X-men Evo: Father of Mine
Chapter 4: The Calm before...
Nothing to say really except that I've got some big plans in mind (some you'll probably hate me for :P) but as for now it is time for the show.
~~~~~~~~~
Jean stood over the sink; she had bought the damn thing on whim, staring at the blue indicator not knowing what to think. It had been at least two weeks since the last 'time' and no one could know what she does right now. Her thoughts were becoming chaotic and untamed; she would have to control herself or the professor would catch wind of the way her mind screamed. She checked the manual again there was no mistaking it.
Meanwhile, In the main hall Cyclops had gathered a description of the mutants in question. While neither Nathan nor Tessa had ever actually seen the mutant they referred to as "Ragnorock" up close; they had felt the effects of his powers. They said that when he walked, the earth screamed and that he commanded all the forces of nature as if a god. His eyes, the most distinctive trait he had, shone with pulsing energy. Ragnorok's right hand woman, Cerberus, was made out to be of almost animal instinct while commanding the earth as if it were a part of her own body, often fashioning it into 'golems' to do her bidding. This woman was of medium height with icy bluish white hair. "Nathan, Tessa as of this moment you are both X- men." Scott stated as he mentally recounted the information "You are apart of a team and I expect you to everything you have into protecting your new family just as we will for you."
"Family?" Tessa asked blankly "Promise, you're not going to disappear?"
Scott's patented leader's mood melted away at the innocent question "Should hell break loose I won't abandon you. I don't pretend to know what went on, but you two are home now and that's not going to change." With that sentence finished tears began to well up in Tessa's eyes. She resisted the urge to jump at the person she could now call father.
"Come on, squirt. Let's get you back to bed." Logan spoke in an uncharacteristically soft voice
"I'm not a squirt!!" She quipped with a slight smile at the man she now viewed as her uncle.
"Compared to me everybody is a squirt" playfully replied the man known as Logan assured her out into the hall. Scott tried to return to business though he was interrupted
"(Cough)"Nathan straightened himself to his full height "does that go for everyone?" He asked in as gruff voice he could muster.
Scott smiled understanding the question "Yes, everyone." He stated simply. As he walked out of the main hall he bumped into Rogue as she left Professor Xavier's office. She was nearly knocked to the ground, but instead of the ground biting her, Scott caught her in a skillful display of agility. "Sorry about that. Are you alright?"
"Yeah Ah'm fine." She replied as she purposely lingered in his arms, enjoying the feel of physical contact. Now that she knew she had a chance she was becoming more and more forward at every chance she received. She was almost tempted to play the southern bell on a couple of occasions. "Say Scott can you help me to my feet after you so rudely knocked me off them." She playfully joked as Scott pulled her up from the diagonal position she was in.
"Rogue we're friends right?" Scott wondered aloud.
"Yeah." Rogue answered blankly
"Wanna meet for a game of racket-ball, in an hour?"
"Racket-ball? Sure, but why racket-ball?"
"Well, you know how I get when I'm uncomfortable around someone."
"Yeah, you start avoiding them."
"Well I don't want be uncomfortable around you." He paused "Not you." He stated under his breath.
She looked at him with suspicion at the inaudible portion of the sentence "Sure what about after lunch?"
"It's a...um, uh sounds good!" He stuttered as they both agreed and awkwardly walked in opposite directions. When they had reached a far enough distance they had their own reactions. While Scott was kicking himself for almost having an accident that would have given Jean plenty of reason to turn him inside out, Rogue just giggled at the fact that he had almost called it a 'date'.
Time passed and soon it was dinnertime. Everyone had gathered in the dining room but no one bothered to eat as a serious layer of tension blanketed the room. Instinctively, Rogue and Jean had managed to snag the seats to Scott's sides while Nathan and Tessa also managed to sit close to their respective mothers. The others just grabbed the seats they could get. Finally Kitty was fead up with both the hunger and the silence so she decided to break it.
"So, Like any news?" She inquired rather bluntly
"Nathan wasn't lying about what he said." Scott replied also rather bluntly as everyone gasped "Yeah, seems both he and Tessa are who they say they are." He munched on a roll.
