
"Right then." Said Scott softly, dropping the files down upon the nearby table, "Storm, go and get the jet ready. Aurora.." He glanced to her, "Logan, Kurt." He passed them all a glance as he addressed them, "No time to waste. Get yourselves in the jet."
Sounds of movement now spurred the tension and it fell away instantly. A buzz of nerves hovered and adrenalin pulsed through each living vein.
There indeed was no time to waste.
*** To view pictures and detailed profiles of my created characters, visit: (www.freewebs.com/xwotw)
