Authoress's notes: eep. Sorry for being late again. I know I promised Saturday, but I wasn't home on Saturday, so I'm updating now – but hey, it's still the weekend for most of you! I'mgo toschool on Sunday! -pouts-

Reviewers' Response:

the littlest weasley – yikes. People actually liked that cheesy speech! I was really surprised by that... I'm a Jew myself, and so I'm a bit sympathetic towards Magneto... and besides, it's Ian McKellen! He's fucking hot! -ahem-

Pyro Lady – thanks.

chelsey pudge – hmm. Interesting. That's good:)

preciousbabyblue – you'll see :)

Pyromainiac – muahahaha, I am evil, aren't I? Glad you love it:D

xImmortalx – god, everybody likes the chapter! I thought it was awful! I'm so glad you all liked it!

Chapter 16: Rescue

Kurt finished his last prayer as Scott gently set the jet down on the roof of the fortress-like building. Xavier went over the rescue plans one last time, making sure everybody knew their part and what to do should something go wrong. He himself would stay on the jet, ready for a speedy takeoff once everybody would be back on-board. After a few minuets spent arguing with Logan, trying to convince him to wear an earpiece so that he could be in contact with everybody else, Melavina came up to him and whispered in his ear, "Are you willing to waste this time, knowing Amanda's in there, only god knows in what state? Just put on the damn earpiece!"

Growling at her, he jammed the earpiece into his ear and kicked open the jet's ramp, stepping down and sniffing. He could detect Amanda's scent quite dimly – she'd been here, or nearby, a few hours ago. Mystique and Magneto's scents were also evident. "They were here," he told the rest. "Do you know where she is?" he asked Xavier.

"All I know is that she's along the outer edges of the building; most possibly she's not on the first or second floor."

Logan nodded. "Right. I'm taking –" he paused, "the third level. You guys spread out in the others."

Rogue and Bobby volunteered for the fourth floor.

"All right," said Kitty. "Come on, Mel, let's do this."

"We'll find her," said Mel. Taking Kitty's arm, she pulled her to the trapdoor Logan had left open. "We'll take the fifth floor." Next, Storm and Cyclops chose the sixth level, each activating their earpieces and climbing down the ladder into the building.

"I shall take the seventh floor," said Kurt. "Herr Doktor?"

"I'll go with you." Beast climbed down from the jet, his eyes narrowed. He'd taken a liking to Amanda; she always made him laugh.

"I shall keep a telepathic link open with you all," said Xavier, "in case the earpieces malfunction."

"Right," echoed everybody's answer through the earpieces.

-X-

"Kitty. Kitty."

"Hang on, Mel..." Kitty phased back through the wall, solidifying and shaking her head. "She's not there. Come on, next room."

"Kitty."

"What?" she said, exasperated. Mel pointed at Shadowcaster standing at the end of the corridor. "Oh." She instantly grabbed Mel's hand and phased through the wall she had just come out of, solidifying and saying, "Okay, now's your turn. Work your magic on him."

Mel's eyes took on a lighter sheen of violet. "Ready."

Kitty phased half-way through the wall, her head and torso out in the corridor while the rest of her body remained inside the room, on the other side of the wall. "Hey, you!" she yelled at Shadowcaster. His head snapped up instantly, and his eyes narrowed at her. "Over here!" She shifted back into the room. "Ready?"

"Kitty, I was born ready."

Kitty rolled her eyes at the cheesy line. After a few seconds, the door of the room opened, and Shadowcaster stepped in, saying, "What are you doing –"

He never finished his sentence, as Melavina stepped in front of him and looked him squarely in the eye. His eyes glazed over, and his face froze in a confused expression. "C'mon!" Mel yelled at Kitty "He'll be dazed enough for a while; he won't be coming after us, that's for sure."

Kitty stepped up to Shadowcaster and shook her head at him. "You're a jackass, you know that?"

"Kitty, come on!" The two of them ran from the room.

"Mel, you are good to have around." Kitty grinned. Mel grinned back at her, and the pair of them set down the corridor, looking for their friend.