"Dude! Vhat are ve going to do?" Kurt had begun to panic as the truth sunk in.
"Don't anyone panic, measures are being taken. In the morning everyone will be made to gradually increase both team and individual training at faster rate." the Professor cued in. Instead of the usual grunts and groans he was used to the children giving he received readied nods.
"No covard that attacks from behind is going to stop the X-Men!!! Now who wants steak?" Kurt cheered as the others joined his cheer and started snatching at the food. Professor X smiled at the fire that had been lit. He could always count on Night crawler to bring the mood of the group up though they had not an idea of the danger they were in and maybe that was for the best. The group ate with a vengeance; after all they would need all the energy they could muster. After dinner Jean got up to meet the Professor X in his room and managed to drag Scott with her.
" Professor what ever is going to happen is going to happen soon." Jean volunteered
"How do you know, Jean?" Scott asked blankly. God he could be dense!
"I'm Pregnant!! You jerk!!!!" She yelled at only man she had ever loved as she bashed him with the cushion she was sitting on the moment before. Scott was dumbfounded. He did not think it would happen this fast, despite his musings earlier.
"That was what I was going to talk about with you." Professor X broke in "Jean you are welcome to train lighter than the others. I don't want you to lose Nathan; there's something more to him, other than his remarkable psychogenesis that I can't put my finger on. Aside you yourself could sustain greater injuries in your weaken state." Charles expressed his concern.
" This is my fight as much as anyone's, if not more!! I will not back off of my training." Jean protested.
After heavy thought for a couple of minutes Scott spoke up with a compromise "How about this? Jean why don't you just focus on strengthening your powers?"
"That's a good idea! Jean your training will focus on your powers. We've sometime in the next nine months to prepare. I suggest we get started early tomorrow morning. Get some rest you two.... in your own rooms!" The Professor chided as they walked out of the door. He had no idea what had been going on under his own roof. He would learn from that mistake.
For the next month all the X-men did, besides schoolwork and the occasional rest, was train. On one such occasion Scott and Rogue had sat down in the Rec room alone after a long Saturday of training. They had been paired up on many occasions during training. It had taken her a long time to get to were she would let her guard down around Scott and that was probably why they kept getting paired up. Finally, one day they had been in the danger room and she ended up breaking her ankle; it had been just the two of them and she couldn't walk but insisted on trying. Paying no attention to her tireless attempts at walking He scooped her into his arms. She cursed loudly but soon gave in and let him carry her to the medical wing that was when she began to let her guard down, but that was a while ago.
Their muscles ached all over, but Rogue was, by far, in the most pain of the entire X-men. It is as if Logan had it in for her or something! She pushed her back against the wall hoping to rub the kinks out, though she was not doing a very good job at it. Scott laughed audibly as he moved closer to fidgeting girl. She was snapped from her delirium when Scott put his hands on her slightly covered shoulders. "What are you doing?" Rogue snapped
"You looked like you were hurting so I was going to rub your back." Scott stated innocently "Now stop squirming. That's an order!" He playfully commanded as he physically turned her around.
"I don't th... Ohhh" She moaned as Scott's skillful hands found their way to each off the knots in her back and firmly worked them out. "The boy has skills" she thought.
"It really seems as though Logan has been riding you lately. Any idea why?" asked Scott while still paying attention to every in and out of her back while ignoring his own pains
"Him... or you?" She moaned out as he suddenly stopped
" Oh really is that what you think of me?" He said as he moved from using his hands on her back to using his fingers on her ribs causing her to wriggle and convulse with laughter. "I may be the sub-leader but I still get just as worked over as much as you!"
" So you're saying that that it wasn't you that gave the order!" She flipped out of his grasp and pounced on him retaliating with her own ticklish blows to his ribs and hips. It was his turn to try and wiggle his way out of her grasp. Somehow their muscles did not like all of this extra activity so, in complete unison, a sharp pain shot through both of their bodies. They ended up collapsing on the floor panting from both exhaustion and pain all the while laughing hysterically. When they noticed that they had fallen on top of each other they quickly darted for opposite sides of the room. Scott finally spoke up after his heart had slowed to a normal pace." Rogue, I want you to know that; whatever you need I'm here. Don't hesitate to talk to me." It was Scott's policy to do this with everyone of his friends, but for some reason it was harder to say to her.
