Disclaimer: I don't own the X-Men. Ilehana Xavier belongs to Corrinth. All
other characters belong to me.
A/N: Thank you to all my reviewers out there; you really are all stars.
Scene 10
Matthew Cooper felt like the new kid at school, starting mid-way through term when everyone else already knew exactly how things worked. He didn't much like the sensation, but he wouldn't, couldn't miss this briefing. The first human allowed to participate in a briefing of the X-Men? He didn't much doubt it. He entered the briefing room behind an uncommunicative Jubilee; felt he stood out as an outsider as Bobby and Storm took their places on autopilot, all so worried about Colossus...
His hopes pricked up a bit as his ears heard an easy conversation approaching the room. Logan, by the sound of the complaining, with Blaze and Gambit. The doors slid open again to admit the three less subdued X- Men.
"Can't you ever be optimistic about anything, Logan?" Blaze teased, going to pull out her usual seat.
"So I'm a 'glass is half empty' kinda guy, ain't nothin' nobody can do about it." Logan replied, taking the seat to Blaze's right side, whilst Gambit did the same to her left.
"Glass, head, what the difference, eh Ami?" Gambit joked, pushing his chair back on to two legs rather than four. Logan scowled at him, but Matthew finally found his voice before the Wolverine could put Gambit in the ground.
"Does it matter where I sit?" The politician asked politely.
"Not really. Pick a chair." Logan answered. Matthew did as he was told, reaching out for the nearest free seat, which happened to be the one next to Wolverine. "But not that one." Logan finished with a warning growl as Gambit and Blaze sniggered. Matthew calmly breathed in and moved one chair over, raising an eyebrow at Logan who nodded his approval. Matthew had never been so glad to sink into a chair in all this life, trying to hide his embarrassment of making a fool of himself in front of Blaze. Not that he'd made much of an impression even then, too busy now retying her hair in a ponytail and rolling her eyes at another of Gambit's stupid jokes. Matthew wondered what he'd have to do to get her to look at him like she looked at the Cajun...
"Excuse me." Ilehana announced herself slightly breathlessly, dropping elegantly into the empty seat next to Wolverine. Of course, Vixen and Wolverine, that was why that seat had been already taken. Sheesh, just like being at school, Matthew sniped mentally. Ilehana shot him an amused look despite her obvious tiredness. Uh-uh, now he'd put his foot in it with the telepath... Matthew didn't have time to make amends as Professor Xavier himself arrived, accompanied by a huge, blue, hairy stranger. Used as he was to the varying degrees of mutation, Matthew's eyes still shot out on stalks a little as he beheld the Beast for the first time.
"Make yourself comfortable, Hank." Xavier advised, moving his wheelchair into position at the head of the meeting.
"Hank?" Matthew asked, jaw dropping open as Beast turned his baleful eyes on his friend. "How? When? I didn't even know you were a mutant..."
"Principles of mind over matter, it's sometimes possible for a strong- minded mutant to suppress their mutation for long periods of time, especially if they have a telepath's help." The soft explanation not from Hank or even Xavier, but from Blaze. Matthew met her brown eyes, wondering what he was reading there? But she dropped the eye contact quickly, glancing apologetically to Xavier. Matthew glanced from one mutant to the next; Cyclops, Nightcrawler, Storm, Jubilee, Iceman, Xavier, Hank, Gambit, Blaze, Wolverine and Vixen. Nobody else seemed the slightest bit surprised by the change in Hank's appearance, a fact that made Matthew feel even more sidelined. Oh well, at least Blaze was speaking to him now...
"Ilehana?" Xavier turned to address his daughter; telepathically aware of how much she was dreading giving this news. He washed her with what sympathy and strength he could muster, but the news he had already been made aware of had cut him in two, he didn't have much strength left to share.
"Colossus is severely ill." Vixen began carefully; taking what comfort she could from her father whilst reinforcing her telepathic barriers against the swell of emotion in the room. Peter was a well-liked member of the team, and not everyone had been aware of how serious his condition was. This was not going to be easy. "He has a virus..."
"A genetically engineered one?" Storm had been infected herself once, instantly thinking how easy it would still be to use such a weapon against the X-Men. Blaze's eyes narrowed too at the suggestion, but Ilehana shook her head.
"No, it's natural, though I can't work out where it's come from. But I'm afraid it's also deadly. He has maybe a few hours left. There's nothing I can do."
Silence. Not even Logan's super-hearing could pick up a muttered comment. Faces paled around the room, eyes filled with tears, the swell of fear and torment like the rising tide against the telepathic Xaviers. But nobody said a thing.
"We're placing the school under quarantine until we can figure more of this out." Hank took over the briefing. "Ilehana and I will need all of you to report to the infirmary for tests, then to help us test the children, starting with the ones that have the most contact with Colossus."
"Have you cancelled our Washington trip like I asked you to, Matthew?" Xavier asked.
"Yeah, sorry, meant to tell you." Matthew sat a little straighter. "The press conference and debate were to be cancelled anyway, the President is on his way to Hawaii. Two of his daughter's friend's have been rushed into hospital there..." Matthew frowned suddenly, knowing there was something important there but not spotting it. Bobby was more clued in.
"Did you say Hawaii?" Matthew nodded as Iceman leant eagerly forward, meeting Jubilee's eyes. "Isn't that where Sian had flown in from last night?"
"Could there be a connection?" Blaze asked as Jubilee nodded.
