CHASE

PART II

CHAPTER I

All the senior students left Xavier's office minutes later a little bit confused. Not only had he told on short notice that they would be accompanying him to New York but he had been very vague about what they would be doing there. Poitr recalled his words.

'...And there we shall be attending a conference on Mutant Freedom, afterwards we will discuss our next moves...'

He had turned to Cyclops and Wolverine and told them to go to New Orleans, to talk to a boy named Remy Le Beau, Storm had looked up at that. He had also told them to pick up some technology from a Japanese supplier and that they would be taking the intruder, Lyra De Cloyes.

He had then asked the blue demonic looking mutant named Night Crawler to look after the younger students. He had seen the disappointment in his face and he thought of the many times that he had felt the same, all those times when he knew he was ready, when he knew he could fight Magneto, be an X-Man.
As he watched Kurt stride ahead of the group, he thought of how he could still believe in God when he was cursed with the X gene. He watched the cross dangle from his three fingers, heard him whistle the notes of Psalm 23. Why had God let this happen to them?

He looked back as conscious thoughts where broken as the exited hubbub behind him became a roaring torrent of happy conversation. He returned a small smile that Kitty gave him before letting his eyes turn to Ms Munroe who was looking shocked and confused.

Her white hair had been cropped into jagged spikes and she was fiddling with a necklace that was hanging from her neck, the symbol of the X-Men, an X made of two silver lightening bolts fused together. He gave her a toothy grin when she looked up but she seemed too weak to give him one back.

What had she been told that could make her look that way?

X

Logan appeared in the doorway of Xavier's office, he looked everything but happy. His hair was sticking up on all angles, which was strange for him because he always seemed to look like he had a kilo of hair gel making those wolf ear points stay in position.

His muscular chest was heaving underneath his usual white singlet, apparently he had run all the way there from the garage after Scott had wandered into his bedroom saying something about his bike catching fire.

'We're awake now are we?' Scott whispered spitefully, hands in the pockets of his chocolate brown jacket, the corners of his mouth curling into a smile. Logan sidled his way passed an antique book case. 'No matter what's happened, you're still a dick.' He snarled.

'Where on the same wave length then'

The professor cleared his throat, drawing the squabbling men's attention. When he spoke, his usually steady voice faltered and his eyes where cast down. 'During the period of time that Miss De Cloyes has been staying with us, I have been able to extract certain – information that has horrified and shocked me. You both know, and have dealt with on occasion, the likes of Magneto and the Brotherhood. Lyra has told me of the Phoenix League.'

Something clicked in Scott's head.

'A new group of younger, more powerful mutants who are being taught by a figure, who, in the past, I have not known the identity of.

As you both know, Magneto has developed a guard against the power of Cerebro but, as it happened, the figure has telekinetic powers.'

Scott began to feel weak, a dark, sickening feeling was winding its way through his chest.

'The person in question made a connection with our captives mind and I was able to trace them through this.'

Logan turned, a new scent had entered the mansion. A familiar one.

'The person in question is – Jean'

Scott turned, ruby quartz glasses flashing. 'LIAR!' he yelled smashing his fist into the mahogany desk with such force that it cracked down the centre, moaning as if in pain.

'She's dead, you know she's dead! We saw her die! I let her die -' He began to shake, crying silently. 'Why are you doing this to me?'

Logan glared at the bald man. 'Where all going through a tough time at the moment, God, even I have felt like breakin' down every so often but don't start goin' nuts on us, Chuck, that's all we need.'

The professor looked up. 'I felt her, after we came back from Alkali Lake, but my research has led me to believe that she is alive and under Magneto's care. She also has accumulated an immense amount of psychic power, which is how she was able to make the mental connection with Lyra.'

Scott looked up, tears streaming down his face. 'You can't tell me that all the pain, all the torment I have gone through was for nothing?'

The professor moved to a book case a few metres away from Scott, his back turned. 'We have all been through a lot of pain these last three months, Scott, there is no question about it, but if you ignore me and go on believing that she is gone than she could be in great danger.'

X

Logan burst through the door of the small bedroom. 'Get up' he said, kicking the trundle bed which slid along the polished floor boards and hit the wall with a dull thump. The room he had just stormed into was unlike every other room in the X Mansion. It was almost Spartan in its décor, the walls where a crisp, clean white, the wardrobe, unlike the one in his room, was not elaborate, uncarved, one door was open, revealing several tracksuits baring the school crest and Lyra's own supporting the dark phoenix.

The lump in the bed moaned and rolled over.

'ItoldyouJohn, I don'haveyalighter' she slurred, peaking her head up over the sheets. Her eyes opened in surprise when she saw the wolf-like man towering over her bed.

He bent over and grabbed her arm and pulled her from the bed, she was nearly thrown into the wall with his force. He drew her close, hand closed tightly around her neck.

'Listen bub, you're comin' with Cyclops and me and there ain't gonna be any funny business,' He hissed in her ear, teeth bared menacingly, squeezing a little bit harder on her thin neck. 'And if there is, I won't feel any guilt about what I do to you.'

Lyra nodded. He'd done it once and she knew he'd do it again.