"Um, thanks." She paused awkwardly "Hey look Eldorado!" She said as she noticed the John Wayne movie on the T.V. and quickly changed the subject.
Nathan was sitting alone on the top of the stairway as Jean was walking toward the kitchen to grab a late night snack. She noticed her future son being unusually quiet. He was always so animated, so powerful. Now though he was just sitting there at the top of the stairs. She decided that she would find out what was going on. She quickly grabbed a pint of ice cream from the refrigerator and levitated herself to the top of the stairs. "Hey Nate, What's wrong?"
"Hm? Oh I was wishing this fight would come on already. I am getting really bored." He answered sleepily but somehow Jean knew he wasn't telling the entire truth.
"Is that all?" She pushed as she at down beside him "You're not telling me something."
Nathan Laughed "You and only you could read my mind." then he got serious "I'm thinking about the first time this happened. Forge told me that Night crawler was the first to be killed, squired by a tree root. I know how all of them are suppose to die, you know. If Cerberus shows her head around here I'll rip it from her shoulders."
"Woh, the Professor thinks that we can reason with....."
"NO!!!" He yelled, "That woman is a rabid dog, that needs to be put down! I've watched to many friends die by her hands. She is a monster that enjoys the splash blood on her face! She must be stopped, at all costs!." He jumped to his feet fuming with hatred as he stomped off.
"N. Nathan!" Jean called into the darkness he disappeared into.
Several months later the only person that seemed to be benefiting from the training was Jean. She had been greatly improving with every day, it had even gotten to the point were she could operate Cerebro with ease. She had even begun to overwhelm the professor while training. She stood in front of the mirror recounting her achievements as she examined her now slightly noticeable enlarged figure. She smiled to herself as she tried to find something to wear, as was her daily routine by this time. She was interrupted by a telepathic message from the professor.
"Jean, can I see you in the War room? We have a mission."
"Sure, Professor. Right Now?" Responded Jean Mentally
"Yes, ASAP."
Jean dressed as soon as she found her favorite pair of baggy Jeans and darted off the professor's office were she found Nathan, and Scott waiting. The Professor bade her take her seat as he begun to explain. "There has been a break in at the Museum of Natural History."
"So, why does this concern us?" snapped Nathan.
"It's not the break in I'm cornered with. More what was stolen." Charles paused "You see it was one of several robberies were the ground was torn directly from under the one object that was stolen."
"How do you know that it wasn't just a freak accident?" wondered Scott
"Because they were all stolen in the exact same manner, the bedrock gave way dropping the item into the sewers. The cases were found but the items were gone."
"So what do you want us to do?" Jean asked
Wheeling himself over to the window, Professor Xavier spoke in a low solemn voice." I believe that this may be the work of Cerberus, and if that is true. We need to gather any information we don't already have. I have already cleared it with the local authorities, so suit up and investigate. "
"Alright Professor, we're on it." Scott replied, as he never failed to obey an order that came directly from the Professor.
"Oh and Nathan I want her captured not harmed, in case you run into her." Professor X added. Nathan let out wolverine like growl but said nothing. If there was one thing he had learned from his father it was to respect those in authority over him. Nathan despised the order but he would not jeopardize anyone for his own blood lust. In part that is what had kept Cerberus alive in his time. He always had someone to protect and that was what mattered more. They got into uniform and loaded into the X-van as they began the trip.
Meanwhile, Professor X was leading the remaining X-Men and the new recruits in a training sim. Rogue was however gaining personal tutelage at the hands of Storm. Storm was trying to teach the young X-Man how to control both the minds and powers that she had previously absorbed and was having extreme success. Storm launched a large block of hail in Rogue's direction.
"Ahhh!!" Rogue screamed
"Concentrate, child!!!!!" coaxed Storm
Doing just that Rogue let out another scream as she channeled Jean and crushed the block of ice into two moderate sized shards. She then channeled storm and caused a great wind to push them to the ground were they shattered into paper clip sized fragments and soon melted away. She then silenced the two personalities while wiping her self off.
