Author's Note: Seem to be losing readers . . . :( Oh well, I'll finish this story whether I have 100 readers or just myself.


Chapter Fifteen

Gambit kept looking behind his back. He didn't know why, but something was making him jumpy. He was on the verge of lighting one of his cards, when he almost ran into Rogue.

Wolverine had stopped.

'Logan?' Rogue asked, uncertainly.

'Someone behind,' he murmured.

Gambit didn't hear him, but he was able to hear the sound of footsteps stopping. He whirled around, a card already in his hand, but he was too slow as the "someone" knocked him to the ground. He felt like he had run into a brick wall as it knocked the wind out of him. The figure went straight for Wolverine. Rogue leapt out of the way and went to Gambit.

'Are you okay?' she asked, reaching her hand out to help him; she had already turned on her flashlight.

'Yeah . . .' Gambit huffed as he took her hand. A card reappeared in his other hand, giving him light to see. 'What was dat?'

'Sabretooth,' Rogue said as she shone the light on the now all-out brawl.

'Him again!' gasped Gambit, massaging his chest.

'You? Don' you have anyone else t'pick on?' Wolverine complained as he and Sabretooth came out of each other's grips. 'Go!' he yelled back to Gambit and Rogue.

'You heard da man, cher,' Gambit said as he tried to push Rogue on.

'But . . .'

'Gambit t'inks you get da Professor. He help more dan us,' Gambit said.

Rogue agreed. She called out to the Professor as they made their way into a clearing.


Cyclops was about to turn his flashlight on full power when he suddenly saw two people emerge from the forest.

'What the?' he asked, but instantly recognized Gambit's coat in the moonlight.

He waved the hand not holding the light in hopes that they would see him. Rogue looked uncertainly in their direction, but saw Beast's blue fur against the whiteness and she was sure it was them. Instead of walking right through the clearing, they ran around it where they met up with Cyclops.

'It's Logan again. Sabretooth's here,' Rogue panted.

'What!' Cyclops asked.

Rogue indicated with her finger where they had emerged.

'Okay. I'll try to get him. As back up, Hank, come with me. You two circle the other way. That way, if he spots one of us, we might have a chance of him running into the other,' Cyclops said.

Rogue and Gambit nodded and took off on the left. Cyclops and Hank proceeded to the right.

Where's Storm and Kurt, Professor? Cyclops asked as they went closer.

They've found some footprints. I've warned them to be on the lookout. They're safe . . . for now. Be careful, Cyclops, the Professor voice echoed in Scott's head.

Always, Professor, Cyclops thought back. He walked a little more and could see movement. He and Beast stopped short. Beast turned his flashlight on as Cyclops turned his off. Beast shone the light on the fight. Scott tried to see if he could aim a shot. Wolverine got a glimpse of him and, seeing his hand by his visor, knew what he was trying to do. He kept Sabretooth's attention on himself. When he saw the chance, Wolverine took a page out of Sabretooth's book and dug his six claws all the way up to his knuckles into Sabretooth's chest. Cyclops was aiming at his back, but he didn't mind. Wolverine shook his claws out just as Cyclops aimed two quick, powerful shots, sending Sabretooth flying and Wolverine lunging out of the way, just in time.

'Sure cut it close, bub,' Wolverine growled as he got back up, retracting his claws.

'Can't always prevent risks,' Cyclops said. 'Let's go find Storm and Nightcrawler.'

'An' leave 'im t'go report to Magneto?' Wolverine asked.

'We can't help it,. Someone already knows we're here anyway,' Cyclops said.

He then turned to meet up with Rogue and Gambit. Wolverine looked at Beast, but he only shrugged his shoulders and followed. Wolverine looked back and saw the skid marks Sabretooth had made, but couldn't see him from all the fallen trees. He let out a frustrated growl and slowly followed Cyclops.

'Did ya get him?' Rogue asked when they met up.

'He's unconscious at the moment,' Cyclops said.

'Ya so sure 'bout that?' Wolverine asked.

Cyclops ignored him. 'We have to find Storm and Nightcrawler now. Come on.'

Cyclops then started leading them. Rogue and Gambit followed behind him. Then it was Beast and Wolverine brought up the rear. It had been perhaps ten minutes that had passed, but Wolverine was already making his way closer to Cyclops. He finally got in front of Rogue and Gambit.

'Turn left on that trail,' Wolverine muttered to Cyclops.

'Why?'

''Cause I smell th' other two. But I think somethin's followin' us an' it ain't Sabretooth,' Wolverine said, his lips barely moving as he said the last sentence.

Cyclops gave him a side-ways look, but he was already making his way to the back again. Rogue gave him a quizzical look, but he didn't reply. Cyclops did turn left though. Wolverine knew Storm and Nightcrawler were getting closer now. He could still hear something behind them too though. If he just barely inches his head like he was looking back, it would stop. If he hadn't had such keen senses, he probably would have never noticed it. And it was with that thought that made him nervous.

Hey Charley! He called out.

Yes, Logan?

Do you know what th' hell is followin' us?

I've been sensing its presence for some time also, but I thought it might have been just me. I'm looking into it now.

After some silence, Logan thought he would never answer back.

I . . . I don't know what it is. I think it's a mutant, but it's blocking me. As soon as you find the other two, come to the Jet immediately. I'm liking this less and less . . .

Yeah, me too, Logan thought back. He was sure Charles was telling the others the same thing. Rogue confirmed his thinking as she kind of glanced behind her and then started walking closer to Gambit. Soon, they did come upon Storm and Nightcrawler. Actually, they almost ran into them. When they stopped, Logan could sense the "something" come a little closer. It wasn't Sabretooth, he was very sure of that. He would have known if it was Magneto by now. Mystique? Well, she may have fooled him once or twice, but there wasn't no way she could black Charley from her mind, could she? He knew that both she and John could be wearing those devices, but still. It just didn't feel like Mystique and John always had a faint burnt scent about him, even if he wasn't aware of it.

'Thank the goddesses, it's you!' Storm said as she saw Scott.

'Why? What happened?' Scott asked.

'We found footprints right after we heard some movement behind a bush. They were very strange footprints, I've never seen them before. I looked up and all of the snow in the trees in front of me came crashing down on top of me. I didn't know so much snow could be on so few trees. I just froze because . . . because it was like being buried alive . . .' Storm drifted off, shivering in spite of herself.

'But I teleported her out of it. That is vhen ve saw vhat had made all the snow fall. I can't even explain it. It vas just total blackness,' Nightcrawler explained, expanding his arms to show how big it was.

'Where is it now?' Cyclops asked.

'I'm not sure. Kurt teleported again and we started running until we ran into you,' Storm said.

At that moment, the trees behind Logan started moving. The moon was covered with clouds, but he could sense whatever it was that had been behind them. It was now taking flight. He popped his claws. Rogue screamed. The sky was black, but now it was blacker. Beast shone his flashlight up at the same moment Cyclops had his hand on his visor. But the ting had already left, gone in a gust of smoke and ashes.