The Uncanny R-Man: Yeah I know I thought that Indiana fear would be
good for his character. Actually Paige wasn't freaked out in the comics
so I'd figured why not. It was deleted? That sucks. I'll consider the
name thanks.
DemonRogue13: New order? I thought she was in the last issue, and I do mean LAST. I thought that series was cancelled.
Fire inu: Nice name, and as for Paige well I can't take credit for that since that's her powers in the comics.
Supergirlhv: You're the 2nd person to make the Indiana Jones reference, I guess after those movies everyone associates fears of snakes with that. I agree X23 may be good for a code name, but I got to think of something to call that girl.
NctrnlBst: Whoa that is weird. Since I'll be bringing in Deathstrike in a latter fic that would be a little confusing if I used her name also. A comic mini-series! Damn I doubt I'll get it, or see it in time to give her the correct name so I'll just have to do the best I could. And I thought of that myself personally I go with Vogue.
Red Witch: Thanks for that info (Yeah that is weird) but I'm not too sure about that name for X23, it doesn't seen right for her.
Ruby: Hey yeah Rose is a great idea, I've forgotten about her. Oh so just so you know I'm a guy.
FAMILY AFFAIRS
CHAPTER 14: O BROTHER WHERE ART THOU
Alex was sitting in his room once again. He was thinking of what to do with his life now that his secret was out. It wouldn't be long until the entire town knew about him, if they didn't know already. Then his parents would also know.
There came a knock on the door. "Alex can we talk to you?" Came the worried voice of his adopted mother. Alex opened the door and went to his bed to lay on. Both of them walked in, obviously they were worried about him.
"Alex what's going on with you lately?" His mother asked.
"Come on son you can tell us, lately you've been so withdrawn and you spend a lot of your time in your room. What is it?" His father asked sitting down on the edge of his bed. Alex sighed to himself.
'I guess I should tell them, it would come out eventually.' Alex glumly thought to himself. He told them of the events of the past few days, in every detail. At the end of it his mother was stoking his head and his father had this expression he couldn't quite read.
"Oh Alex...I'm so sorry about all of this." His mother said. "I knew we wouldn't be able to hid this forever...but I just wanted you to have a normal life or at least a chance at it."
"So what are you going to do now son?" His father asked him. Alex looked at him and shook his head.
"I have no idea...I...I think I just need to get some air and think about things." He said and got up and rushed out the door before either parent could stoop him.
His mother turned to her husband. "What do we do know?"
"I just don't know." He said sadly. "But I think we might need to consider what we discussed about him and his brother." He could see the reaction she had, she didn't like it, but she would hear him out.
ON THE BEACH
Alex was just walking on the sands in an isolated part of the island. He wanted to be along and this was one of the few places he could think of going and not be bothered. What was he going to do?
He wasn't sure, he thought maybe this would be the perfect time for him to go and live at the Institute with Scott. At least there he would be with his brother and would have friends that wouldn't judge him for being a mutant for the obvious reasons.
But on the other hand this placed had been his home for years, and he loved his adopted parents like they were his real ones. He didn't want to leave them behind either. So he continued to walk down the small beach lost in his thoughts.
"Troubled Alex Summer? Well trust me you got a bigger dilemma right now." Came a weird almost electronic voice. He spun around and out of the jungle came out a pale looking man in dark armor and red eyes.
"Who are you?" Alex demanded and going into a defensive stance.
He grinned a not too pleasant grin and showed a row of sharp teeth. "The name is Sinister, and you're live has just changed." Then several other figures stepped out of the jungle and Alex was beginning to sweat and not because of the heat.
'This is bad, this is really bad.' He thought to himself 'I could really use Scott and the others right about now.'
XAVIER INSTITUTE
Xavier had just finished a meeting he called and gathered everyone to tell them what he had learned from Dr. Strange. Sam was walking with Tabitha in the halls when Bobby came running up to him. "Hey Sam you got a call from you're mom, she sounded like there's something going on with you're sister."
Sam was afraid something bad had happened and ran to the nearest phone to talk to her. Tabitha was next to him hoping for good news. "Mama, what's wrong, and which sister is it, Bobby didn't say." He asked frantically.
"Sam calm down, you see last night Paige...changed."
"What do you mean she changed?" Sam asked confused by her meaning.