"Very good, Rogue. Your control is gaining strength." Storm complimented
"Yeah." She drooped
"What's wrong?"
"I seem to be able to master everyone else's powers except my own!" She pulled off a glove and gently tapped Storm's cheek. Storm felt her knees go week but she managed to keep standing. "I still hurt anyone I touch." She frowned as she began walking toward the others. Storm looked as if she was going to say something but was interrupted by a mental message from the Professor.
"Storm there is someone at the front gate. Would you please check it out?"
"Sure Professor." She responded as she quickly flu to the front gate. "Y..You!" She gasped as the Icy bluish-white haired woman that stood behind the gate smiled.
"M..Me?" She taunted as she ground under the gate to expand causing it to rip from its hinges and fly backward knocking Storm into a near by tree. As Storm succumbed to unconsciousness, Kurt unexpectedly ported in throwing the white haired lady into a spree of madness. She tried several times to crush Kurt in pits but failed over and over again.
"Professor!! Professor!!!" Kurt yelled as he managed to retaliate with an agile kick to the woman's jaw. "Sorry."
The professor heard both Kurt's mental and physical screams as he did what he could to hold the woman's powers back. It was to little to late as one thin spike shot up from the Earth's bowels piercing Kurt's stomach. Rogue, Kitty and the New Recruits where just in time to see the very squired but still barely alive Kurt.
"KURT!!!!!" Rogue and Kitty screamed in unison as they beheld their close friend in the horrific position. Without thinking Rogue, using Jean's power, catapulted Kitty to Kurt's height. Kitty phased Kurt off of the spike and quickly ran him inside the mansion useing her powers to avoid her attacker.
"You BITCH!!!!" Rogue bellowed as she conjured Cyclops, Storm, and Berserker's powers blasting the woman with all the energy she could muster. Somehow the woman managed to pull the metal from the pipes underneath the mansion and deflect the barrage. Wolverine then jumped into the fray, quickly diceing the barrer and chargeing at the woman's throught. He was Smacked away by a tree that had used its roots as a wip. Maintaining his grip on the woman's powers as much as he could, Professor X tried to contact the three he had sent on the mission before.
Elsewhere, Jean and Nathan screamed in pain as they just recieved the message from the professor. They ahd felt the strain on Xavier's mind and what was going on at the the mansion. "TURN THE CAR AROUND!!!!" Nathan yelled at the top of his lungs as Jean was not able to speak. Scott, understanding, spun the van 180 degrees like wolverine had taught him and took off toward the mansion. They arrived shortly after followed closely by several police cars that had gotten wind of the commotion. They stopped short of a police baracade in front of the front gate. "I'm sorry, but you can't.." One police officer tried to stop the three mutants from entering
"SHUT UP" Yelled Nathan as he threw both the police officers and the cars out of the way. They ran into the front gate to see that only three fo their friends were still standing. Rogue, cloths tattered and eye's surgeing with power, was protecting her strewn across the ground teamates and Professor X while Logan was still trying to get in close enough to do some damage.
"Cerberus!!!!!" Nathan yelled as he sent a searing pain into the woman's head. She screamed and doubled over, because the professor had been attached to Cerberus he was knocked out. With the limiter on her powers broken she shurugged the pain off and turned around. She batted wolverine away, catupulting him threw the top floor widow of the mansion.
"Ah more chrildren for me to play with; Y..YOU?" She gasped as she saw the three mutants standing in front of her. "I grow tired of this! All I need is the final key to awaken the master, anyway." with a wave of her hand both she and Rogue were swallowed by the earth.
"ROGUE!!!" Scott yelled as he began blasting at spot of dirt Rogue had fallen into. He blasted six feet down, nothing. Twelve down, still nothing.
"They're both gone Scott, I can't sense either of their consciousnesses." Jean pleaded
"No one's dead yet but they will be if we don't get some help!" Reminded Nathan. Scott, regaining his compsure, yelled at the police to call the paramedics.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~ End Chapter 4
On that note I think I'll end it. Sorry for takeing so long for this chapter but I needed to cover a lot of ground, So let me know what you think.
