Anything but Ordinary3: In response to Mystique being buried with the X-Men, every mutant that was known in the comic verse-brotherhood, x-men, maurders, everyone, is buried here; it's like a unity thing because they all died in the same war at the same time. Scott's return is on Hiatus, Yes, if our fanfiction universes met all hell would break lose, maybe I'll let them meet in The Unreal World:World Premier. What do you think?
A/N: The character of Russ Collins and Rusty Collins are nowhere near the same person. I wasn't even aware the second existed until I checked out a website and saw him listed; anyone who might think they are the same person would be wrong. Why didn't I know this?
Thanks goes to Anything but Ordinary3 for the website where I got my information for the X-men further into this chapter. Thanks to my other reviewers, too!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
JANUARY 16, 2005
"Sabbath/Angel, end session! Image/Tadpole, take over!"
Angel stopped with her fist inches from hitting Russ then slumped against a wall, panting heavily. Sweat poured from her forehead despite the thin tank top and sweat pants she wore; blood streamed down one side of her face, soaking into her shirt.
Russ wasn't much better. One of his arms hung crookedly while blood poured from his bloody mouth and bruised eye; sweat soaked his tank top and arms. His breathing was heavy and labored as they made their way out of the room.
"You need some help, Russ?"she asked, offering him her shoulder to lean on since he seemed to be having difficulty standing. She stopped walking to face him.
Tara and Corey entered.
Russ shook his head. "I'm fine...just an old injury from before I came here...it's a lasting effect for the last few months."
She shrugged and slipped through the doors, making her way to the medlab area. Footsteps following assured her that he was going to the same place. That wasn't odd since both of them usually had to pay a visit there after a training session with one another; their sessions were almost the most violent.
Remy was waiting. "Angel, what y'do dis time, belle?"he questioned, taking in her bleeding face and the clothes clinging to her body. "Y'win?"
"Nope, Logan ended the session before we could complete it...take care of him first, Remy." She said before settling into a chair and turning, lazily around in circles.
Her friendship with Russ Collins has grown slightly but she still didn't trust him with much more then just stupid things since joining the 'Alliance'. They always allowed the worst abused one to go first despite whatever tension had risen between them in the session.
It was odd to fight for what felt like no reason. She was used to fighting for what she, Tara, and her family were-mutants. There'd never been a time when she fought just for the hell of learning except the first few months after her mutation.
Vel had trained her to be pain resistant.
The tattoo on her left shoulder blade throbbed as a reminder. It had taken six hours to get done and more tears and blood then she had ever shed in her thirteen years; three years later it still reminded her of her training.
"De child win, Sabbath?"Remy questioned after helping him onto the examining table and beginning to go over his shoulder. He placed a rag in Russ' hand then searched for the medical supplies they'd replace months ago.
Angel stared at the ceiling for a moment then realized there were shouldn't be multi-colored dots dancing across the ceiling. She slid from the chair and rummaged through the cabinets; her hands closed around a bottle of pharmacy brand pills. She dumped two out then swallowed a gulp of water, tossing the pills down.
Remy's voice startled her and she almost choked on the pills. "Mon ange, don't take pills 'less Remy prescribes dem."
"Remy, I've been taking these pills since the day you bought them. Most of them end up in me anyway since I'm the only one that can stomache them..."
"I'll take some, Remy. My head's killing me since Angel decided to give me a concussion,"Russ growled then grimaced when the crack of his shoulder popping back into place came. His hand went up to rub the area for a moment while he gritted his teeth and fought against the pain.
"Angel, Russ, Remy t'ink y'need to take de training a little easier...it be a sad day when one of y'got to be buried with de X-men,"Remy stated, glowering at both like a father would. "Who Remy expect next, petite?"
"Tara and Corey. They just went in and Logan's in a pissy mood..."
"Kellie and Julius alright?" Russ slid from the table then switched places with Angel after she'd moved from the chair. He leaned his head back against the chair rest and closed his eyes, letting out a moan that could rival any cat.
Remy nodded. "Oui. Dey resting and de belle should waking in a few hours...what is dis, Angel?"