"You see I think she's a mutant, she's been pulling off her skin lately."
Sam was quiet for a moment. "She's been pulling of her WHAT?" Tabitha next to him winched when he raised his voice and wasn't sure she wanted to know what was going on after that last sentence.
After a very lengthy discussion with his mother, who thought it best to send Paige with him with all the anti-mutant sentiment in their area, she thought it wouldn't be safe for her. Everyone knew about Sam and if word got out about Paige she was scared what might happened.
When Sam asked how she felt about it, her mother had to confess that Paige seemed to love the idea, in fact she hadn't stopped talking about it all morning. Sam told her he would talk to the Professor about all of this and would call back with what he had to say.
OUTSIDE
Kurt and Amanda were walking through the forest in the back of the mansion for a little time to themselves.
They weren't sure of what to think at first after the meeting they had, but it did explain why Jillian took Forge's device and all. They were all a little socked to find out someone was sentenced to the dimension Kurt accesses.
Currently Kurt and Amanda were just walking, Kurt however seemed strangely quiet. Amanda was beginning to worry about him. "Kurt?" She asked but he didn't seem to notice. "Kurt!" She said more forcefully and nudged him in the ribs.
"Huh?" He asked looking at her.
"Kurt what's wrong?" She asked concerned for him.
Kurt sighed. He wasn't sure how to tell her because he wasn't sure himself. "I don't know Liebe. I mean, zat first trip to zat place was horrible, and to zink zat someone vas zere the entire time is a little creepy."
"There's more isn't there?" She asked him gently holding his arm.
Kurt nodded. "Ja, for the longest time I thought I vas unique zat zere vas no one else like me in the world. But know there's a whole group out zere, and I vonder if I vas found by zem would I be like Jillian? Completely loyal to someone who at times claimed to be the Devil?"
Amanda knew of Kurt's strong faith in his religion and he knew that possibility scared him a little. "Kurt you're a good person I know that, and you should know better."
"Why don't we test that out." A familiar female voice called out. They looked up in time to see Jillian leap from an branch overhead and drop kicked Amanda in the chest knocking her down on the ground. "I owed you that one, Amanda."
"Vhat are you doing here?" Kurt angrily asked, standing in front of Amanda.
"Just visiting." Came a new voice, Kurt turned to his left and saw a man who looked like the Devil himself, only in an Italian suit step out of the bushes. "Don't worry I won't hurt her, and neither will Jillian. Right?"
Jillian's lips curled in a snarled. "Yes." She said clearly not liking it, and was glaring at Amanda still on the ground.
The man moved calmly to Kurt. "I am Azazel, and I need to talk to you Kurt. It involves you and several questions you have and that I do as well."
"Vhat are you talking about?" Kurt demanded of him.
He smiled as he took a few steps closer his hands behind his back. "There are certain family affairs that have come to my attention and I must see to them, but that would take to long to explain here, since I doubt your friends would like me here." Then paused as an idea hit him. "So why don't we change venues."
Jillian had moved to his side and Azazel took her hand and quickly grabbed Kurt and all three disappeared in smoke. "KURT!" Amanda screamed for him and reached out.
In the hanger of the mansion something else was going on. Ororo was getting the Velocity ready and Sam, Tabitha and Jamie were nearby with the Professor.
"So Sam do you really think it's wise to take you're sister already? Wouldn't see want to say goodbye to her friends or something?" Xavier asked him. After his own call to Sam's parents they had wanted them to get Paige as fast as they could, so she would be safe.
Sam scratched the back of his head. "Well she's always been headstrong, and I think most of her old friends dumped her after she stood up for mutants once at school."
The Professor sighed and nodded his head. It was becoming an old story about the reactions some people had to mutants and to those that supported or defended them. "Very well then, but I know why Tabitha is going for obvious reasons, but why did you insist on Jamie?"
"Yeah why is that?" Jamie asked the tall boy.
"Actually it was my idea." Tabitha said. "First off we could use the extra help loading anything she needs from her room, and Jamie is perfect for that with his multiples, and also since Paige is about Jamie's age I thought it would be nice for Jamie to meet someone his own age."
"You mean I finally won't be the youngest?" Jamie asked hopefully.
"Yeah you got it J-man." Tabitha said to him. "Besides she might like to know that she will have someone her own age too."