Chapter 4: The Calm before...
Nothing to say really except that I've got some big plans in mind (some you'll probably hate me for :P) but as for now it is time for the show.
~~~~~~~~~
Jean stood over the sink; she had bought the damn thing on whim, staring at the blue indicator not knowing what to think. It had been at least two weeks since the last 'time' and no one could know what she does right now. Her thoughts were becoming chaotic and untamed; she would have to control herself or the professor would catch wind of the way her mind screamed. She checked the manual again there was no mistaking it.
Meanwhile, In the main hall Cyclops had gathered a description of the mutants in question. While neither Nathan nor Tessa had ever actually seen the mutant they referred to as "Ragnorock" up close; they had felt the effects of his powers. They said that when he walked, the earth screamed and that he commanded all the forces of nature as if a god. His eyes, the most distinctive trait he had, shone with pulsing energy. Ragnorok's right hand woman, Cerberus, was made out to be of almost animal instinct while commanding the earth as if it were a part of her own body, often fashioning it into 'golems' to do her bidding. This woman was of medium height with icy bluish white hair. "Nathan, Tessa as of this moment you are both X- men." Scott stated as he mentally recounted the information "You are apart of a team and I expect you to everything you have into protecting your new family just as we will for you."
"Family?" Tessa asked blankly "Promise, you're not going to disappear?"
Scott's patented leader's mood melted away at the innocent question "Should hell break loose I won't abandon you. I don't pretend to know what went on, but you two are home now and that's not going to change." With that sentence finished tears began to well up in Tessa's eyes. She resisted the urge to jump at the person she could now call father.
"Come on, squirt. Let's get you back to bed." Logan spoke in an uncharacteristically soft voice
"I'm not a squirt!!" She quipped with a slight smile at the man she now viewed as her uncle.
"Compared to me everybody is a squirt" playfully replied the man known as Logan assured her out into the hall. Scott tried to return to business though he was interrupted
"(Cough)"Nathan straightened himself to his full height "does that go for everyone?" He asked in as gruff voice he could muster.
Scott smiled understanding the question "Yes, everyone." He stated simply. As he walked out of the main hall he bumped into Rogue as she left Professor Xavier's office. She was nearly knocked to the ground, but instead of the ground biting her, Scott caught her in a skillful display of agility. "Sorry about that. Are you alright?"
"Yeah Ah'm fine." She replied as she purposely lingered in his arms, enjoying the feel of physical contact. Now that she knew she had a chance she was becoming more and more forward at every chance she received. She was almost tempted to play the southern bell on a couple of occasions. "Say Scott can you help me to my feet after you so rudely knocked me off them." She playfully joked as Scott pulled her up from the diagonal position she was in.
"Rogue we're friends right?" Scott wondered aloud.
"Yeah." Rogue answered blankly
"Wanna meet for a game of racket-ball, in an hour?"
"Racket-ball? Sure, but why racket-ball?"
"Well, you know how I get when I'm uncomfortable around someone."
"Yeah, you start avoiding them."
"Well I don't want be uncomfortable around you." He paused "Not you." He stated under his breath.
She looked at him with suspicion at the inaudible portion of the sentence "Sure what about after lunch?"
"It's a...um, uh sounds good!" He stuttered as they both agreed and awkwardly walked in opposite directions. When they had reached a far enough distance they had their own reactions. While Scott was kicking himself for almost having an accident that would have given Jean plenty of reason to turn him inside out, Rogue just giggled at the fact that he had almost called it a 'date'.
Time passed and soon it was dinnertime. Everyone had gathered in the dining room but no one bothered to eat as a serious layer of tension blanketed the room. Instinctively, Rogue and Jean had managed to snag the seats to Scott's sides while Nathan and Tessa also managed to sit close to their respective mothers. The others just grabbed the seats they could get. Finally Kitty was fead up with both the hunger and the silence so she decided to break it.
"So, Like any news?" She inquired rather bluntly
"Nathan wasn't lying about what he said." Scott replied also rather bluntly as everyone gasped "Yeah, seems both he and Tessa are who they say they are." He munched on a roll.