Angel tensed at the feel of his hand on her back and the tattoo there. She pushed herself away from the table and jumped down, wiping her face with a towel. It came away blood-stained and grimey; she pressed her face into the towel, almost screaming.
"Petite?"
She pulled the towel away and bandaged her own face, wrapping the bleeding part of her arm in a bandage. She hesitated then made sure Russ wasn't listening before she answered.
"It's just a tatoo, Remy. I've had it since I was...uh, thirteen."
Remy looked skeptical but left it alone. He replaced the medical supplies then gave Russ two pills and a glass of water.
He nodded thanks then tossed down both bills and the entire glass of water in one swallow. A shudder cough came from him but he waved them off, bending his head. The coughing continued for a moments then stopped.
"Take it easy, homme. Dis not de best for y'to get sick and die..."
Angel rolled her eyes and helped Russ up.
"Not helping, Remy,"she replied with a smile as they made their way out of the door. "If you need me I'm gonna be upstairs, writing my aunt, mmkay?"
"Oui, petite. Take de boy to his room first..."
Great, I get to play baby-sitter. Hell. He's older then I am by two years but I have to help HIM to his room? What's the deal with that?"
Russ' voice interrupted her tirade. "How are you so calm?"
They'd reached the stairs.
"What do you mean? I'm used to people being hurt in this world..."
"Not what I meant. You talk about writing your aunt as someone else would their parents...doesn't that fact that they're gone affect you at all?"he asked, leaning more heavily against her the further up they went.
She shrugged. "Can't miss what you've never known, Sabbath. I never knew or can't remember anyone else. There's nothing to effect me..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Clicking keys and muffled curses streamed from the mostly closed bedroom door on the second level of the mansion. Mutters about computers today and the importance of being 'safe-guarded' followed.
Russ slammed his hand onto the keyboard as a loud beeping sound flowed from the volume. He hastily rolled it down on a muffled curse.
Something black and gray flashed onto the screen. Scrambled words and numbers glittered in the block; millions of boxes of text began popping up all over the screen then shutting down.
Come on, Annie. Justa little bit more... He typed in a few more words then smiled as a new message flashed.
ACCESS GRANTED: MUTANT FILES
A few keystrokes later and a second popped up along with two lists.
XAVIER'S INSTITUTE
LIVING DECEASED
Russ slid his cursor down the list of names, stopping on the first he recognized-Gambit. He clicked it then scrolled through the information; he skimmed several rather long paragraphs.
Several items stood out.
Known relatives: Jean-Luc LeBeau (father), Bella Donna Boudreaux (wife, separated)
Legal status: Citizen of the United States with no criminal record
Group affiliation: (current) X-Men, (former) Thieves Guild (New Orleans)
Place of Birth: New Orleans, Louisiana
A lengthy biography followed with the details of how he became a member of the X-men followed by something to do with Antartica and 'marriage'. The typical information saved to government files about his mutant powers followed; nothing new.
He scrolled to the next name he recognized. Rogue.
Known relatives: Mystique (unofficial foster mother), Nightcrawler (foster mother's son)
Legal status: Citizen of the United States with no criminal record
Group affiliation: (current) X-Men, (former) Brotherhood of Evil Mutants III
Place of birth: Caldecott County, Mississippi
Her bio was without the easy flowing way of Gambit's. It seemed choppy, skipping several years, then returning as if the author was unsure about the correct order; several mentions went back to Carol Danvers, Mystique, Brotherhood of Evil Mutants III.
"So the X-men deal is legit...what about the ones that are dead?"Russ wondered aloud, already in the process of closing that window to search for the next one.
Wolverine.
Known Relatives: John Howlett (father, deceased), Elizabeth Howlett (mother, presumed deceased) "The Old Man" (unnamed grandfather, presumed deceased) Windsong (wife, deceased)
No Legal Status.
Group Affiliation: (current) X-Men, (former) Clan Yashida, the Weapon X Program, Alpha Flight
Place of Birth: Unknown, presumably in Canada.