Xavier smiled. "Very thoughtful Tabitha." He said but he guessed it was also because he could sense her nervousness about it all and wanted some support, since she was meeting her boyfriend's parents for the first time.
By then Ororo had finished all the pre-flight checks and told them it was time to get aboard. They made their way to it and Xavier wheeled himself to the elevator and rode it up as they left the grounds.
He was going to the study when he felt Amanda's mind call out for help. Something had gone wrong on the grounds. (Amanda I'm here I hear you. What has happened?) He sent to her.
(Professor they took him. They took Kurt.) She said frightened and terribly worried by what had happened
(Who, Amanda? Charles calmly sent back to the girl.
(It was Jillian and...Azazel.) At the mention of his name Charles got a chill wash over him. He knew that they would need to find Kurt and fast...and maybe they would need the services of a certain doctor soon as well.
Then he wondered how Rogue would react to finding out her brother was missing. He didn't want to think about it, it would happen soon enough and he knew exactly what she would do.
He just hoped that with her newfound strength she wouldn't damage too much of the mansion.
ACOLYTE BASE IN NY AREA
X23 Slowly opened her eyes, she found herself staring at the ceiling of a pale room, her first thought was that she was back in Hydra and she bolted up quickly and felt a hand on her arm. She snarled and grabbed the wrist and pulled the person close, with her other hand she popped out her claws and held them an inch from the face of the person.
She saw it was a blond girl of about fifteen years old. "Please don't hurt me, I'm a prisoner here just like you." The girl begged. X23 slowly let go.
The girl rubbed her wrist and took a step back. X23 looked around the place. She could see a screen behind some kind of clear material, she also saw a crate to an air vent in the ceiling but it was in the center of the room and was way to high for her to get to.
She saw a door and marked towards it with her claws out. "Wait! Don't the door and walls are-"But X23 didn't listen to the warning and as soon as she hit the door she was thrown back into the opposite end of the room. "Protected by something." She finished.
She walked over to her and extended her hand. X23 looked at her trying to figure out if she could be trusted or not, but decided to just get up herself. The girl seemed a little disappointed. "Well you two are the first people I've met in...I don't know how long it's been. I'm Illyana by the way."
X23 stopped. "Two? Who's the other?" She asked. Illyana pointed to a cot near the corner and there was a blond boy with tanned skin sleeping there. "He was brought in a little after you were. He hasn't woken up yet though."
X23 went to him and looked at him, then she noticed something. It was his sent it was somehow familiar but couldn't place it.
"So...what's your name, since we are going to be stuck in here for awhile, or should I just call you hey-you?" Illyana asked.
X23 glared at the girl. "X23." Was all she said to her, Illyana just raised an eyebrow and had a slightly confused look on her face. X23 didn't care and just went to sit on one of the spare beds and tried to think of a way out of here.
Illyana stared at the other girl and sighed. "Great, first person in who knows how long and she isn't much of a conversationalist." She looked over at the sleeping form of Alex. "I just hope you're not a mute or anything or this is going to be one boring time."
She sighed. She really wish her brother was there and that he would take her out of this awful place.
...meanwhile outside the cell in the main room of the base...
The Acolytes minus Colossus and Sabertooth were gathered and waiting for the next part of their plans. Although Mystique was still MIA and Mesmero was on assignment everyone was a little bored.
There were already a few fights, mostly caused by Legion and Psi-co trying to start something with Juggernaut and Omega Red. Apparently there was a whole argument over which was better brains over brawn discussion that caused it.
Magneto had to step in and both sides dropped it, since that was safer then getting on Magneto's bad side. Magneto however was still pondering the loss of Mystique and who would be responsible, when Sinister came into the room with the grin of his that said he had good news.
"What have you got?" He asked him not one for small talk.
"Well I just got in a report from our own Cerebro." He said seemingly pleased with the results. "I left it on a passive scan and we got lucky, it picked up a young mutant who apparently just manifested."
"Interesting, we might have enough time to get one more mutant for our cause before you and the others can 'convince' the other two to join us. Where is the new mutant located?"
Sinister looked on a readout he had with him. "Cumberland, Kentucky."
NEXT UP CHAPTER 15: FROM BAD TO WORSE
Well the title pretty much says it all, and for those that forgot, Cumberland is where Paige is. Too bad I couldn't get a 'Dun-Dun-Dun' to play at the last line.