"Dude! Vhat are ve going to do?" Kurt had begun to panic as the truth sunk in.
"Don't anyone panic, measures are being taken. In the morning everyone will be made to gradually increase both team and individual training at faster rate." the Professor cued in. Instead of the usual grunts and groans he was used to the children giving he received readied nods.
"No covard that attacks from behind is going to stop the X-Men!!! Now who wants steak?" Kurt cheered as the others joined his cheer and started snatching at the food. Professor X smiled at the fire that had been lit. He could always count on Night crawler to bring the mood of the group up though they had not an idea of the danger they were in and maybe that was for the best. The group ate with a vengeance; after all they would need all the energy they could muster. After dinner Jean got up to meet the Professor X in his room and managed to drag Scott with her.
" Professor what ever is going to happen is going to happen soon." Jean volunteered
"How do you know, Jean?" Scott asked blankly. God he could be dense!
"I'm Pregnant!! You jerk!!!!" She yelled at only man she had ever loved as she bashed him with the cushion she was sitting on the moment before. Scott was dumbfounded. He did not think it would happen this fast, despite his musings earlier.
"That was what I was going to talk about with you." Professor X broke in "Jean you are welcome to train lighter than the others. I don't want you to lose Nathan; there's something more to him, other than his remarkable psychogenesis that I can't put my finger on. Aside you yourself could sustain greater injuries in your weaken state." Charles expressed his concern.
" This is my fight as much as anyone's, if not more!! I will not back off of my training." Jean protested.
After heavy thought for a couple of minutes Scott spoke up with a compromise "How about this? Jean why don't you just focus on strengthening your powers?"
"That's a good idea! Jean your training will focus on your powers. We've sometime in the next nine months to prepare. I suggest we get started early tomorrow morning. Get some rest you two.... in your own rooms!" The Professor chided as they walked out of the door. He had no idea what had been going on under his own roof. He would learn from that mistake.
For the next month all the X-men did, besides schoolwork and the occasional rest, was train. On one such occasion Scott and Rogue had sat down in the Rec room alone after a long Saturday of training. They had been paired up on many occasions during training. It had taken her a long time to get to were she would let her guard down around Scott and that was probably why they kept getting paired up. Finally, one day they had been in the danger room and she ended up breaking her ankle; it had been just the two of them and she couldn't walk but insisted on trying. Paying no attention to her tireless attempts at walking He scooped her into his arms. She cursed loudly but soon gave in and let him carry her to the medical wing that was when she began to let her guard down, but that was a while ago.
Their muscles ached all over, but Rogue was, by far, in the most pain of the entire X-men. It is as if Logan had it in for her or something! She pushed her back against the wall hoping to rub the kinks out, though she was not doing a very good job at it. Scott laughed audibly as he moved closer to fidgeting girl. She was snapped from her delirium when Scott put his hands on her slightly covered shoulders. "What are you doing?" Rogue snapped
"You looked like you were hurting so I was going to rub your back." Scott stated innocently "Now stop squirming. That's an order!" He playfully commanded as he physically turned her around.
"I don't th... Ohhh" She moaned as Scott's skillful hands found their way to each off the knots in her back and firmly worked them out. "The boy has skills" she thought.
"It really seems as though Logan has been riding you lately. Any idea why?" asked Scott while still paying attention to every in and out of her back while ignoring his own pains
"Him... or you?" She moaned out as he suddenly stopped
" Oh really is that what you think of me?" He said as he moved from using his hands on her back to using his fingers on her ribs causing her to wriggle and convulse with laughter. "I may be the sub-leader but I still get just as worked over as much as you!"
" So you're saying that that it wasn't you that gave the order!" She flipped out of his grasp and pounced on him retaliating with her own ticklish blows to his ribs and hips. It was his turn to try and wiggle his way out of her grasp. Somehow their muscles did not like all of this extra activity so, in complete unison, a sharp pain shot through both of their bodies. They ended up collapsing on the floor panting from both exhaustion and pain all the while laughing hysterically. When they noticed that they had fallen on top of each other they quickly darted for opposite sides of the room. Scott finally spoke up after his heart had slowed to a normal pace." Rogue, I want you to know that; whatever you need I'm here. Don't hesitate to talk to me." It was Scott's policy to do this with everyone of his friends, but for some reason it was harder to say to her.
