AN: Hey everyone, sorry for the late update, not feeling the best lately, hopefully I'll be able to update again on Friday, but no promises this week! I put the reviews on the bottom of the chapter this time, so here you go, straight into where we left off!
Honor and ConsequencesBy: The Sphinx Minx
Chapter 12: Any Suggestions?
Remy Le Beau reached into his pocket to get hold of his cards. He pulled them out. All hope rode on these cards, it was the only way to take down Joseph, the only way to stop the light. His power fled to the cards relieved to have an outlet. The entire pack, all 52 cards, blew up in Gambit's hand.
"Merde."
Xavier spoke to Remy I can shut down Josephs mind from Cerebro, but I can do nothing about the satellite…I am...sorry.
Do it…quick…
Joseph fell to the forest floor but the satellite containing the light continued to fall, gravity doing the rest. Remy felt as though he was going to explode, energy cackled around him as he felt his skin burn, the potential energy in his cells turning to kinetic. His teammates were undergoing gross transformations around him. Gambit suddenly remembered the card in his back pocket.
He quickly pulled it out unable to stop himself thinking of the clichéness of the situation I'll never live dis down he thought as he hurled it up at the sky.
The Queen of Hearts exploded before making contact, but the shock waves from the explosion was enough to blast the satellite off it's current path, onto the X-Men's heads. It was sent veering off course, light flickering
Remy's legs gave way and as he fell to the ground, and a quarter of a mile away, the satellite smashed to the earth.
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Their team mates found them in the same positions four hours later. When the X-Men ran out of the jet, they slowed to a complete stop when they saw their friends unmoving bodies.
They silently carried their friends to the jet. There was really nothing to say. No words of comfort were genuine. The only authentic feeling was fear. After carrying their friends onto the jet it was discovered that all, including Logan were comatose. When the diagnosis was given, Professor Charles Xavier looked at his team. They faced various battles in the past, but this was new. A satellite beaming a mysterious light causing mutants to either lose control or receive a power boost? This was new. He had no idea who was doing this, or how, or why. Hopefully, they would be able to receive answers when the satellite was retrieved.
At that moment, Nightcrawler bamfed in front of the creator of the X-Men.
"Professor, I have retrieved vat you wanted, vhere do you want me to put it?"
"The cargo area of the jet, thank you Kurt."
Nightcrawler nodded, and bamfed away.
As the Professor waited for Kurt's return, he contemplated what to tell his team. Some of their strongest friends had been taken down, nearly killed, today, but he could provide them with no answers, no words of reassurance, he could not even tell them if Logan, Remy, Warren or Joseph would survive. Unless he came up with answers fast, hysteria was bound to spread throughout the team, throughout the entire mutant population.
"Professor!" Kitty Pryde interrupted Xavier from his thoughts. "Professor! Gambit is bleeding!" Xavier rushed over, and sure enough, there was blood all over the front of Gambits uniform. Henry was called over, but could find no wound. Shards of glass were found on his skin though and the Professor realized that Wolverine and Gambit must have succeeded in obtaining a sample of human blood. This was something to begin with at least. Hopefully some answers would be provided
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Wolverine regained consciousness first, as expected, three days later. Hank McCoy had been in the lab printing out the results from the blood result when he heard Wolverine stir, followed with the familiar "snikt" sound everyone knew all too well.
Beast rushed into the room to find Logan staggering over to Josephs bed, claws out, blood dripping from the fresh wound on his hands. Beast grabbed his friend and tried to push Wolverine back to his bed.
In his head he yelled at the Professor. CHARLES! Logan is awake, but I require assistance in restr-umph-restraining him!
Moments later, Colossus burst into the room, followed by Rogue. They immediately grabbed Logan and forced him back to his bed. Beast tried to talk sense to the feral man. "Logan! LOGAN! Joseph isn't our enemy! Stop! He's not our enemy, he's proved himself time and time again!"
Rogue and Colossus continued to struggle as Wolverine snarled "it's him…I saw him, he ain't no friend of mine. If it weren't fer him, none of us would be like this! He was doing somethin' makin the flamin' light worse!"
Rogue gasped and looked at Joseph "What? He controlled the light?!"
"No Rogue, Wolverine listen, it was Josephs mutant ability that called the metal satellite containing the light to him, as it got closer, you all lost more control but I am confident you will all make a full recovery."
Wolverine finally stopped struggling. "Alright doc, you seem to have all the answers…who created the blasted satellite and why does it effect us like that?"
"Regarding who created the satellite, we are still clueless, but we are closer to learning why it effects mutants, the results of my tests are printing now, but I was temporarily distracted…anyhow…"
15 minutes later, the team was together in the medi-lab.