His biography was much too long to read every detail and remember it. Skimming proved mostly useless except for the fact that it allowed him to see a little into the past of the bad-tempered man; it wasn't much of a past that a person would want. His mutation was described somewhat in depth but not quite; it was choppy like Rogue's bio.
The biographys were helping but what about the others? There were millions of crosses and graves but it seemed as if some of them were more set off then others like the person had done some unforgiveable wrong. One thing had been cleared up, however. The brother on Nightcrawler's cross had been done by Rogue; obviously it wasn't a natural sibling set-up but what was natural about the mutant world?
Russ looked up, suddenly, glancing around the room as if in search of something. There'd been a breeze and the door was more open then it had been before; someone had entered, despite the empty room.
He slid his hand under the desk and withdrew the item he'd been hiding there for a month. It was another of Gage's devices.
This one was black with a brown skimming around it. A darker brown place glistened until he pressed his thumb over it, trading the small object in his hand for...emptiness. He opened his hand then returned to his keyboard, beginning to exit and lock the computer back down.
He stared at the screen, catching glimpses of names. Most were recognizable because of the markers they'd seen earlier; every name he could remember seemed to be within the files.
Gage's device deeped, obsessively, behind him. It had found the object of his disturbance. It hovered, waiting.
Russ stood and walked to the item, watching it slowly trail down a wall. It was following.
"Stop,"he commanded, raising his hand. The item lost it's glow then fell to the floor, heavily. "Why were you spying on me, Corey?"
It took a few moments before Corey appeared in the exact location of the item with a brief glance at the silent object. He leaned down, cautiously.
Russ settled into his chair. "Pick it up. It won't hurt you unless I tell it to...why were you spying?"
"I knew you'd disconnect the second I entered the room so I altered your mind to see nothing while I was here. I planned to leave and come back as myself after I did."
He stared at the item, now resting in his palm. He turned it several times and fixed his glasses over the bridge of his nose to see better; the item was alien to anyone that didn't know Gage. The only other people who knew about his inventions were Gage's older sister and Carolina but neither would tell anyone since both were dead or missing.
"The Mutant Registration Act was passed in 1981, wasn't it, Corey?"
He nodded. "I thought so. That's what the laws teach and so on...why?"
He stood and took the item, placing it under the desk again. Feelers on one side reached out and clung just out of site or feel of anyone sitting at the desk or within the room. His hesitance was with good reason.
"There's files here on the mutants, spanning the 60s and 70s. Why do you suppouse an old now-abandoned mansion have mutant records before the registration act? And why are all the mutants listed as deceased except Rogue and Logan?"
Russ waited for an answer.
Corey shrugged.
"Well, Einstein, maybe because....oh, I dunno, they are deceased?" Julius' voice drew both their attentions to the door. He leaned against it as casually as anyone else would except for the billowing black trenchcoat and boots on his feet. His expression plainly wasn't pleased especially with the bandage covering from just below his left eye and skimming almost to his lips; a bruise ringed the other eye.
"Thanks, by the way...how's that shiner Dust gave you coming?"Russ asked, delibertly using the girl's codename in a way that would add insult to injury.
Kellie had left her mark with Julius. One side of his face was in need of repair where the skin had flaked and turned to dust, lightly; the bruise darkened his angry expression. From what they'd seen Kellie didn't have much damage except for the numerous cuts covering her body along with several massive bruises.
Julius growled,"Don't mention her. What's this about deceased mutants?"
Corey started to speak but fell silent when Julius' gaze swung to him.
"Not you, Richie Rich. Einstein should explain..."
Russ lounged in the chair, shifting his weight. The chair creaked.
"Might as well get everyone in here. Angel, Tara, stop easedropping and bring Kellie..."
A few moments after both their heads appeared through the door they returned with Kellie in tow. The three settled onto one of the empty beds, leaving Julius to stand.
He noticed Angel made a point to ram her boot-encased foot into the back of Julius' leg when she passed. The girl definetly needed to stop provoking him before something serious happened between the two. He wasn't sure he'd stop it since they both provoked quite often but some part of him felt the need to play the peacemaker.