-X-

Logan walked quickly through the corridors of the third floor of the building, keeping his ears, eyes and nose alert. His fists clenched at his sides, showing his anger at the Brotherhood. He could smell Magneto and Mystique's scents all over the building, and it drove him nearly mad. He longed to find them both, to hurt them horribly. Then the image of Amanda came into his mind, in her costume as he had last seen her, and his anger diminished somewhat, to be replaced with – what was that feeling he'd been getting lately? Sure, he liked her, but ... Why is it all the good girls I meet always get kidnapped by Magneto and his Brotherhood? he thought sourly. He tried not to think of Amanda as a prisoner here in one of the rooms, perhaps hurt, or even ...

Don't go there, Wolverine. Just, don't.

His anger came back, full force.

Suddenly, he caught Amanda's scent... along with Melavina's. He dropped his gaze to the floor, where a cowboy hat lay on the floor. Mel's hat – Amanda had worn it as part of her costume. He picked it up, his fingers clutching it tightly. He'd be dammed if they lay a finger on her.

Footsteps coming around the corner caught his attention. He snapped out his claws and jumped around the corner, frightening whoever it was.

"Wolverine! God, you scared me!"

Logan's eyes narrowed. "Amanda?" The scent wasn't right, he thought to himself. Ah. Mystique. He decided to play along; he slid his claws back in halfway, ready to snap them out again any second.

"Yes, Amanda. Who did you think I was? Come on, let's get out of here!"

"No thanks," he growled, hitting her squarely in the face. She fell to the floor, but quickly sprang back up, shifting back into her normal, blue-scaled form and smirking at him. They sparred for a few minuets, he with brute force and hard, quick blows; she with agility and flexible movements. "Guys?" he growled into the communication device. "I could use some backup here."

"Bobby and Rogue are closest to you," said Xavier's voice in his ear, "I'll send them down."

"Great," he muttered, and slashed at Mystique again. She flipped over backwards, avoiding his claws and kicking him in the chin. He landed hard on his back, and stood up quickly to see Bobby round the corner, Rogue hot on his trail. Next thing her knew, two Rogues stood before him. "Oh, great."

"Logan?" said the Rogue standing on Bobby's left.

"Shut up, Mystique!" said the other Rogue, who could have very well been Mystique herself. Bobby was looking from one to the other, thoroughly confused, not knowing which was which. He'd thought ... but now there were two...

"Logan?" he said. "How do we know which one?"

"Quiet," Logan silenced him. The two Rogues were now facing each other, both of them glaring and looking exactly alike. "Marie?"

Both turned their heads to him; one, however, did so before the other. "Lift your shirt a bit," he told her. She did so, revealing her smooth stomach, no scars blemishing her skin.

With no hesitation, Logan ran towards the other Rogue, adding another scar to her collection from him. Working with him, Rogue kicked Mystique's feet out from beneath her, and she crashed to the floor, fading back to herself. Then someone else rounded the corner: a dark-haired, blue-eyed mutant, carrying a glass vial in his hand, full of a dark red liquid that looked suspiciously like blood. Eyes wide, he lunged forward and grabbed Rogue from behind. Another person rounded the bend – Kelly, the water mutant. She melted instantly and a wall of water raced towards the X-Men.

Bobby held his hands out and caught the flood of water in the middle of the corridor, forming a wall of smooth, slippery ice, and was trying to freeze another dark-haired, blue-eyed mutant. Presumably the two were twin brothers. Mystique still lay unconscious on the floor.

Rogue elbowed the mutant who had grabbed her in the stomach, making him release her and double over for a second. She stepped forward and slipped on the ice, sliding towards Logan. "Logan!" she cried out, hoping he'd catch her and stop her fall.

Logan spun around at Rogue's yell, and instinctively reached out to catch her. Unfortunately, he'd forgotten to sheathe his claws, and all three of his right hand sank into Rogue's stomach. Letting out a scream of pain, she fell to the floor.

