"Logan," Xavier said "If you want her to live, you need to get Eric's help. Henry can't remove the chip without doing considerable damage to Kate's brain. Eric may be able to remove the micro circuitry that makes this thing work. Kurt knows how to get a hold of Mystique. She will be your first stop in helping Kate."
Logan looked up to find Nightcrawler nodding above him.
"I will take you to my mother Logan," Kurt told him. "She will pass the message along to Magneto."
"She said that Magneto would not help or hinder us but he did want Kate to deliver her information. It may not work." Logan told them.
"Logan," the professor said, "If Eric can't help then Kate will most likely die."
Logan agreed to ask Magneto for help. He wasn't optimistic about his chances of getting the megalomaniac to help. The last time they had been face to face, Logan nearly took his head off. People tend to remember things like that.
He was surprised, then, when Kurt bamfed into his room late that night and told him the meeting was set up for the next afternoon in New York City.
I was a strange meeting. Both sides posturing and occasionally threatening. No over move was made on either side but the situation was very tense.
"Are we going to stop trading insults and get on with the reason for this," Magneto demanded.
Logan looked at Kurt and shrugged.
"Kate Dempsey," he began, "We understand you are interested in making sure she presents her research to Congress. Is that true?"
"Ah yes," Magneto said thoughtfully, "Dr. Dempsey. Pretty thing, older than she appears. Much smarter than anyone can even imagine. Yes, I am interested in her. But I'm sure you're more interested than me Wolverine."
"She's being attacked even as we speak," Logan scowled.
"What are you doing here then. You should be protecting her."
"The attack in from a microchip that has been implanted in her brain. If it is not removed soon, she will die."
Magneto was surprised. He had heard that some labs implant chips in mutants to test their powers but he had never heard of anyone placing one in a human before.
"Who did this and why," he demanded.
"I don't know yet but I intend to find out," Logan said simply. "We need you to do something with the chip."
"Microchips are not metal Wolverine," Magneto instructed. "They're silicone. I have no power over them."
"No you don't," agreed Logan. "But the micro circuitry is metal and you can control them. All you need to do is remove enough of the connections to turn the chip off."
Magneto leaned back in the chair surprised. He hadn't thought Wolverine was smart enough to think up something like this.
"If I agree, what do I get?"
"If this thing goes the way Kate wants it to, you'll get your mutant utopia but naturally and without extensive loss of life."
"How do you know this'" Magneto asked?
"She knows more than anyone what will happen," Logan said. "She wants to stop the war from starting and Chuck thinks she can."
"Charles believes her, huh."
"So do I," Logan growled.
Magneto thought for a moment. "I will help," he said finally. "There is no guarantee that I can do anything, but I will try."
"That's all we ask," Logan told him.
"There will, of course, be no attempt to stop me from leaving once I have done what I came to do," he stated.
"You will be free to leave," Logan said, "As long as you behave."
"I will make no attempt to harm anyone during my visit," he promised.
Logan and Kurt looked at each other. That didn't mean that he wouldn't try something later.
"Your lackeys can't come with you," Logan told him
"Now wait a minute Wolverine…"
"We will protect you. They can't come."
Magnet looked closely at Logan, eyes narrowing. He weighed his options. Dr. Dempsey was very important to his cause, but he felt uncomfortable without Mystique and Sabertooth. He knew Wolverine was essentially an honest man, when he wanted to be. He was also quite capable of killing him, if he could surprise him.
"I agree," he said. "Just remember, if you try anything, you have metal bones. I will crush you."
"You have my word that I won't harm you during your visit." Logan promised with clenched teeth.
Magneto knew how much Wolverine hated to say this. Once his word was given, he would abide by it. It was all he needed.
"Let's go," he said as he stood up. Mystique grabbed his arm in protest.
"Eric," she whispered, "You can't be serious. You can't go with them without protection. You're walking into a trap."
"I don't think so, my dear. They need her alive as much as I do. Wolverine may be a killer, but he keeps his word. Don't follow," he ordered.