"What's this about deceased mutants and the registration started in 1981?"Tara asked after they'd settled on to one bed. She reclined back against the headboard as if the bed belonged to her. Kellie and Angel sat up stiffly on one side of her.
Russ sighed then began. "I looked into the files of the institute and came up with strange things. If the Mutant Registration Act strated in 1981 why did this Charles Xavier have files on his X-men and numerous others, spanning the 1960s and 70s?"
Mumbles met his answer but Angel was the one that spoke.
"It's not so strange. The military has records of mutants starting around the same time...there's even several mentions of the group called X-Men along with The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, whatever that is."
"How would you know this?"Kellie asked giving her an odd look.
Angel hesitated,"My uncle's a mercenary. He fights for the government and military of other countries. There's mentions of them...all of them and even a warrant for the arrest of several fugitive mutants in one of the prisons.."
Here she stared down.
"Who's the fugitives, Angel?" Russ watched her, waiting.
"Remy Lebeau...Jean Grey-Summers....Kurt Wagner..."
Several things happened at once after that. Something fell in the hallway with a crash-Julius' doing, two sounds almost like screams echoed down the hall, Kellie and Corey 'threw' themselves onto the floor, and red streamed down one of the walls.
Julius drew himself up from the floor where he'd fallen. His composure was barely there. "What the hell was that, Einstein? You know everything else..."
Russ shook his head. "We need to go downstairs and check it out. Rogue or Remy might be hurt..."
Tara stared at him. "It could be Logan."
"That's what worries me. He may have snapped...."
"Logan wouldn't snap, Sabbath...."
"Do you know that for sure? Kanteon, Corey, take the first level, left wing. Angel, Kellie, stay on the second level and find the disturbance. Tara, come with me to the first level, right wing.."
No one moved.
"NOW." The command came from Julius this time.
The others moved off to their designated areas. Russ waited on Tara then closed the door, slipping a locking device onto it; he didn't want Gage's gadgets to be found in his room if someone was searching the mansion. Footsteps creaked for a moment then he realized it was simply Tara's shoes.
"What are we even looking for?"Tara questioned while they made their way downstairs.
"Truth? I don't know..."
A/N: The character of Russ Collins and Rusty Collins are nowhere near the same person. I wasn't even aware the second existed until I checked out a website and saw him listed; anyone who might think they are the same person would be wrong. Why didn't I know this?
Thanks goes to Anything but Ordinary3 for the website where I got my information for the X-men further into this chapter. Thanks to my other reviewers, too!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
JANUARY 16, 2005
"Sabbath/Angel, end session! Image/Tadpole, take over!"
Angel stopped with her fist inches from hitting Russ then slumped against a wall, panting heavily. Sweat poured from her forehead despite the thin tank top and sweat pants she wore; blood streamed down one side of her face, soaking into her shirt.
Russ wasn't much better. One of his arms hung crookedly while blood poured from his bloody mouth and bruised eye; sweat soaked his tank top and arms. His breathing was heavy and labored as they made their way out of the room.
"You need some help, Russ?"she asked, offering him her shoulder to lean on since he seemed to be having difficulty standing. She stopped walking to face him.
Tara and Corey entered.
Russ shook his head. "I'm fine...just an old injury from before I came here...it's a lasting effect for the last few months."
She shrugged and slipped through the doors, making her way to the medlab area. Footsteps following assured her that he was going to the same place. That wasn't odd since both of them usually had to pay a visit there after a training session with one another; their sessions were almost the most violent.
Remy was waiting. "Angel, what y'do dis time, belle?"he questioned, taking in her bleeding face and the clothes clinging to her body. "Y'win?"
"Nope, Logan ended the session before we could complete it...take care of him first, Remy." She said before settling into a chair and turning, lazily around in circles.
Her friendship with Russ Collins has grown slightly but she still didn't trust him with much more then just stupid things since joining the 'Alliance'. They always allowed the worst abused one to go first despite whatever tension had risen between them in the session.