"Um, thanks." She paused awkwardly "Hey look Eldorado!" She said as she noticed the John Wayne movie on the T.V. and quickly changed the subject.
Nathan was sitting alone on the top of the stairway as Jean was walking toward the kitchen to grab a late night snack. She noticed her future son being unusually quiet. He was always so animated, so powerful. Now though he was just sitting there at the top of the stairs. She decided that she would find out what was going on. She quickly grabbed a pint of ice cream from the refrigerator and levitated herself to the top of the stairs. "Hey Nate, What's wrong?"
"Hm? Oh I was wishing this fight would come on already. I am getting really bored." He answered sleepily but somehow Jean knew he wasn't telling the entire truth.
"Is that all?" She pushed as she at down beside him "You're not telling me something."
Nathan Laughed "You and only you could read my mind." then he got serious "I'm thinking about the first time this happened. Forge told me that Night crawler was the first to be killed, squired by a tree root. I know how all of them are suppose to die, you know. If Cerberus shows her head around here I'll rip it from her shoulders."
"Woh, the Professor thinks that we can reason with....."
"NO!!!" He yelled, "That woman is a rabid dog, that needs to be put down! I've watched to many friends die by her hands. She is a monster that enjoys the splash blood on her face! She must be stopped, at all costs!." He jumped to his feet fuming with hatred as he stomped off.
"N. Nathan!" Jean called into the darkness he disappeared into.
Several months later the only person that seemed to be benefiting from the training was Jean. She had been greatly improving with every day, it had even gotten to the point were she could operate Cerebro with ease. She had even begun to overwhelm the professor while training. She stood in front of the mirror recounting her achievements as she examined her now slightly noticeable enlarged figure. She smiled to herself as she tried to find something to wear, as was her daily routine by this time. She was interrupted by a telepathic message from the professor.
"Jean, can I see you in the War room? We have a mission."
"Sure, Professor. Right Now?" Responded Jean Mentally
"Yes, ASAP."
Jean dressed as soon as she found her favorite pair of baggy Jeans and darted off the professor's office were she found Nathan, and Scott waiting. The Professor bade her take her seat as he begun to explain. "There has been a break in at the Museum of Natural History."
"So, why does this concern us?" snapped Nathan.
"It's not the break in I'm cornered with. More what was stolen." Charles paused "You see it was one of several robberies were the ground was torn directly from under the one object that was stolen."
"How do you know that it wasn't just a freak accident?" wondered Scott
"Because they were all stolen in the exact same manner, the bedrock gave way dropping the item into the sewers. The cases were found but the items were gone."
"So what do you want us to do?" Jean asked
Wheeling himself over to the window, Professor Xavier spoke in a low solemn voice." I believe that this may be the work of Cerberus, and if that is true. We need to gather any information we don't already have. I have already cleared it with the local authorities, so suit up and investigate. "
"Alright Professor, we're on it." Scott replied, as he never failed to obey an order that came directly from the Professor.
"Oh and Nathan I want her captured not harmed, in case you run into her." Professor X added. Nathan let out wolverine like growl but said nothing. If there was one thing he had learned from his father it was to respect those in authority over him. Nathan despised the order but he would not jeopardize anyone for his own blood lust. In part that is what had kept Cerberus alive in his time. He always had someone to protect and that was what mattered more. They got into uniform and loaded into the X-van as they began the trip.
Meanwhile, Professor X was leading the remaining X-Men and the new recruits in a training sim. Rogue was however gaining personal tutelage at the hands of Storm. Storm was trying to teach the young X-Man how to control both the minds and powers that she had previously absorbed and was having extreme success. Storm launched a large block of hail in Rogue's direction.
"Ahhh!!" Rogue screamed
"Concentrate, child!!!!!" coaxed Storm
Doing just that Rogue let out another scream as she channeled Jean and crushed the block of ice into two moderate sized shards. She then channeled storm and caused a great wind to push them to the ground were they shattered into paper clip sized fragments and soon melted away. She then silenced the two personalities while wiping her self off.
