Disclaimer - I do not own X-Men: Evolution or X-Men is any way, shape or form. They belong to their respected owners. I will not make any money from this story.
A/N - Thanks for your patience. I had writer's block for a while there. Hope you enjoy. ~Denotes telepathic thought...
When the Heart Bleeds
Chapter Two
Kurt Wagner listened as the Priest spoke of love for God and for fellow men and he was troubled by the Priest's words. At this time when mutants were feared and hated Kurt was troubled by a lot - especially Kitty's disappearance. He sat in the back of the church, away from others in case his secret was revealed.
With Kitty being missing and mutant hysteria at an all time high everyone at the Institute was on high alert. The Professor had called Jean and Scott back from college, which showed how worried he was about the present situation.
Rogue was also at the Institute but she was there to recover - even now, nine months since Kitty's disappearance. She was still troubled by what she had seen and what had happened to her. She hadn't talked about it much either, which was another worry that Kurt had to add to his ever-growing pile.
Kurt didn't know what to make of everything so he had ended up at the Church where he was currently sitting in to try and collect his thoughts. He was so deep in thought that he didn't realise that everyone was leaving.
"Are you okay, my son?" he heard a gentle voice ask.
Startled by the sudden interruption he jumped out of his seat.
"I'm sorry, father. You startled me" Kurt apologised when he realised what had happened.
"That's quite all right. You are new here, am I correct?"
"Ja, Father. I needed a place to think and reflect" Kurt replied honestly.
"You seem deeply troubled for one so young."
Kurt was surprised by how insightful the young Priest seemed to be. He seemed to see things that most people overlooked.
"My friend - she has been kidnapped. We have been searching for her but we have yet to find any trace."
"Have faith, my son," the Priest said sagely," I must go now but you are welcome here any time."
Kurt thanked the man and walked out into the warm autumn air. The day was golden and bright making the walk back to the Institute comfortable. He found himself praying that there would be some news of Kitty's abductors when he arrived back at the Institute.
He teleported from the gate to the kitchen, startling some of the newer students by his sudden appearance. Most were used to him appearing everywhere but some still jumped.
"Kurt, sir. The Professor wants to see you" one of the younger and braver students told him.
"Thank-you, Paige" he said, recognising Sam Guthrie's younger sister.
Kurt quickly ported tot he Professor's study where he startled Scott but not the Professor.
"Ah, Kurt, I am glad that you received my message" the Professor said.
"You have some news?" he asked hopefully.
"I would like you, Scott, Bobby and Amara to go to Northbrook. Someone claims to have some information about Kitty. Jean, Rogue and Jamie are already there."
Kurt felt as if his prayers had been answered and before anybody could say anything Kurt had teleported to the hanger where he was ready and waiting when the others arrived.
"Come on, slowpokes" he grinned.
He noticed that everyone else seemed to be in higher spirits as well. This was the best piece of news that they had had in nine months.
"Calm down, Kurt" Scott warned and Kurt wanted to poke his tongue out at him. Scott always had to be the voice of reason.
"Hey man, cut him some slack - we're all excited" Bobby said, passing a grin to Kurt.
They piled into the Blackbird and buckled in.
"Everyone ready?"
Kurt nodded and heard the other two answer.
"Let's go" Kurt said, impatiently.
~*~
Jean sat on a rather uncomfortable sofa that belonged to the person who claimed to have seen Kitty. She was excited by the possibility but also very worried. Rogue sat to her left and Jamie was waiting for Scott and the others to arrive. In an armchair directly in front of her sat a large woman with a pug nose and rather small eyes.
"Ma'am, is this the girl you saw at the airport?" Jean asked, holding up a picture of Kitty. While at the same time she probed the woman's mind.
"That's her. She was standing by the phones when a tall man came up behind her and tapped the poor girl on her shoulder. The next thing I knew it looked like the girl had passed out in the man's arms."
"Did anything else happen, that you remember?" Jean inquired.