DemonRogue13: New order? I thought she was in the last issue, and I do mean LAST. I thought that series was cancelled.
Fire inu: Nice name, and as for Paige well I can't take credit for that since that's her powers in the comics.
Supergirlhv: You're the 2nd person to make the Indiana Jones reference, I guess after those movies everyone associates fears of snakes with that. I agree X23 may be good for a code name, but I got to think of something to call that girl.
NctrnlBst: Whoa that is weird. Since I'll be bringing in Deathstrike in a latter fic that would be a little confusing if I used her name also. A comic mini-series! Damn I doubt I'll get it, or see it in time to give her the correct name so I'll just have to do the best I could. And I thought of that myself personally I go with Vogue.
Red Witch: Thanks for that info (Yeah that is weird) but I'm not too sure about that name for X23, it doesn't seen right for her.
Ruby: Hey yeah Rose is a great idea, I've forgotten about her. Oh so just so you know I'm a guy.
FAMILY AFFAIRS
CHAPTER 14: O BROTHER WHERE ART THOU
Alex was sitting in his room once again. He was thinking of what to do with his life now that his secret was out. It wouldn't be long until the entire town knew about him, if they didn't know already. Then his parents would also know.
There came a knock on the door. "Alex can we talk to you?" Came the worried voice of his adopted mother. Alex opened the door and went to his bed to lay on. Both of them walked in, obviously they were worried about him.
"Alex what's going on with you lately?" His mother asked.
"Come on son you can tell us, lately you've been so withdrawn and you spend a lot of your time in your room. What is it?" His father asked sitting down on the edge of his bed. Alex sighed to himself.
'I guess I should tell them, it would come out eventually.' Alex glumly thought to himself. He told them of the events of the past few days, in every detail. At the end of it his mother was stoking his head and his father had this expression he couldn't quite read.
"Oh Alex...I'm so sorry about all of this." His mother said. "I knew we wouldn't be able to hid this forever...but I just wanted you to have a normal life or at least a chance at it."
"So what are you going to do now son?" His father asked him. Alex looked at him and shook his head.
"I have no idea...I...I think I just need to get some air and think about things." He said and got up and rushed out the door before either parent could stoop him.
His mother turned to her husband. "What do we do know?"
"I just don't know." He said sadly. "But I think we might need to consider what we discussed about him and his brother." He could see the reaction she had, she didn't like it, but she would hear him out.
ON THE BEACH
Alex was just walking on the sands in an isolated part of the island. He wanted to be along and this was one of the few places he could think of going and not be bothered. What was he going to do?
He wasn't sure, he thought maybe this would be the perfect time for him to go and live at the Institute with Scott. At least there he would be with his brother and would have friends that wouldn't judge him for being a mutant for the obvious reasons.
But on the other hand this placed had been his home for years, and he loved his adopted parents like they were his real ones. He didn't want to leave them behind either. So he continued to walk down the small beach lost in his thoughts.
"Troubled Alex Summer? Well trust me you got a bigger dilemma right now." Came a weird almost electronic voice. He spun around and out of the jungle came out a pale looking man in dark armor and red eyes.
"Who are you?" Alex demanded and going into a defensive stance.
He grinned a not too pleasant grin and showed a row of sharp teeth. "The name is Sinister, and you're live has just changed." Then several other figures stepped out of the jungle and Alex was beginning to sweat and not because of the heat.
'This is bad, this is really bad.' He thought to himself 'I could really use Scott and the others right about now.'
XAVIER INSTITUTE
Xavier had just finished a meeting he called and gathered everyone to tell them what he had learned from Dr. Strange. Sam was walking with Tabitha in the halls when Bobby came running up to him. "Hey Sam you got a call from you're mom, she sounded like there's something going on with you're sister."
Sam was afraid something bad had happened and ran to the nearest phone to talk to her. Tabitha was next to him hoping for good news. "Mama, what's wrong, and which sister is it, Bobby didn't say." He asked frantically.
"Sam calm down, you see last night Paige...changed."
"What do you mean she changed?" Sam asked confused by her meaning.
"You see I think she's a mutant, she's been pulling off her skin lately."