Mystique scowled at them as they left. This is not good, she thought. She was afraid for Eric but if she defied his order, he would kill her. She sighed in frustration and left the café.
The trip to Westchester was a long, tense drive. Logan was feeling more and more unsure of the deal he had struck with Magneto. He felt as if he had sold his soul to the devil. He didn't know what this would cost him, but he felt sure it would be pricey.
Professor Xavier met them as they came through the door. Eric could feel the psy-dampeners when he came in. It felt as if he had a cold, his head stuffy. It was an odd, uncomfortable feeling for him. He was no telepath and knew that Charles was feeling worse. He looked at his old friend. Charles looked pale and drawn.
"Charles," he greeted him, "You look terrible. How long have those things been on?"
"Eric," Charles smiled wanly. "It's good to see you again."
"You didn't answer my question, Charles. How long have you been like this?"
"I will be fine once the dampeners are turned off. Every time we try, Kate is badly affected. We need your help, Eric."
"And I am here to give you my help."
The front door crashed open. Standing on the porch was a pretty Asian girl in a yellow rain coat, her face a mask of rage.
"I thought I saw you," she snarled, raising her hands in front of her, a brightly colored ball of light in each palm.
"Jubes," Logan yelled. "No."
She released both balls and aimed them at Magneto. Logan was in no position to stop the plasma so he did the nest best thing, he knocked Magneto to the floor and covered him with his body. The plasma passed over the two prone men and splashed against the wall, blasting it to pieces. Hot plasma seared Logans' back. He rolled to his side, moaning in agony.
"Jubilee," Xavier said, "Magneto is here at my invitation. You will not attack again. Do I make myself clear?"
Jubilee looked at him, stunned. "How can you invite this bastard here? After all that he's done to us, you have the balls to call a truce? I can't believe you."
She glanced over at Magneto with venom in her eyes. Her gaze fell to Logan. His shirt was burned off his back, black burns visible He was shivering with pain and shock.
"Wolvie," she whispered. "Oh God. What have I done?"
Beast and Jean dropped to the floor beside him.
"Third degree burns," beast diagnosed quickly. "He's in shock."
"Logan," Jean call him.
"Jean?" he hissed. "Hurts."
"I know. I can't do anything about it until the dampeners are off."
"She didn't mean to hurt me, Jean."
"Wolvie." Jubilee knelt beside him. "I'm sorry." tears streamed down her cheeks.
"I'll heal, darlin'" he told her.
Magneto got to his feet and looked at the girl with greater respect. He had always thought of Jubilee as Wolverines' weaker side-kick. Looks like the side-kick has learned a thing or two in the last few years. She was powerful.
Jean lifted Logan telekinetically and took him to the med lab, Jubilee trailing behind.
"Are you injured," Beast asked Magneto?
"A small burn on the back of my leg," he told the doctor. "Nothing serious."
"Come to the med lab later and I'll look at it," Beast instructed as he headed to the secret area of the school.
He felt Charles roll up beside him.
"Fine welcome," he said.
"Jubilee will never forgive you what you did to Wolverine," Charles told him. "She's very protective of him."
"Do you know what you have with her, Charles? She is powerful, and getting stronger as she ages. I suspect she is Alpha class now with the potential to become Omega in the next few years. You will need to treat her carefully."
Xavier looked thoughtfully at the retreating back of the petite firecracker. He had the same problem with Jubilee that Logan had; he still thought of her as a little girl. She was eighteen now and a woman. He needed to change his thinking and fast. If she had the potential that Eric thought she had, she will need intensive training to control her powers.
"Do you have a schematic of the chip?" Eric asked, interrupting his thoughts.
"Kitty found what we think is a similar chip on line," Xavier told him distractedly. "We're not sure if it is identical to the one they used but it is a start."
"May I see it," Eric asked?
"Come to my office. I'll have Kitty show you what she found."
They retired to Xaviers' office.