Noiselessly she ran down the metal hallways, the walls and floor shone in the artificial light. Doors flew past on either side ofher as she hurried by them. Rogue had to be inone of the rooms, but there were so many of them.

Damia pressed herself against the wall and peered around the corner. The next hall was empty so she slipped down it and began her search again. The base was like a giant, magnetic labyrinth, and she was the lab rat relying on instinct to get through it.

She approached the next corner and again stopped to listen. Her heart leapt when she heard voices coming towards her. Damia had a sudden moment of panic as she scrambled for a place to hide. She saw a door. She turned the knob. Unlocked.

The door made a quiet click just as Sabretooth rounded the corner, Senator Kelly in tow. Damia held her breath as they walked by her hiding place. Please, please, please, don't let him notice anything. The footsteps faded away down the hall and Damia let out her breath with immense relief.

Opening the door a crack she peered out. No one was in her line of vision so she slipped out of the door and quietly closed it behind her. Damia looked from the hall she was about to take to the one that Sabretooth had just taken Kelly down. Maybe if she followed them she'd find the prisoner compound.

Silently she followed the fading sounds of Sabretooth and the Senator. Keeping a respectable distance she slid stealthily down the halls, occasionally hiding in an unlocked room. Finally they came to a doorway which led into a large room. The room had a metal walkway which ended at the foot of a large metal machine. Damia gazed at it and decided it looked like a gyro, there was a platform with two poles rising from it and there were two round things that looked like they would spin around the platform.

She could see Magneto's cape he talked to the Senator but she couldn't make out what they were saying. Damia cautiously slid closer to the door so she could hear them.

"Doesn't work on mutants," Magneto was saying. "We'll see what you think about Mutant Registration... brother." A small smile played across his lips as he spoke.

Damia watched as he was brought to the top of the gyro look-alike. He placed his hands on either one of the metal poles and the round things began to spin. As they picked up speed a sickly blue light spread from it, engulfing Senator Kelly who was kneeling before it.

Soon the blue light was pulled back and the spinners slowed. Mystique stepped out of the shadows and helped Magneto pulls his hands from the metal. He looked exhausted from the use of his abilities. All the pieces of the puzzle came together for Damia. Holy shit! They're going to use that thing on the world leaders when they have their conference and he's going to use Rogue to make it work. I've got to get her outta here! Damia slipped back into an unlocked closet as Sabretooth led the Senator away and Mystique supported Magneto.

Once they were gone she was following Sabretooth again, praying his nose didn't pick up on her scent again.

After about five minutes the sound of metal slamming against metal came to Damia's ears. There werecries of protests from the Senator as footsteps doubled back towards Damia. She once again tried the nearest door but it was locked. Panic began to fill her as the footsteps grew nearer. She could almost feel the furry hand that would grip her throat if she were caught.

He hand wrapped around the next door knob. It turned. The door popped open and Damia dived inside. She found herself in a linen closet. Sheets, towels, and blankets were piled around her and a foul, moldy smell came from one of the corners. Damia dropped to the floor and tucked herself under the bottom shelf, it was a tight fit and she was having trouble breathing. A blanket lay on the floor and Damia was quick to hide herself with it.

The door knob turned again, slowly light flooded the room and Sabretooth was silhouetted in the doorframe. Damia held her breath as he observed the room and sniffed the air. He grimaced at the moldy smell and slammed the door shut.

With relief Damia let her breath out, silently vowing never to say a bad thing about mildew again. She picked up her bag and slung it over her shoulder as she slipped out of the closet and back towards the holding cells. Senator Kelly jumped when he saw her.

"Oh! Thank God you're here," he said. "Aren't you a little young to be a federal agent?" Damia hushed him as she approached his cell.

"I'm 18. And I'm not a fed, I'm a mutant," she said quietly but she regretted it.

"What," shouted Kelly a little too loudly, Damia had to hush him again.

"I'm with the X-men," she whispered. "I'm here to spring one of my friends. I had no idea you'd be here as well."

Senator Kelly watched inshock as Damia walked away and checked the other cells. The last one had a lump on the bed and she couldn't help but smile.