"Very good, Rogue. Your control is gaining strength." Storm complimented
"Yeah." She drooped
"What's wrong?"
"I seem to be able to master everyone else's powers except my own!" She pulled off a glove and gently tapped Storm's cheek. Storm felt her knees go week but she managed to keep standing. "I still hurt anyone I touch." She frowned as she began walking toward the others. Storm looked as if she was going to say something but was interrupted by a mental message from the Professor.
"Storm there is someone at the front gate. Would you please check it out?"
"Sure Professor." She responded as she quickly flu to the front gate. "Y..You!" She gasped as the Icy bluish-white haired woman that stood behind the gate smiled.
"M..Me?" She taunted as she ground under the gate to expand causing it to rip from its hinges and fly backward knocking Storm into a near by tree. As Storm succumbed to unconsciousness, Kurt unexpectedly ported in throwing the white haired lady into a spree of madness. She tried several times to crush Kurt in pits but failed over and over again.
"Professor!! Professor!!!" Kurt yelled as he managed to retaliate with an agile kick to the woman's jaw. "Sorry."
The professor heard both Kurt's mental and physical screams as he did what he could to hold the woman's powers back. It was to little to late as one thin spike shot up from the Earth's bowels piercing Kurt's stomach. Rogue, Kitty and the New Recruits where just in time to see the very squired but still barely alive Kurt.
"KURT!!!!!" Rogue and Kitty screamed in unison as they beheld their close friend in the horrific position. Without thinking Rogue, using Jean's power, catapulted Kitty to Kurt's height. Kitty phased Kurt off of the spike and quickly ran him inside the mansion useing her powers to avoid her attacker.
"You BITCH!!!!" Rogue bellowed as she conjured Cyclops, Storm, and Berserker's powers blasting the woman with all the energy she could muster. Somehow the woman managed to pull the metal from the pipes underneath the mansion and deflect the barrage. Wolverine then jumped into the fray, quickly diceing the barrer and chargeing at the woman's throught. He was Smacked away by a tree that had used its roots as a wip. Maintaining his grip on the woman's powers as much as he could, Professor X tried to contact the three he had sent on the mission before.
Elsewhere, Jean and Nathan screamed in pain as they just recieved the message from the professor. They ahd felt the strain on Xavier's mind and what was going on at the the mansion. "TURN THE CAR AROUND!!!!" Nathan yelled at the top of his lungs as Jean was not able to speak. Scott, understanding, spun the van 180 degrees like wolverine had taught him and took off toward the mansion. They arrived shortly after followed closely by several police cars that had gotten wind of the commotion. They stopped short of a police baracade in front of the front gate. "I'm sorry, but you can't.." One police officer tried to stop the three mutants from entering
"SHUT UP" Yelled Nathan as he threw both the police officers and the cars out of the way. They ran into the front gate to see that only three fo their friends were still standing. Rogue, cloths tattered and eye's surgeing with power, was protecting her strewn across the ground teamates and Professor X while Logan was still trying to get in close enough to do some damage.
"Cerberus!!!!!" Nathan yelled as he sent a searing pain into the woman's head. She screamed and doubled over, because the professor had been attached to Cerberus he was knocked out. With the limiter on her powers broken she shurugged the pain off and turned around. She batted wolverine away, catupulting him threw the top floor widow of the mansion.
"Ah more chrildren for me to play with; Y..YOU?" She gasped as she saw the three mutants standing in front of her. "I grow tired of this! All I need is the final key to awaken the master, anyway." with a wave of her hand both she and Rogue were swallowed by the earth.
"ROGUE!!!" Scott yelled as he began blasting at spot of dirt Rogue had fallen into. He blasted six feet down, nothing. Twelve down, still nothing.
"They're both gone Scott, I can't sense either of their consciousnesses." Jean pleaded
"No one's dead yet but they will be if we don't get some help!" Reminded Nathan. Scott, regaining his compsure, yelled at the police to call the paramedics.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~ End Chapter 4
On that note I think I'll end it. Sorry for takeing so long for this chapter but I needed to cover a lot of ground, So let me know what you think.