Sam was quiet for a moment. "She's been pulling of her WHAT?" Tabitha next to him winched when he raised his voice and wasn't sure she wanted to know what was going on after that last sentence.
After a very lengthy discussion with his mother, who thought it best to send Paige with him with all the anti-mutant sentiment in their area, she thought it wouldn't be safe for her. Everyone knew about Sam and if word got out about Paige she was scared what might happened.
When Sam asked how she felt about it, her mother had to confess that Paige seemed to love the idea, in fact she hadn't stopped talking about it all morning. Sam told her he would talk to the Professor about all of this and would call back with what he had to say.
OUTSIDE
Kurt and Amanda were walking through the forest in the back of the mansion for a little time to themselves.
They weren't sure of what to think at first after the meeting they had, but it did explain why Jillian took Forge's device and all. They were all a little socked to find out someone was sentenced to the dimension Kurt accesses.
Currently Kurt and Amanda were just walking, Kurt however seemed strangely quiet. Amanda was beginning to worry about him. "Kurt?" She asked but he didn't seem to notice. "Kurt!" She said more forcefully and nudged him in the ribs.
"Huh?" He asked looking at her.
"Kurt what's wrong?" She asked concerned for him.
Kurt sighed. He wasn't sure how to tell her because he wasn't sure himself. "I don't know Liebe. I mean, zat first trip to zat place was horrible, and to zink zat someone vas zere the entire time is a little creepy."
"There's more isn't there?" She asked him gently holding his arm.
Kurt nodded. "Ja, for the longest time I thought I vas unique zat zere vas no one else like me in the world. But know there's a whole group out zere, and I vonder if I vas found by zem would I be like Jillian? Completely loyal to someone who at times claimed to be the Devil?"
Amanda knew of Kurt's strong faith in his religion and he knew that possibility scared him a little. "Kurt you're a good person I know that, and you should know better."
"Why don't we test that out." A familiar female voice called out. They looked up in time to see Jillian leap from an branch overhead and drop kicked Amanda in the chest knocking her down on the ground. "I owed you that one, Amanda."
"Vhat are you doing here?" Kurt angrily asked, standing in front of Amanda.
"Just visiting." Came a new voice, Kurt turned to his left and saw a man who looked like the Devil himself, only in an Italian suit step out of the bushes. "Don't worry I won't hurt her, and neither will Jillian. Right?"
Jillian's lips curled in a snarled. "Yes." She said clearly not liking it, and was glaring at Amanda still on the ground.
The man moved calmly to Kurt. "I am Azazel, and I need to talk to you Kurt. It involves you and several questions you have and that I do as well."
"Vhat are you talking about?" Kurt demanded of him.
He smiled as he took a few steps closer his hands behind his back. "There are certain family affairs that have come to my attention and I must see to them, but that would take to long to explain here, since I doubt your friends would like me here." Then paused as an idea hit him. "So why don't we change venues."
Jillian had moved to his side and Azazel took her hand and quickly grabbed Kurt and all three disappeared in smoke. "KURT!" Amanda screamed for him and reached out.
In the hanger of the mansion something else was going on. Ororo was getting the Velocity ready and Sam, Tabitha and Jamie were nearby with the Professor.
"So Sam do you really think it's wise to take you're sister already? Wouldn't see want to say goodbye to her friends or something?" Xavier asked him. After his own call to Sam's parents they had wanted them to get Paige as fast as they could, so she would be safe.
Sam scratched the back of his head. "Well she's always been headstrong, and I think most of her old friends dumped her after she stood up for mutants once at school."
The Professor sighed and nodded his head. It was becoming an old story about the reactions some people had to mutants and to those that supported or defended them. "Very well then, but I know why Tabitha is going for obvious reasons, but why did you insist on Jamie?"
"Yeah why is that?" Jamie asked the tall boy.
"Actually it was my idea." Tabitha said. "First off we could use the extra help loading anything she needs from her room, and Jamie is perfect for that with his multiples, and also since Paige is about Jamie's age I thought it would be nice for Jamie to meet someone his own age."
"You mean I finally won't be the youngest?" Jamie asked hopefully.
"Yeah you got it J-man." Tabitha said to him. "Besides she might like to know that she will have someone her own age too."