"Rogue," She whispered loudly. "Rogue!"

The lump on the bed rolled over to reveal a familiar face and red hair. "Damia! Are you gonna bust me out?"

Damia laughed quietly and said, "Of course." She rummaged through her bag and pulled out a cherry bomb. Placing it in the lock she pulled out a lighter. "Stand back," she said as she lit itand took cover. A loud BANG filled the room as the small explosive blew apart the lock. "Let's go!" Damia grabbed Rogue's hand and pulled her towards the exit. "Sorry, Senator. I'll send more X-men when we get back to the mansion," she said as she passed his cell.

Damia and Rogue ran down halls, turning this way and that. Occasionally they heard footsteps down a hall but they managed to avoid any encounters with the Brotherhood. They stopped in the middle of a hall, there were threecorridors they could choose from.

"Which way," asked Rogue as she tried to catch her breath.

Damia looked from one hall to the next, biting her lip. She sniffed the air in each direction, trying to get a feel for which one smelled most like fresh air. Finally she decided on the one to the right.

"This way!" The two of them set off again.

They had only been running for a few minutes when a noise came from ahead. They both skidded to a halt and Damia drew her sword. A large man stepped into view from an adjacent hallway. His black eyes turned to the two girls.

Damia handed her black bag to Rogue while she got ready for the attack. Sabretooth growled, revealing his fangs. He was lunging for her before she could even blink.

By some miracle Damia had ducked out of the reach of his claws. This only made him even more angry. He snarled and took another swipe which she avoided by a hair. Damia swung her sword but it was his turn to dodge. This is when she realized it was hopeless.

"Rogue," she said as Sabretooth lunged and she dodged again. "Fire!"

Damia prayed her friend understood her as Sabretooth advanced again. This time he jumped at her. Damia dropped to the ground, pressing her back to the floor. She raised her sword as the beast flew over her. She rolled to the left to avoid his claws and his body weight.

As she scambled to her feet so did her foe. Damia noticed that his shirt was ripped and a small trail of blood could be seen.

Sabretooth growled and gave her a death glare. Damia's eyes widened at the pure hatred and malice in his black eyes, much unlike his comrade's. He lunged for her again but she was rooted to the spot. His arm was getting ready to strike her. Damia was still rooted to the spot. Time seemed to slow down as his body hurtled toward her and she became aware of presence.

Without looking she managed to influence the small flame from the lighter which Rogue held in her shaking hands. The flame suddenly erupted, blackening the ceiling and causing Rogue to drop the lighter. It flew out like a wall and collided with the hairy body of Sabretooth. His claws had been mere inches from Damia's face and as the fire consumed him, his well aimedslash was knocked off course, leaving Damia unscratched.

With an ear piercing howl he landed on the ground, his bushy eyebrows were singed off and his skin was covered in burns. He feebly tried to get up but his burns made him wince in pain.

"Come on," Damia said as she turned to Rogue. "Let's-" but she never finished her sentence.

Mystique stood behind Rogue with one hand on her shoulder. Her yellow eyes watched Damia as she stared at the scene. With a sigh she dropped her sword on the floor and put her hands above her head in defeat. A smile played across the blue woman's lips.

Before long Damia was sitting in Magneto's familiar office. Mystique stood behind her and Sabretooth sat in a corner, his healing ablities going to work on his burns. Magneto sat across the metal desk from her, still looking worn out.

"Welcome back, young Damia." His proud voice seemed lessened somehow. "You showed an excellent use of your powers. Are you sure you don't want to join us?"

Damia sighed, exasperated. "No. I'd rather not, thanks."

Magneto shook his head gravely. "What a shame," he said as he made a hand movement. Damia heard Sabretooth get up and the door opened and closed behind her. "Do you realize that we have ways of... persuading people to do things?"

Damia rolled her eyes. "I really don't care. I'd just like to escape again so I can leave, come back, get Rogue, and put an end to your little plan."

Magneto's eyes hardened. "Ah, yes. Your escape. You didn't do it alone, did you?"

