Tying Up Some Loose Ends

The next day the mutants that had been recovered were recuperating at a small hospital nearby. "Good thing you were able to finagle some kind of privacy for 'em," Roadblock told Fury as they walked down the halls.

"Well I didn't think most of them would appreciate going to SHEILD'S facilities," Fury said. "Not that I blame 'em. Most of them are shaken but unharmed. Besides, keeps 'em away from that media blitz."

"How did those reporters end up there so fast?" Roadblock asked.

"Turns out a friend of one of my agents happens to have a contact," Fury grumbled. "Leaked the story out. When that little green blob somehow managed to hand Rameriez a tape of what was going on inside that place…"

"I know," Roadblock sighed. "But in a way this was a good thing. Maybe this will start people thinking twice about mutant registration and locking them up."

"I doubt it," Fury said. "But it's worth a try. You know Trask escaped again?"

"Big shock," Roadblock grumbled. "But at least we got the four stooges."

"They're singing like contestants from American Idol," Fury grinned. They walked into the hospital room where Angelica was. Cover Girl was with her. "How's she feeling."

"Her powers are stabilized now," Cover Girl told them. "She'll be fine."

"So how did you know where to find us?" Angelica asked.

"Well after we ran into some…problems at the airport," Cover Girl told her. "We finally made it to the high school. Or what was left of it. Then we had Xavier use his portable Cerebro to track down your mutant signatures. We found Lina's. The Misfits just happened to find her first."

"At the same time one of the X-Men that had also been captured managed to get a radio message somehow to the X-Men." Roadblock explained. "Between that and Lina's memory of what she saw we were able to find you."

"Is my dad okay?" Angelica asked.

"He needed a few stitches but he's fine," Cover Girl told her. "Gombell had his men drop him off at the hospital while they were taking you to their base."

"That's a relief. What will happen to me?" Angelica asked. "I didn't mean to start that fire! I was just trying…"

"We know," Cover Girl told her. "There was a tape of the whole thing. Several tapes actually. Parents were filming their kids. Ended up on the evening news."

"Oh great!" Angelica groaned. "It's official! I am a jinx!"

"You are not a jinx," Roadblock told her.

"Well it's pretty obvious I can't ever show my face in town again, let alone go back to school!" Angelica groaned. "I'm gonna spend time in the big house!"

"Not necessarily," Roadblock said. "I'd like to offer you a way out."

"You mean join the army?" Angelica winced.

"The Misfits aren't exactly the army," Cover Girl said. "And it would keep you out of jail."

"I'm not exactly the most athletic person," Angelica gulped. "And I don't wanna kill people."

"We're not that big on killing people ourselves," Roadblock said. "And as for the fitness thing, you'd be surprised how fast you'd adapt."

"Besides you'd also learn how to control your powers," Cover Girl said. "And be with kids your own age who know what you're going through. If you like we can discuss this with your father."

"I'd like that. By the way, I saw Lina earlier," Angelica said. "She looks really out of it."

"Sudden physical mutations are always very difficult," Spirit told her. "It's going to take time for her to adjust. Between Xavier and ourselves we can help her."

"That's good," Angelica said. "I would like to go home and pick up a few things first."

"Angelica I'm sorry to tell you this," Cover Girl sighed. "There was a fire at your house. Police say it was arson."

"What?" Angelica blinked. "My house is…"

"I'm sorry," Cover Girl held her hand. "There's nothing left."

"But all my pictures of my mom…" Angelica started to tear up. "Her things…my diary. Everything's gone? Somebody burned my house because I'm a mutant? Oh wait, it was retaliation for me burning down the school! Oh god…Well I really can't go home now can I?"

Fury quickly exited the room. He had no desire to watch a girl cry. He passed a room where Logan, Xavier, Scott and Jean were talking with the other mutants that had been rescued and walked by. They were engaged in conversation. "No sign of the others?" Scott asked.

"I'm afraid not," Xavier said. "Magneto's plan was to have Polaris and Legion fight us while he rounded up new recruits."

"The Morlocks aren't gonna be happy that we lost one of their own," Jean sighed. "Again."

"So what about you Doop? What are you gonna do now?" Logan asked. Doop whistled and clicked. "You're kidding?"

"What?" Scott asked.

"He's joining SHEILD," Logan said. "After he gave the tape to the media he gave Fury some more evidence. Then Fury asked him to be a part of some kind of new Mutant Corps division."

"Well we could always use a contact in SHEILD," Xavier said.

Doop said. "%%&^&%^%^%@@@! *%%^%^%"

"He said that he'd like to drop in and see us from time to time," Logan grinned. "Have some brews. Yeah I think I can oblige you on that."

"What about the rest of you?" Xavier asked the other mutants. "You're all welcome to the Xavier Institute."

"No offense but right now I'd like to go back home and see my family," Angelo said. "Maybe sometime I'll check the Institute out."

"You're more than welcome to join us," Xavier said.

"Heck I'll join you," John told him. "After I see my family too. Beats hanging around home all day."

"We could always use another instructor," Logan said. "I suppose you two Morlocks want to go back to the tunnels huh?"

Thornn looked up hesitantly. "Mr. Xavier…I …Would you mind if I stayed with you for a while. I…I really don't want to go back to the tunnels just yet."

"Of course you can," Xavier took her hand. "You can stay as long as you wish."

Caliban frowned but said nothing. "I take it you don't approve, Caliban?" Xavier asked.

"It's not my place to approve or not," Caliban spoke solemnly.

"Can I talk to you a second Caliban?" Thornn asked. The two moved aside.

"She's upset about something," Logan remarked. "From what I've seen Morlocks are pretty tight knit. It must be bad for her to want to come to us."

"Yes but I'm not going to pry," Xavier said. "When she feels ready to tell us she will."

Thornn moved off to the side to have a private talk with Caliban. "You're going to say this is a bad idea aren't you?" Thornn asked. "Well go on. Let me have it."

Caliban looked at her. "This is more than about Spyke isn't it?"

Thornn sighed. "I just need to get away Caliban. Obviously the tunnels aren't safe for us anymore."

"You don't belong topside," Caliban told her. "None of us do. But then again considering the circumstances…" He stopped. "I think most of the others will understand. Your sister is another matter…"

"I don't care Caliban," Thornn sighed. "She doesn't need me. And I don't want to be her burden any more. Tell her that okay?"

"I will," Caliban nodded. "Whether she understands however is another matter. Loosing Scatty will be hard enough."

"She made her choice, I'm making mine," Thornn told him. "Besides, its not like I won't have any friends there. Jubilee was the one to keep our hope alive, even when they drugged her."

"She seems to have recovered," Caliban noted. Jubilee was talking to Xavier. "That one hasn't," He indicated Lina sitting in a corner. "I don't know what she's so worried about. She was not captured."

"She just turned into a mutant two days ago," Thornn snapped. "You know what it's like! I just hope the girl can pull out of it."