Chapter Twelve- The Beginning of the End

AUTHOR'S NOTE : No, this isn't the last chapter. Heh. Although it might be if some of you don't get your arses reviewing. #shakes fist# OOOH! Never mind. devilish grin I see that my bad, bad, sucky computer hasn't been informing me correctly. Thank you kindly for your many reviews!!
Shoutouts:

Angelfish: You've been rather busy reviewing lately, no? I LOVE REVIEWS!!!! many hugs I'm updating as fast as my computer will let me!! Aww. .. you're too kind!

Sunedance: heh...whaddya want? Toad's a villain. #Smirk# as always, your reviews are bringing happy-full-ness to my heart! Yay happyfullness!

Chelsea: You're too kind!

I loves you all! Now- on to the show!

"So who's left?" asked Arana, looking at the fallen forms of Wolverine, Storm, and Rogue.

"No one except Xavier. And we're under orders not to harm him." He said, anchoring himself to the ceiling. He remembered Rain, and was suddenly struck with the idea that he didn't know how many of Jaye's recruits were actually IN the mansion.

"It was Johnny, you and me back in the trees, right?" he asked.

"Yes. Rain, Jaye, Ignis and Necis went ahead. The rest are at home, welding their bottoms in to the couch." She said, a grin worthy of Miss Strain herself spreading over her lips.

"I see. Shouldn't we regroup?" he asked.

"Excellent idea." She said. "Because this mission was to just scope the area- I wouldn't expect anyone to be in the underground portion. Let's check upstairs, shall we?" Toad nodded, although he had no idea what the silver haired girl was talking about. He followed her up the stairs, this time on foot- where they saw Jaye. "Do you have the rest of them down stairs?" Mortimer nodded curtly. "Good. Then let's join up and blow this Popsicle stand."

Kurt Wagner looked down the hallways warily. He hadn't run in to anyone yet- and that made the silence of the mansion even more eerie. He reached the front hall, and looked at the group of stunned X-men in shock. He then saw six people waltzing down the stairs, one of them apparently talking in to thin air. The air answered back. He pressed himself in to the shadows, and tried to listen in on their conversation.

"There is no use in bothering Xavier. We've already trashed his house and his lackeys- let's just let him back away and lick his wounds, eh?" came a light female voice. He 'bamfed' in front of them, crossing his arms over his chest. "Vat are you doing here?"

"Oh right. Forgot about him." A sneering English tone took the stage- one that Nightcrawler could never forget. A black blur dropped from the ceiling behind him, and immediately attacked with several subtle-but deadly- judo moves to his back. Unfortunately- Mortimer was now attacking a blue cloud of brimstone instead of a blue faced mutant.

Nightcrawler soon didn't have anyone standing, except for Mortimer and Jay- and the unknown presence of Rain. His teleportation ability made it very hard for even the best of fighters to keep a track on him; and this worried Jaye. The teleport had even gotten a few hits in on her; something that hadn't happened since the beginning of her training- thirteen years ago.

She couldn't bring herself to say it- but they were at a loss. Not even Umbra in her nearly invisible state could sneak up on the demon-like mutant, his ears were especially fine tuned. The cat mutant regrettably kneeled down, head bowed. "We surrender." She said. Kurt blinked for a moment, not sure what to do.

A few moments later, Jaye Strain was sitting rigidly in Xavier's office, her followers by her side.

"What were you doing here tonight, Jaye?" he asked, somewhat troubled. He was just glad that she had surrendered before she had panicked. Obviously she had learned her limit- which was a wise thing to do in her position.

"Why Xavier... It has been almost ten years and not even a 'how-do-you-do?'"

"Why did you come here Jaye?" he stressed. The cat tapped her left temple.

"Must you ask, Charles? Why don't you look and see?" indeed, she did feel a slight push in the back of his conciousness. "You've taken the liberty with my newest acolyte Toad quite a few times without asking, have you not? What's to stop you- a mere protest?" She let a small smile creep up. The pushing stopped, and Charles looked at her, sullen for a moment.

"You know I would never use my power only if I absolutely needed to." He said sternly.

"Really, Professor? She said. "Have you found your answer?" she asked coyly.

"Yes." He said. "I do not approve of spying, but I do understand you didn't have any incentive to harm anyone."

Jaye gave Charles a sardonic grin. "It's been nice having this little talk, but now we have to go." she reached in to her coat pocket and retrieved a smoke bomb- and it burst on contact with the air, giving all a chance to flee.