Escape to the Sewers

Wolverine launched himself once again at the glass of his cell, he knew he could not break through but he knew it was the only way to get his rage out.

The doors opened to the corridor and a doctor entered with the now familiar dart gun filled with a sedative for Logan no doubt, he approached the glass and turned on the shock to Logan's collar before opening the door slightly and aiming. Two more guards dragged Cyclops up the corridor, he was struggling to stay on his feet and looked worse for wear.

'What happened?' asked Jean obviously worried, this momentary distraction stopped the doctor giving the injection to Wolverine.

'We found him like this at his collection point, the doctor will look at him in a minute now shut up' barked the guard as they dragged the teen.

Scott suddenly seemed better as he slammed his elbow into one of the guards and kicked the other in the face, Scott rushed at the two making a grab for the keys when he was shot in the back by the doctor who still had a loaded dart gun. The doc quickly grabbed the teen and threw him into the open cell with Wolverine before locking the door, he felt incredibly proud of himself.

'I have been waiting to do this for so long' growled Wolverine as he launched at Cyclops and drove his claws into Scott's neck or at least he would have if the collar had not been in the way, the collar sparked before the light stopped flashing, Scott opened his eyes as a giant optic blast flew from his eyes vaporising Wolverines restraints, Wolverine slashed his own restraints before helping the teen who now had his eyes closed to his feet.

'You'd think the doc would know the dart wouldn't reach you through the Kevlar vest they gave you' grinned Wolverine letting the others know they had this planned, more guards burst through the doors pointing their weapons. 'Three O'clock' yelled Wolverine causing Cyke to turn and fire a blast which shattered the glass and blasted the guards. Logan jumped through the hole 'Jail break!!!'.

Wolverine shoved his fist into one of the glass walls slicing a hole in it with his claws followed by another and another, soon all of the cells were open even the one containing Sabertooth and Juggernaut. The mutants one by one stepped out of their cells and standing waiting to be cut free of their power restraining collars. Wolverine slashed at Jean's collar bursting it open, Jean shot a quick glance at the other mutants whose collars just seemed to fall away crashing to the ground no doubt from Jean's telekinesis. The mutants rubbed their necks with relief it was so comforting not to have them around their necks.

'I know the way out, follow me' ordered Rogue as she grabbed hold of Kitty's hand, Kitty suddenly collapsed to the ground 'What happened?' asked Rogue slightly shocked as she backed away from Kitty.

'It seems your collar not only nullified your power but controlled it and stopped you from absorbing others powers when you touched them' theorised Beast as he scooped up Kitty ready to carry her out. Rogue was reeling from this announcement she couldn't help thinking that this meant she could never touch anyone again. She quickly shook it off and told them they had to turn a left when they exit the corridor but the doors would now automatically lock.

Juggernaut and Colossus were more then happy to help as they easily smashed through the metal doors sending several guards flying across the hall it lead onto, the sirens and alarms had began to wail. Scott began to blast at several guards as Jean directed him letting him see through her eyes.

Juggernauts fist slammed through another wall which led them out onto the street, they were in New York City it appeared that this base was one that went deep underground and was very well hidden as the exterior just looked like a disused building. The group began to walk down the alleyway leading to the main street casually they figured they had nothing to fear because between them they were as strong as any army on earth when suddenly Scott froze and turned back to the building.

'The professor?' he said simply causing the mutants to turn and look at one another.

'He's on the top floor' said Jean after she quickly scanned the building 'He is in bad condition and they have him doped so he is defenceless'.

'Well I guess I'll see you later' said Sabertooth as he began to walk away followed by Juggernaut.

'Where are you going?' asked Storm as she hovered in the air her eyes glowing white as thunder crackled around her.

'This isn't our problem' growled Sabertooth as he continued to walk not yet breaking his stride.

Wolverine suddenly appeared in front of him as he leapt over his head this caused both to drop into a battle position. 'Listen up bub, I don't remember much but what I do remember is we hate each other more then anyone else in the world now I know that your coming in there to save the professor because I just busted you out and it will eat away at you that you owe your life to me…so turn around and well call it even' said Wolverine as he gritted his teeth. Sabertooth growled as he turned around knowing that Logan was right. 'Where you going big boy, the professor trained us we bust you out that means you owe him so turn around' growled Wolverine at Juggernaut who stared at the smaller man toying for a moment with the idea of pulling his head off before turning round much for the same reason as Sabertooth it would bug him forever if he didn't.