It was odd to fight for what felt like no reason. She was used to fighting for what she, Tara, and her family were-mutants. There'd never been a time when she fought just for the hell of learning except the first few months after her mutation.
Vel had trained her to be pain resistant.
The tattoo on her left shoulder blade throbbed as a reminder. It had taken six hours to get done and more tears and blood then she had ever shed in her thirteen years; three years later it still reminded her of her training.
"De child win, Sabbath?"Remy questioned after helping him onto the examining table and beginning to go over his shoulder. He placed a rag in Russ' hand then searched for the medical supplies they'd replace months ago.
Angel stared at the ceiling for a moment then realized there were shouldn't be multi-colored dots dancing across the ceiling. She slid from the chair and rummaged through the cabinets; her hands closed around a bottle of pharmacy brand pills. She dumped two out then swallowed a gulp of water, tossing the pills down.
Remy's voice startled her and she almost choked on the pills. "Mon ange, don't take pills 'less Remy prescribes dem."
"Remy, I've been taking these pills since the day you bought them. Most of them end up in me anyway since I'm the only one that can stomache them..."
"I'll take some, Remy. My head's killing me since Angel decided to give me a concussion,"Russ growled then grimaced when the crack of his shoulder popping back into place came. His hand went up to rub the area for a moment while he gritted his teeth and fought against the pain.
"Angel, Russ, Remy t'ink y'need to take de training a little easier...it be a sad day when one of y'got to be buried with de X-men,"Remy stated, glowering at both like a father would. "Who Remy expect next, petite?"
"Tara and Corey. They just went in and Logan's in a pissy mood..."
"Kellie and Julius alright?" Russ slid from the table then switched places with Angel after she'd moved from the chair. He leaned his head back against the chair rest and closed his eyes, letting out a moan that could rival any cat.
Remy nodded. "Oui. Dey resting and de belle should waking in a few hours...what is dis, Angel?"
Angel tensed at the feel of his hand on her back and the tattoo there. She pushed herself away from the table and jumped down, wiping her face with a towel. It came away blood-stained and grimey; she pressed her face into the towel, almost screaming.
"Petite?"
She pulled the towel away and bandaged her own face, wrapping the bleeding part of her arm in a bandage. She hesitated then made sure Russ wasn't listening before she answered.
"It's just a tatoo, Remy. I've had it since I was...uh, thirteen."
Remy looked skeptical but left it alone. He replaced the medical supplies then gave Russ two pills and a glass of water.
He nodded thanks then tossed down both bills and the entire glass of water in one swallow. A shudder cough came from him but he waved them off, bending his head. The coughing continued for a moments then stopped.
"Take it easy, homme. Dis not de best for y'to get sick and die..."
Angel rolled her eyes and helped Russ up.
"Not helping, Remy,"she replied with a smile as they made their way out of the door. "If you need me I'm gonna be upstairs, writing my aunt, mmkay?"
"Oui, petite. Take de boy to his room first..."
Great, I get to play baby-sitter. Hell. He's older then I am by two years but I have to help HIM to his room? What's the deal with that?"
Russ' voice interrupted her tirade. "How are you so calm?"
They'd reached the stairs.
"What do you mean? I'm used to people being hurt in this world..."
"Not what I meant. You talk about writing your aunt as someone else would their parents...doesn't that fact that they're gone affect you at all?"he asked, leaning more heavily against her the further up they went.
She shrugged. "Can't miss what you've never known, Sabbath. I never knew or can't remember anyone else. There's nothing to effect me..."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Clicking keys and muffled curses streamed from the mostly closed bedroom door on the second level of the mansion. Mutters about computers today and the importance of being 'safe-guarded' followed.
Russ slammed his hand onto the keyboard as a loud beeping sound flowed from the volume. He hastily rolled it down on a muffled curse.
Something black and gray flashed onto the screen. Scrambled words and numbers glittered in the block; millions of boxes of text began popping up all over the screen then shutting down.
Come on, Annie. Justa little bit more... He typed in a few more words then smiled as a new message flashed.