"No," said Damia matter-of-factly. "I had help from Santa Claus," she finished sarcastically.

"And I suppose a little birdie told you aboutmy plans," said Magneto coldly.

"Oh, you know him? Charming little bird isn't he?" Damia had to stifle a laugh when she saw the look on Magneto's face.

The door opened again and Damia heard two people enter. She knew at once one of them had to be Mortimer. Magneto smiled maliciously.

"Now, let's put our persuasive powers to use," said the graying man as Toad and Sabretooth came into Damia's line of vision. "Sabretooth," he said with a nod.

Damia's eyes widened as the cat-man looked at her and his lips curled in an ugly smile. He turned back to the little green man and picked him up, throwing him against the wall. When Toad hit the ground, Sabretooth picked him up again but instead of throwing him he punched him. Bloodyran from the victim's mouth.

"Stop," Damia said forcefully as she tried to turn away from the scene. "Stop it!"

Two hands clamped down on her shoulders and forced her to watch as Sabretooth massacred the little green man. He was about to pull back and plant another punch in the stomach when Magneto interrupted.

"That's quite enough, Sabretooth," he said calmly and Damia knew he was smiling. "What was it you were saying about not caring about our persuasiveness? I do believe you have feelings for this pathetic life form." Damia's eyes didn't leave the bloody heap on the floor. "There's no point in trying to hide it, I can see it in your eyes."

"How could you," asked Damia, her hazel eyes burned with tears as she turned to Magneto.

He laughed. "Toad has been going against my wishes. I can't have that in the Brotherhood," he said. "Besides I needed to find a way to get to you. I knew that day I punished him in your cell that he was your weakness. The way your powers soared even when you were in a physicallyweakened state." He shook his head.

"What do you want form me," asked Damia as her eyes returned to Toad who was stirring slightly.

Damia could tell that Magneto's smile broadened. "I want you to betray your little X-friends," he said briskly.

With her mouth agape she turned back to Magneto. "What!? No way in hell," she said angrily.

"No," asked Magneto, his eyebrows arching. "Sabretooth."

Again the cat-man moved to the already injured Toad. Damia winced as the first blow hit him in the stomach. She tried again to look away but Mystique's scaly blue hands were on her shoulders, forcing her to watch.

"You can make it all end," Magneto said quietly as he observed Damia. "All you have to do is agree." When Damia didn't respond he nodded to Sabretooth who continued the assault.

With extraordinary speed Sabretooth was beating Mortimer to a bloody pulp. He had managed to keep his pain in but when Sabretooth's clause tore across his chest he let out a cry of agony. Damia couldn't help but cry out as well, the assault on Toad was taking its toll on her as well.

"Stop!" Her voice echoed through the room. "Please," she begged. "I'll do it, just... just stop."

Magneto snapped his fingers and the beating ceased. "Very well. You are to return the mansion and act as if nothing happened. The next time you and the X-men decide to fight us, you are not to attack the Brotherhood but your precious friends. If you don't... well, let's just say harm will find dear Mr.Toynbee." Magneto stood and began to leave the room, Mystique and Sabretooth following. "Really, I thought you'd be stronger than that... or at least have better taste in men."

The door closed leaving Damia alone with the battered Mortimer. She hurried to his side and dropped to her knees. Blood was oozing from cuts of various sizes while bruises were quickly forming on his greenish skin. The wounds on his chest weren't as deep as they looked but they still bled pretty badly.

"I'm sorry," Damia whispered as tears flowed freely from her eyes. She took his bloody face in her hands and looked into his dark eyes. "I'm so sorry." She began to sob silently while mentally scolding herslef.

One of Mortimer's hands found hers and he pressed her pale skin against his own. "Don't worry about it, love," he managed to say through the amount of blood in his mouth, his accent distorted slightly. He brushed her tears away and said, "It was better than a slap in the face with a wet kipper."

Damia smiled despite herself and the situation. She knew she had to break her promise to the Professor and have to attack her friends when they needed her but those thoughts were pushed to the back of her mind for the time being. She was with Mortimer and he was still alive. That was all that mattered to herat the moment.