…

Minutes later the wall leading to Xavier's cell had been demolished by Juggernaut as Colossus and Wolverine finished up the remainder of the guards, many guards wished they had phoned in sick that day a few wouldn't be able to use the phone for a while. Jean levitated the professor out of the bed he was strapped to and paused for a minute looking at the destruction they had caused, she guessed Juggernaut didn't like doors because he just ripped through walls, they had easily moved up levels in the building by flying and levitating or teleporting each other well mostly Juggernaut and Colossus had to keep giving each other a leg up and then pulling the other through a hole blasted by Cyclops because they were too heavy for the others to move.

The corridor from which they last smashed through was suddenly beginning to fill with armed guards in gasmasks with guns, the corridor began to fill with gas causing little Torpid to cough.

'We will never get out that way' yelled Wolverine as he looked around the room for a means of escape.

'Let me handle this' said Jean in an commanding voice, if you looked close enough like if you stared deep inside hers you would be able to see small embers firing like never before which gave off a strange glow but no one was looking that closely at her eyes. The reason no one was looking at her eyes was because her hair waved wildly behind her like she was standing in a strong wind and a strange orange glow illuminated the room which seemed to be coming from her. Jean let out one last giant scream that sounded like on of the great birds of prey before she looked up the roof of the building seemed to rip right off ad she floated herself and the rest of the mutants including Juggernaut and Colossus to the roof of a near by building with great ease.

She turned slowly as the other mutants stood slack jawed at what they saw before them 'they will pay' growled jean as she raised her hand, slowly the building began to shake as the walls on one side seemed to cave in and be ripped away from the building scattering debris across the streets. Then as suddenly as it had happened she just seemed to loose the extra power and she just collapsed on the deck.

'Follow me' ordered Torpid as she began to run down the fire escape on the side of the building followed by the other mutants except Sabertooth and Juggernaut who had vanished feeling they had repaid their debt. Warren Worthington rejected the offer of joining the X-men and quickly flew away. Beast carried Kitty, Colossus was carrying Xavier, Jean and the now practically blind Scott Summers much to his disapproval.

Torpid was first to make it to street level she quickly scurried to the centre of the alley where the rancid water swilled from the gutters was forming a puddle over the top of the manhole cover, she moved the cover aside with ease as if t had been loosened from a lot of activity, she motioned for the others to go down the hole, Wolverine was first not caring he was followed by several teens who were pulling faces and gagging at the smell and the thought.

'Good thing Kitty's unconsciousness or she would never go down here' joked Bobby remembering how much of a fight it was to get Kitty to eat the food at Weapon X she could also be very squeamish at times. Colossus lowered the bodies he was carrying down the hole before following in his human form, Torpid climbed down the rungs of the ladder making sure to slide the manhole cover over the drain.

The mutants sloshed through the muck in the sewer following torpid she seemed to know where she was going, an awkward silence surrounded the group the only noise came from the splashing water and Wolverine who occasionally sniffed the air before wishing he hadn't, they all walked through god knows what filth and they grimaced every time there feet touched the water, all except Kurt who followed the others from the relatively clean ceiling he refused to get in the water because 'Have you any Idea how bad I'll smell, that stuff Vill never come out of my fur'.

'Who goes there' yells a voice from one of the tunnels up a head, Wolverine drops into an attack position ready to strike at who he thinks is a sanitation engineer.

'Torpid of the Morlocks' yelled Torpid happily she obviously recognised the voice, from the shadows stepped a creature it looked like a cross between an alligator a dinosaur and a man. 'Scale face' she yelled as she leapt into the arms of the mutant tears forming in her eyes to see her old friend whom she had known for the majority of her life.

'Outsiders…Spyke will not be happy' hissed the creature as it motioned for the others to follow him.

…

Ten minutes had passed since the mutants arrived at the Morlock HQ it looked like a giant unused subway station which was beautiful in its own dirty health risk way, there were beautiful carvings up at the roof and ornate lamps many of which now smashed. They stood watching as a group of Mutants who were discussing or arguing what could be done it was obvious that the two leaders had different view points.

'I'm Spyke leader of the Morlocks' said one mutant as he stepped forward he was about six feet tall and he was well built at least it looked like he was well built his body was covered in spikes and natural armour from his face it was clear he was black, the only clothes he wore were a tattered pair of jeans which had several spike holes in them. 'Thank you fr returning Torpid but you shouldn't have come here.'

'Spyke its not there fault we should just let them leave' said a woman who sported an eye patch. 'I'm sorry about him as tough as I am on people he takes it to extremes.'

'Do you remember what happened last time Callisto?' asked Spyke before turning back to the X-men 'We used to live under Salem we found some injured kid and nursed him back to health when we let him go he promised not to tell, two days later the place was swarming with cops, FBI, CIA, Army, Marines you name it they were there, we lost some good friends that day and I lost my trust in people.'

'Look I know what happened Spyke but these guys are obviously mutants, look at the two blue guys' said Callisto as she motioned towards Beast and Nightcrawler.