"Shit," Logan cursed, and knelt next to her. "Bobby, cover us!" Almost instantly a wall of thick ice formed before them, shielding them from any other attacks. Logan removed one of his gloves and gently touched his hand to Rogue's cheek. He felt the pull of her skin instantly, that slow suction-like feeling that drained him of his power. Shallow gashes and bruises reappeared on his skin as his body lost its healing power, transferring it to Rogue.

Finally, he detached himself from her and lay on his back, trying to breathe normally. Rogue opened her eyes and blinked at him, lifting her shirt to inspect yet another scar that was quickly fading into nothing. She stood up and hauled Logan to a half-sitting position against the wall, gently holding his face up with one gloved hand.

"Thanks, Logan. What would I do without you?"

"You'd never get stabbed in the first place, for one thing," he said weakly.

She chuckled at him. "Right. Stay here until you get your strength back; I'm gonna kick some ass."

"Go get 'em, kid."

Smashing through the thinning wall of ice with one well-placed kick (she'd learned some good moves from Logan and Kurt), she ran headlong at the mutant who had grabbed her before. Letting out an almost growl-like yell inspired by the Logan in her head, she showered him with punches and kicks, just like Logan had taught her, guided by his 'borrowed' hearing, animalistic instincts and stamina.

The poor boy didn't know what hit him. He held his hands up, trying (rather unsuccessfully) to block her punches and kicks; finally, he managed to catch her leg as she came round for a high spin-kick. The leg of her pants, however, had fallen down a bit as she'd swung her leg up, and Rick had reached out and grabbed it, touching her exposed skin. Both froze, looking at his hand on her ankle; Rogue half-expected to feel the mutant in her mind within seconds. She hadn't, however, expected a huge flash of light and a blinding sensation of half-cold, half-heat that ran through her body. She fell to the floor, unconscious.

Logan, who had by now regained some of his strength, stood up just as she fell. Growling, he landed the mutant a single punch, shattering his nose by the sound of it. The only member of the Brotherhood left standing was Brian, though he couldn't really have changed his position if he wanted to, as Bobby had encased the lower half of his body in ice, making him a half-frozen statue in the middle of the floor.

"Where is she?" he demanded.

"Who?" Brian said, trying to look as though he meant it. He did, after all, know exactly who Bobby was referring to.

"You know goddamn well who," said Logan, carrying Rogue and glaring at the mutant.

"What, do you mean the girl – what's her name – Andrea?"

"Amanda," growled Logan.

"Oh, her. Yes. Um. Well, I don't really know where she is."

Logan raised an eyebrow. Handing Rogue over to Bobby, he bent down to the unconscious mutant at his feet, reaching into his pocket and pulling out the vial of blood. "Don't you? This is her blood."

"Oh. Right." Brian bit his lip. Logan snapped out his claws.

"Don't make me hurt you more than I need to."

"Right." Brian eyed the adamantuim claws edgily. "She's on the seventh floor. Second room on the left once you come up the stairs in the middle."

"Good. Iceman, you get Rogue to the jet. I'll get the others to the seventh floor."

"Got it." Bobby shifted his hold on Rogue, putting one arm under he knees and one under her shoulders, careful not to touch her skin. Then he turned and made his way down the corridor, careful of his ice.

"Wait!" yelled Brian, his eyes widening as Logan set off to find the staircases. "Wait – where're you going? You're can't just leave me here like this!"

"Watch me," said Logan as he rounded the corner.

-X-

"I just hope she is all right," said Kurt as he and Hank walked quickly down the corridors of the seventh floor. He could feel the vibrations through the floor as Beast growled.

"She had better be," he said, "or someone tonight will not feel good."

Kurt smiled at the scientist. "Don't worry about her," he said, "I think she can take care of herself, and I truly do not envy anybody who wishes to harm her. Come on," he stepped towards a heavy metal door, "let's check in here."

He tried opening the door, but it was too heavy. "Let me," said Beast. He wrapped both furry hands around the metal handle and pulled, but to no avail. The door would not budge. "I can't move it," he panted. "Can you teleport in?"