"Come to think of it, the man carried the girl out to a black van. I didn't see a license plate. It was rather strange" the lady said.
Jean probed her mind again, trying to extract anymore information from the lady's memory. So far everything the lady had said had been true but Jean was still feeling worried. Something about the lady seemed wrong.
~Rogue, will you 'tap' her please? ~ Jean asked the girl telepathically.
Jean watched as Rogue rose and walked over to the lady.
"Thanks for your help, ma'am" Rogue said in her southern drawl while holding out her hand to shake.
Jean watched as the lady took the hand offered and saw her eyes roll back into her head as she slumped into unconsciousness.
"Shall we go?" Jean asked as she saw Rogue shudder from the sudden influx of memories.
"Wait just a minute. Something ain't right."
Jean frowned and started to pace - she was starting to get a bad feeling, which intensified as she saw Jamie appear at every window in sight. His face worried as he shouted a warning.
"Someone sent a decoy" Rogue said, her voice sounding like the, now unconscious, lady.
"It's a trap!" Jean exclaimed in surprise as the door exploded.
Raising a hand Jean stopped any of the debris from hitting either her or Rogue.
"They have Kitty and they want us" Jean told Rogue as their intentions flooded her mind.
Rogue stood in a defensive stance as Jean began to throw various objects at the people trying to get in. Rogue took out all those who made in through.
"Where's Jamie?" Rogue yelled.
Jean searched with her mind to locate Multiple.
"Outside - holding his own against five people" Jean said through clenched teeth.
The men were dressed in black and they had weapons. She saw one man take aim at Rogue - whose back was turned as she dealt with another attacker.
"Rogue Duck" Jean screamed and threw up her hand making a telekinetic shield form around the gun.
"We have a problem" Jean heard Rogue mutter.
Jean couldn't respond, as she was busy concentrating on so many things at one. She didn't notice an armed man take aim at her. She did, however, feel a sharp pain in her neck as something hit her. Losing concentration she fell to the ground and gingerly reached a hand up to her neck. She pulled away what looked like a small tranquilliser dart.
Her eyes were getting heavy and she tried to force them open. She heard Rogue scream obscenities at their attackers then she thought she saw a bright red flash.
"Scott" she mumbled before losing consciousness.
~*~
Bobby was already in his ice form as they landed the X-Jet. He noted that Amara was in her flame form and that Kurt was up and moving. They had arrived in time to see Multiple fighting five people at once while several of his forms lay on the ground apparently unconscious.
"Let's go" he yelled the minute the door opened and was sliding down a slide of ice towards the melee. He smelled brimstone and saw Kurt appear and disappear rapidly, taking out various fighters with a single punch or a flick of his tail.
Bobby encased some of the attacker's feet in ice and saw bright red flashes and realised that Scott was making his way to the house.
"Magma, on your right!" Bobby shouted out a warning when he saw someone pointing a gun at her.
"Got it" Magma gave him thumbs up as she melted the gun.
Bobby felt something hit his arm and saw a small metal thing sticking out of the ice that covered his body.
"Hey that's not fair" he exclaimed before encasing the guy's feet in ice.
Before long everyone outside was either unconscious or immobile.
"All right" Bobby said giving Kurt and Amara high five's.
~*~
Scott rushed into the house and saw Jean unconscious on the floor with a small trickle of blood on her neck. Across the room he heard Rogue fighting but he saw that she was tiring. He quickly blasted those who were still standing before rushing to Jean's side.
"Are you okay?" he asked Rogue while checking on Jean.
"Nothing some ice won't fix" he drawled but he heard the tiredness in her voice.
"What happened?" he asked as he lifted Jean light form.
"Decoy - trap. The lady was the decoy and the house was the trap" Rogue mumbled.
Scott walked towards the door when Kurt suddenly appeared.
"Kurt, can you 'port Rogue into the jet? We have to get out of here before reinforcement comes" Scott asked as he carried Jean.
To Be Continued...