ACCESS GRANTED: MUTANT FILES
A few keystrokes later and a second popped up along with two lists.
XAVIER'S INSTITUTE
LIVING DECEASED
Russ slid his cursor down the list of names, stopping on the first he recognized-Gambit. He clicked it then scrolled through the information; he skimmed several rather long paragraphs.
Several items stood out.
Known relatives: Jean-Luc LeBeau (father), Bella Donna Boudreaux (wife, separated)
Legal status: Citizen of the United States with no criminal record
Group affiliation: (current) X-Men, (former) Thieves Guild (New Orleans)
Place of Birth: New Orleans, Louisiana
A lengthy biography followed with the details of how he became a member of the X-men followed by something to do with Antartica and 'marriage'. The typical information saved to government files about his mutant powers followed; nothing new.
He scrolled to the next name he recognized. Rogue.
Known relatives: Mystique (unofficial foster mother), Nightcrawler (foster mother's son)
Legal status: Citizen of the United States with no criminal record
Group affiliation: (current) X-Men, (former) Brotherhood of Evil Mutants III
Place of birth: Caldecott County, Mississippi
Her bio was without the easy flowing way of Gambit's. It seemed choppy, skipping several years, then returning as if the author was unsure about the correct order; several mentions went back to Carol Danvers, Mystique, Brotherhood of Evil Mutants III.
"So the X-men deal is legit...what about the ones that are dead?"Russ wondered aloud, already in the process of closing that window to search for the next one.
Wolverine.
Known Relatives: John Howlett (father, deceased), Elizabeth Howlett (mother, presumed deceased) "The Old Man" (unnamed grandfather, presumed deceased) Windsong (wife, deceased)
No Legal Status.
Group Affiliation: (current) X-Men, (former) Clan Yashida, the Weapon X Program, Alpha Flight
Place of Birth: Unknown, presumably in Canada.
His biography was much too long to read every detail and remember it. Skimming proved mostly useless except for the fact that it allowed him to see a little into the past of the bad-tempered man; it wasn't much of a past that a person would want. His mutation was described somewhat in depth but not quite; it was choppy like Rogue's bio.
The biographys were helping but what about the others? There were millions of crosses and graves but it seemed as if some of them were more set off then others like the person had done some unforgiveable wrong. One thing had been cleared up, however. The brother on Nightcrawler's cross had been done by Rogue; obviously it wasn't a natural sibling set-up but what was natural about the mutant world?
Russ looked up, suddenly, glancing around the room as if in search of something. There'd been a breeze and the door was more open then it had been before; someone had entered, despite the empty room.
He slid his hand under the desk and withdrew the item he'd been hiding there for a month. It was another of Gage's devices.
This one was black with a brown skimming around it. A darker brown place glistened until he pressed his thumb over it, trading the small object in his hand for...emptiness. He opened his hand then returned to his keyboard, beginning to exit and lock the computer back down.
He stared at the screen, catching glimpses of names. Most were recognizable because of the markers they'd seen earlier; every name he could remember seemed to be within the files.
Gage's device deeped, obsessively, behind him. It had found the object of his disturbance. It hovered, waiting.
Russ stood and walked to the item, watching it slowly trail down a wall. It was following.
"Stop,"he commanded, raising his hand. The item lost it's glow then fell to the floor, heavily. "Why were you spying on me, Corey?"
It took a few moments before Corey appeared in the exact location of the item with a brief glance at the silent object. He leaned down, cautiously.
Russ settled into his chair. "Pick it up. It won't hurt you unless I tell it to...why were you spying?"
"I knew you'd disconnect the second I entered the room so I altered your mind to see nothing while I was here. I planned to leave and come back as myself after I did."
He stared at the item, now resting in his palm. He turned it several times and fixed his glasses over the bridge of his nose to see better; the item was alien to anyone that didn't know Gage. The only other people who knew about his inventions were Gage's older sister and Carolina but neither would tell anyone since both were dead or missing.
"The Mutant Registration Act was passed in 1981, wasn't it, Corey?"
He nodded. "I thought so. That's what the laws teach and so on...why?"