Kurt looked uneasily at the door. "I don't like teleporting to places I have not been before. I cannot do it if I don't know where I'm going."

"Well, try!" Beast growled. "I won't be surprised if she's in there; this door is so heavy for a reason!"

"Ja. Very well," said Kurt, closing his eyes and unconsciously beginning to mutter a prayer. Gathering his usual cloud of blue smoke around himself, he teleported. Opening his eyes, he almost smiled. Inside, sitting on the floor with her hands in a crude pair of steel handcuffs, was Amanda. She raised an eyebrow at him.

"It's about time," she said. "I've been here for hours!"

This time, Kurt did smile. "I apologize meine Liebling; it took us some time to find you. Come, I'll teleport us back out."

"Uhh, Kurt?"

"Yes?"

"My hands are cuffed. Could you perhaps do something about that? They're beginning to get sore."

"Oh. Well, let me see." He took a step forward, but then his earpiece buzzed, and Dr. McCoy's deep voice reached their ears. "Kurt, is she in there? What's happened, why aren't you teleporting back?"

"Wait a moment, Hank. She's here, but – wait."

"All right..."

Before he could even take another step forwards, Logan's voice buzzed in his ear this time: "Guys, she's on the seventh floor."

Kurt rolled his eyes. Such timing. "We know, Logan," he said into the mike. "I found her. But we could use your help. Where are you?"

"I'm somewhere on the seventh floor. Where are you? Is she okay?"

"She's fine, but she's handcuffed... and I don't see a key anywhere. We could use those claws of yours."

"Gottcha. Wait, I can see Beast..."

"I'm coming out; I'll teleport you in." He winked at Amanda. "Be right back, Liebe," he said, and teleported.

On the other side of the door, Logan jumped back as Kurt materialized with a cloud of blue smoke. The blue mutant held his hand out to Logan. "Come; she's in there."

"Whoa," said Logan, holding his hands up. "And how am I supposed to get in there?"

Kurt looked at him, confused. "I'll teleport you," he said.

"Whoa," Logan said again. "You're not teleporting me anywhere, elf."

Beast rolled his eyes. "Don't start that now like with the earpiece, Logan. Just do it." And he pushed Logan at Kurt, who caught him and instantly teleported. Beast could hear Wolverine's curses beyond the door, even without the earpieces.

Inside, Amanda greeted Logan with a grin and a, "Good to see you, Logan."

"Good to see you too," he said sarcastically, having to stop himself from sighing in relief to see her safe. Kneeling next to her, he placed a hand on her shoulder and took her hands so he could see the handcuffs. She hissed as he jarred the cut on her arm. "What–?" He frowned at the cut. "Did they do this to you?"

"Mhmm," she nodded. "It was one of the twins. Brian, I think."

Logan growled. "Hold still," he instructed as he unsheathed one of his claws, carefully holding it between her handcuffed wrists. With one smooth stroke, he sliced through the cuffs, and slowly, gently inserted a single claw inside one of the circles of metal. Lifting the claw, breaking the cuff, he tossed it aside and repeated the process at her other wrist, then helped her to her feet. He gently brushed a hand over the cut on her arm. "Come on; let's get you back to the jet. Kurt?"

"I can only teleport one at a time," he said, and took Amanda's hand. Logan nodded tersely and Kurt teleported the two of them. Then he returned for Logan.

When all three were in the corridor again, Kitty and Melavina came running around the corner, Storm and Cyclops close behind. Everybody was happy to see Amanda, and the group quickly made it back to the jet.

Xavier welcomed Amanda to the jet with a smile. "Are you all right?" he asked. "Did they harm you?"

"Not much," she said, showing him the cut on her arm. "But they took some blood. All I managed to understand from Magneto was that they copied my powers and amplified them, and that they were going to kill everybody that isn't a mutant."

"Oh dear," said Xavier, frowning. "Eric, what are you up to this time?" he muttered.

Authoress's note: muahahahaha, evil cliffie. Well, not really. Okay, actually, yes, it is a cliffie, I suppose. Ha! -grins- Don't forget to review!