"O.k, everyone, as you can see Wolverine is awake, this is a good sign for everyone. It indicates that despite their close encounter with the light, eventually, they will regain control over their power and hopefully regain consciousness" The team looked comforted and gave smiles of relief to each other.
"…now regarding the human blood sample…the only abnormality I could find was an unusually high around of adrenaline traces in the sample. This leads me to believe that this light somehow identifies where your body gets extra energy. Energy that enhances physical ability from and gives it a boost. In humans, it increases the hormone that they use in times of physical exertion. In male mutants, the mutant power is identified, but inbred control is reduced to enable release more of the current power. In female mutants, the power is also identified, but unlike a male, they don't lose control. Instead, they receive a power boost from the light. Originally, the Professor and myself felt that the light was significantly more dangerous to women, but after seeing the effect it had on Wolverine and the others, it would appear it could be deadly to everyone. Indeed, the women effected last time were fortunate not to have been more seriously afflicted."
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One by one over the next week, the patients awoke and they all seemed capable of making a full recovery, even Archangel, who was reassured the scars on his back would fade. No progress had been made on discovering the creator of the light, the reason behind it, or what it consisted of. Everyone was very nervous of being hit with it, but there was not much that could be done.
Xavier and Scott sat in the office together discussing the latest crisis.
"So, all we know is what the light does, and we have a vague idea how it works, but we don't know who created it or why."
"Actually Scott, I would think the reasoning behind the light is obvious. Someone is intent on wiping out he mutant race in the most ironic way possible…by having his or her own power consume, and kill them. Such a motive certainly narrows the subjects. Magneto and the Brotherhood for example, are unlikely, as is Sinister. We need to focus on who wishes to end homo-superior. For good. And who has the technology to make it possible."
There was a knock at the door and Henry McCoy entered.
"Professor, I have some updates regarding the satellite. I called the Avengers in order to warn the mutants on their team of the potential danger they face. The Scarlett Witch of course, is high risk, and has been restricted from leaving the mansion. You can imagine how happy she is about that. Anyway, Captain America pulled some strings and got the government to run tests on the metal from the satellite."
"And…?" Scott asked, for Beast had paused.
"Captain called to get the results after a day or so. He was transferred to another office than he usually works with, and was then informed they never received any metal, to stop wasting their time."
"That is highly unusual Henry, what are you thinking?"
"Well logically, if the government are denying involvement, then they are involved."
Xavier sighed, "A cynical attitude, but unfortunately true. And as of now, that is our only lead, we need to find someone who is willing to get us the information we seek from the government, any suggestions?"
AM: Another chapter! YaY! What did you all think of that one? Poor X-Men, I keep beating them up :-( Orry for the late update, I couldn't get to the computer on Friday!
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DemonicGambit: Oh, your sadistic! I love it! Glad you liked the little fire drill :-) Remy is cool isn't he!
The Lankey Yankee: hehe, sorry no go, every Friday is my limit, which means that for the next month or so, you're all guaranteed an update every week! Isn't that better than not knowing when someone's gona update and waiting and forgetting what you read and yadda yadda yadda!
T. LoL Your reviews are always so straight to the point!
Remy's ange: Darn, I'm predictable huh? Well not so much, he actually doesn't stop Joseph, and a coma isn't a very fun way to be a hero! Hum…interesting theory about the satellite…but why would Magneto want to kill mutants? Wow, I'm really flattered! I'm glad you liked the "appealing fate" thing, I knew it would be really hit or miss with you readers, but I thought it would be a fun way to show their dread of the mission! Thanks so much for saying my writings improved, I'm constantly trying to improve, it's fantastic to get feedback acknowledging it!
Yogie16: Don't worry, no offence taken!! You can join the Joseph hating club, Ishandahalf is the president I think…
Caliente: YaY! I'm an evil cliffie writer! I hate writers like that :-) Don't worry, all will be explained soon enough. Ugh SATs are awful aren't they!?
Rogue151: If it helps, I try to update every Friday, so maybe you won't have to play catch up if you know my schedule! Actually, the light came from a satellite that was made of metal and when Joseph lost all control over his power, he started pulling all metal toward him and that's why the satellite fell from the sky, and increased the intensity over the X-Men. Joseph had no conscious control over what he was doing, he just kinda got lost in his power.
Ishandahalf: Of course it did! It wouldn't have been interesting if they just got to harass a principal! ::sigh:: Gambit is just great isn't he ;-)
Lydia: Hey Lydia, I got your e-mail, thanks very much! Wow, I'm so flattered! I like Pyslocke too, my brother LOVES her, hehe wonder why? I would like to write a fic about her one day, but I'm afraid I don't know too much about her. But I'll let you know if I do!