He stood and took the item, placing it under the desk again. Feelers on one side reached out and clung just out of site or feel of anyone sitting at the desk or within the room. His hesitance was with good reason.
"There's files here on the mutants, spanning the 60s and 70s. Why do you suppouse an old now-abandoned mansion have mutant records before the registration act? And why are all the mutants listed as deceased except Rogue and Logan?"
Russ waited for an answer.
Corey shrugged.
"Well, Einstein, maybe because....oh, I dunno, they are deceased?" Julius' voice drew both their attentions to the door. He leaned against it as casually as anyone else would except for the billowing black trenchcoat and boots on his feet. His expression plainly wasn't pleased especially with the bandage covering from just below his left eye and skimming almost to his lips; a bruise ringed the other eye.
"Thanks, by the way...how's that shiner Dust gave you coming?"Russ asked, delibertly using the girl's codename in a way that would add insult to injury.
Kellie had left her mark with Julius. One side of his face was in need of repair where the skin had flaked and turned to dust, lightly; the bruise darkened his angry expression. From what they'd seen Kellie didn't have much damage except for the numerous cuts covering her body along with several massive bruises.
Julius growled,"Don't mention her. What's this about deceased mutants?"
Corey started to speak but fell silent when Julius' gaze swung to him.
"Not you, Richie Rich. Einstein should explain..."
Russ lounged in the chair, shifting his weight. The chair creaked.
"Might as well get everyone in here. Angel, Tara, stop easedropping and bring Kellie..."
A few moments after both their heads appeared through the door they returned with Kellie in tow. The three settled onto one of the empty beds, leaving Julius to stand.
He noticed Angel made a point to ram her boot-encased foot into the back of Julius' leg when she passed. The girl definetly needed to stop provoking him before something serious happened between the two. He wasn't sure he'd stop it since they both provoked quite often but some part of him felt the need to play the peacemaker.
"What's this about deceased mutants and the registration started in 1981?"Tara asked after they'd settled on to one bed. She reclined back against the headboard as if the bed belonged to her. Kellie and Angel sat up stiffly on one side of her.
Russ sighed then began. "I looked into the files of the institute and came up with strange things. If the Mutant Registration Act strated in 1981 why did this Charles Xavier have files on his X-men and numerous others, spanning the 1960s and 70s?"
Mumbles met his answer but Angel was the one that spoke.
"It's not so strange. The military has records of mutants starting around the same time...there's even several mentions of the group called X-Men along with The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, whatever that is."
"How would you know this?"Kellie asked giving her an odd look.
Angel hesitated,"My uncle's a mercenary. He fights for the government and military of other countries. There's mentions of them...all of them and even a warrant for the arrest of several fugitive mutants in one of the prisons.."
Here she stared down.
"Who's the fugitives, Angel?" Russ watched her, waiting.
"Remy Lebeau...Jean Grey-Summers....Kurt Wagner..."
Several things happened at once after that. Something fell in the hallway with a crash-Julius' doing, two sounds almost like screams echoed down the hall, Kellie and Corey 'threw' themselves onto the floor, and red streamed down one of the walls.
Julius drew himself up from the floor where he'd fallen. His composure was barely there. "What the hell was that, Einstein? You know everything else..."
Russ shook his head. "We need to go downstairs and check it out. Rogue or Remy might be hurt..."
Tara stared at him. "It could be Logan."
"That's what worries me. He may have snapped...."
"Logan wouldn't snap, Sabbath...."
"Do you know that for sure? Kanteon, Corey, take the first level, left wing. Angel, Kellie, stay on the second level and find the disturbance. Tara, come with me to the first level, right wing.."
No one moved.
"NOW." The command came from Julius this time.
The others moved off to their designated areas. Russ waited on Tara then closed the door, slipping a locking device onto it; he didn't want Gage's gadgets to be found in his room if someone was searching the mansion. Footsteps creaked for a moment then he realized it was simply Tara's shoes.
"What are we even looking for?"Tara questioned while they made their way downstairs.
"Truth? I don't know..."