'Yes I can see and those two are welcome to stay with us but the others must be handled, you know I don't like it but I would rather all of them died then one of us' said Spyke rather harshly.

'Look bub I understand what your saying if I was in your position I wouldn't even be saying it we would have been dead as soon as we stepped through that big hole you call an entrance' said Wolverine trying to diffuse the situation.

'Yeah I can believe that' said Scott not approving of Wolverine's methods but totally believing he would have killed them all.

'Listen I don't need you butting in right now' growled Wolverine as he grabbed Scott's face.

'We'll no one asked you to speak for us and give this moron ideas' yelled Scott loosing control of his temper.

'Who you calling a moron!' yelled Spyke as he growled and flexed his muscles this unfortunately caused a spike to fly free of his body. Wolverine slashed at the air inches in front of Scott's face slashing the spike into many pieces.

Wolverine launched forward with his claws, Spyke responded by launching claws from his own knuckles and the two met.

'Look that was an accident I sometimes lose control' said Spyke trying to explain his honest mistake.

'Listen I know you've been looking for a fight long before we walked in and the truth is so have I…so lets do this, you and me one on one if I win we walk no answers given or asked for.' Growled Logan, Spyke twirled round swiping his feet out from under him, Logan just flipped and landed on his feet to see Spyke nodding in acceptance.

Spyke lunged and Logan dodged as he scraped his Adamantium claws down Evan's back before kicking him in the back sending him crashing into a stone pillar. Spyke turned hurling three spikes at Wolverine two shot through his shoulders pinning him to the wall while the other narrowly missed his head and collided with the wall, Spyke launched another flaming spike which hurtled directly for Logan's head when suddenly it stopped in mid-air.

'This has gone far enough' came a voice from behind the X-men who stood congregating nearby watching the action. Charles had righted himself and was sitting on the floor he had roused Jean and used her powers to stop the spike. 'I'm sorry for inconveniencing you but my friends and I are leaving now whether you like it or not' said Charles as he placed his hands on his head and the Morlock's all collapsed onto the floor.

'Are they dead?' asked Rogue still unsure who this bald man was.

'No simply knocked out' said Xavier as Wolverine came ver and picked up his mentor, Logan's wounds had already healed and he was feeling fine.

…

'I'm sorry Rogue there seems nothing we can do, Hank has examined your body and I have examined your mind it seems that this is your power. I'm afraid that without one of the Weapon X collars you may never be able to touch anyone' said Xavier as he tilted his head, he couldn't remember exactly what had happened to him while he was there he knows they took knowledge from his mind and got him to do many awful things but he had no time to worry about himself now he had many wounds to heal in his team.

…

'I just killed him' said Jean as she cried into her knees.

'There is nothing you could have done Jean you were given no choice' comforted Xavier not liking where this conversation was going.

'Then when we escaped it happened again I didn't care, I would have killed them all the voice it came back he power flowed through me again I know its not real but I felt the god pushing my hand to destroy them.' Cried Jean more scared now then she had ever been in her life.

'Jean you know that this power is just the way your mind deals with your powers, your powers are growing at an exponential rate it is usual that you will have to deal with these bursts in power' informed Xavier still not comforting Jean.

'I don't think I can continue at the school professor, not knowing the things I'm capable of' confessed Jean effectively handing in her resignation from the X-men.

'I was afraid you might say that Jean…' Xavier fixed Jean with an intense stare that seemed to plough into her very soul '…don't worry about it Jean any time you have any problems with your homework don't hesitate to come see me.' Jean sniffed she wasn't sure why but her eyes felt puffy and her nose was clogged. 'Excuse me Jean I have some…business to attend to' said Xavier as he exited the room and drove down the corridor in his wheelchair.

…

'How are the recruits doing?' asked Magneto to Mystique as he sat in the chair opposite her in her study in the school.

'They're all failing their classes except Wanda and they aren't even training they see no point in it considering the X-geeks haven't been seen in so long' growled Mystique showing her displeasure at the Brotherhood whom she had to keep in line as she posed as their head mistress.

'That is not important how are they coming along so that they will not care about the next stage of the plan?' asked Magneto knowing he needed them 100 behind him for what he planned next.

'They have no ties and care for no one they are coming along excellently…all except Wanda who shows signs that she may not agree with the cause' confessed Mystique knowing that Magneto would not like this answer.

'My daughter will change her mind once mastermind has a little chat with her…I see no reason not to advance to the next stage. Full scale war.'

End

Well that's it for this instalment, What business does the professor have to deal with? Are Jean's hallucinations just her powers growing or is there something else something evil behind it? Full scale war can not be a good thing for our mutants or can it?