Xavier smiled. "Very thoughtful Tabitha." He said but he guessed it was also because he could sense her nervousness about it all and wanted some support, since she was meeting her boyfriend's parents for the first time.
By then Ororo had finished all the pre-flight checks and told them it was time to get aboard. They made their way to it and Xavier wheeled himself to the elevator and rode it up as they left the grounds.
He was going to the study when he felt Amanda's mind call out for help. Something had gone wrong on the grounds. (Amanda I'm here I hear you. What has happened?) He sent to her.
(Professor they took him. They took Kurt.) She said frightened and terribly worried by what had happened
(Who, Amanda? Charles calmly sent back to the girl.
(It was Jillian and...Azazel.) At the mention of his name Charles got a chill wash over him. He knew that they would need to find Kurt and fast...and maybe they would need the services of a certain doctor soon as well.
Then he wondered how Rogue would react to finding out her brother was missing. He didn't want to think about it, it would happen soon enough and he knew exactly what she would do.
He just hoped that with her newfound strength she wouldn't damage too much of the mansion.
ACOLYTE BASE IN NY AREA
X23 Slowly opened her eyes, she found herself staring at the ceiling of a pale room, her first thought was that she was back in Hydra and she bolted up quickly and felt a hand on her arm. She snarled and grabbed the wrist and pulled the person close, with her other hand she popped out her claws and held them an inch from the face of the person.
She saw it was a blond girl of about fifteen years old. "Please don't hurt me, I'm a prisoner here just like you." The girl begged. X23 slowly let go.
The girl rubbed her wrist and took a step back. X23 looked around the place. She could see a screen behind some kind of clear material, she also saw a crate to an air vent in the ceiling but it was in the center of the room and was way to high for her to get to.
She saw a door and marked towards it with her claws out. "Wait! Don't the door and walls are-"But X23 didn't listen to the warning and as soon as she hit the door she was thrown back into the opposite end of the room. "Protected by something." She finished.
She walked over to her and extended her hand. X23 looked at her trying to figure out if she could be trusted or not, but decided to just get up herself. The girl seemed a little disappointed. "Well you two are the first people I've met in...I don't know how long it's been. I'm Illyana by the way."
X23 stopped. "Two? Who's the other?" She asked. Illyana pointed to a cot near the corner and there was a blond boy with tanned skin sleeping there. "He was brought in a little after you were. He hasn't woken up yet though."
X23 went to him and looked at him, then she noticed something. It was his sent it was somehow familiar but couldn't place it.
"So...what's your name, since we are going to be stuck in here for awhile, or should I just call you hey-you?" Illyana asked.
X23 glared at the girl. "X23." Was all she said to her, Illyana just raised an eyebrow and had a slightly confused look on her face. X23 didn't care and just went to sit on one of the spare beds and tried to think of a way out of here.
Illyana stared at the other girl and sighed. "Great, first person in who knows how long and she isn't much of a conversationalist." She looked over at the sleeping form of Alex. "I just hope you're not a mute or anything or this is going to be one boring time."
She sighed. She really wish her brother was there and that he would take her out of this awful place.
...meanwhile outside the cell in the main room of the base...
The Acolytes minus Colossus and Sabertooth were gathered and waiting for the next part of their plans. Although Mystique was still MIA and Mesmero was on assignment everyone was a little bored.
There were already a few fights, mostly caused by Legion and Psi-co trying to start something with Juggernaut and Omega Red. Apparently there was a whole argument over which was better brains over brawn discussion that caused it.
Magneto had to step in and both sides dropped it, since that was safer then getting on Magneto's bad side. Magneto however was still pondering the loss of Mystique and who would be responsible, when Sinister came into the room with the grin of his that said he had good news.
"What have you got?" He asked him not one for small talk.
"Well I just got in a report from our own Cerebro." He said seemingly pleased with the results. "I left it on a passive scan and we got lucky, it picked up a young mutant who apparently just manifested."
"Interesting, we might have enough time to get one more mutant for our cause before you and the others can 'convince' the other two to join us. Where is the new mutant located?"
Sinister looked on a readout he had with him. "Cumberland, Kentucky."
NEXT UP CHAPTER 15: FROM BAD TO WORSE
Well the title pretty much says it all, and for those that forgot, Cumberland is where Paige is. Too bad I couldn't get a 'Dun-Dun-Dun' to play at the last line.