"Its possible. Did they spend a lot of time together?" Ilehana asked.
"Are Logan's sideburns dodgy?" Blaze replied, incensced like fire in a breeze that it might not all be over. Gambit clarified things matter-of- fact-ly. "Down each other's throats all night, Chere."
"Cyclops, Storm, track down Havoc and this girl and bring them back to the mansion. Even if Sian is not the source of the virus, its possible both have contracted it and are passing it on." Xavier took charge irrefutably. "Matthew, can you use your connections to find out what is happening on Hawaii?" Matthew nodded his agreement. "Everyone else, Hank has given you your instructions. Dismissed."
Just like that the meeting was over, chairs scraped back and the X-Men leapt into action. Glad to have something to do, Matthew instantly began attacking the phonebook in his mobile. Heroes the X-Men maybe, but he wasn't about to stand by and leave it all to them if there was a chance he could help.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Last thing at night, he made the call. The shadowy man kept the details brief, knowing she wouldn't have much patience else wise. Suffice to say, things were moving exactly as they should be. The world was at their feet; soon mutants would be no more...
A/N: Thank you to all my reviewers out there; you really are all stars.
Scene 10
Matthew Cooper felt like the new kid at school, starting mid-way through term when everyone else already knew exactly how things worked. He didn't much like the sensation, but he wouldn't, couldn't miss this briefing. The first human allowed to participate in a briefing of the X-Men? He didn't much doubt it. He entered the briefing room behind an uncommunicative Jubilee; felt he stood out as an outsider as Bobby and Storm took their places on autopilot, all so worried about Colossus...
His hopes pricked up a bit as his ears heard an easy conversation approaching the room. Logan, by the sound of the complaining, with Blaze and Gambit. The doors slid open again to admit the three less subdued X- Men.
"Can't you ever be optimistic about anything, Logan?" Blaze teased, going to pull out her usual seat.
"So I'm a 'glass is half empty' kinda guy, ain't nothin' nobody can do about it." Logan replied, taking the seat to Blaze's right side, whilst Gambit did the same to her left.
"Glass, head, what the difference, eh Ami?" Gambit joked, pushing his chair back on to two legs rather than four. Logan scowled at him, but Matthew finally found his voice before the Wolverine could put Gambit in the ground.
"Does it matter where I sit?" The politician asked politely.
"Not really. Pick a chair." Logan answered. Matthew did as he was told, reaching out for the nearest free seat, which happened to be the one next to Wolverine. "But not that one." Logan finished with a warning growl as Gambit and Blaze sniggered. Matthew calmly breathed in and moved one chair over, raising an eyebrow at Logan who nodded his approval. Matthew had never been so glad to sink into a chair in all this life, trying to hide his embarrassment of making a fool of himself in front of Blaze. Not that he'd made much of an impression even then, too busy now retying her hair in a ponytail and rolling her eyes at another of Gambit's stupid jokes. Matthew wondered what he'd have to do to get her to look at him like she looked at the Cajun...
"Excuse me." Ilehana announced herself slightly breathlessly, dropping elegantly into the empty seat next to Wolverine. Of course, Vixen and Wolverine, that was why that seat had been already taken. Sheesh, just like being at school, Matthew sniped mentally. Ilehana shot him an amused look despite her obvious tiredness. Uh-uh, now he'd put his foot in it with the telepath... Matthew didn't have time to make amends as Professor Xavier himself arrived, accompanied by a huge, blue, hairy stranger. Used as he was to the varying degrees of mutation, Matthew's eyes still shot out on stalks a little as he beheld the Beast for the first time.
"Make yourself comfortable, Hank." Xavier advised, moving his wheelchair into position at the head of the meeting.
"Hank?" Matthew asked, jaw dropping open as Beast turned his baleful eyes on his friend. "How? When? I didn't even know you were a mutant..."
"Principles of mind over matter, it's sometimes possible for a strong- minded mutant to suppress their mutation for long periods of time, especially if they have a telepath's help." The soft explanation not from Hank or even Xavier, but from Blaze. Matthew met her brown eyes, wondering what he was reading there? But she dropped the eye contact quickly, glancing apologetically to Xavier. Matthew glanced from one mutant to the next; Cyclops, Nightcrawler, Storm, Jubilee, Iceman, Xavier, Hank, Gambit, Blaze, Wolverine and Vixen. Nobody else seemed the slightest bit surprised by the change in Hank's appearance, a fact that made Matthew feel even more sidelined. Oh well, at least Blaze was speaking to him now...
"Ilehana?" Xavier turned to address his daughter; telepathically aware of how much she was dreading giving this news. He washed her with what sympathy and strength he could muster, but the news he had already been made aware of had cut him in two, he didn't have much strength left to share.
"Colossus is severely ill." Vixen began carefully; taking what comfort she could from her father whilst reinforcing her telepathic barriers against the swell of emotion in the room. Peter was a well-liked member of the team, and not everyone had been aware of how serious his condition was. This was not going to be easy. "He has a virus..."
"A genetically engineered one?" Storm had been infected herself once, instantly thinking how easy it would still be to use such a weapon against the X-Men. Blaze's eyes narrowed too at the suggestion, but Ilehana shook her head.
"No, it's natural, though I can't work out where it's come from. But I'm afraid it's also deadly. He has maybe a few hours left. There's nothing I can do."
Silence. Not even Logan's super-hearing could pick up a muttered comment. Faces paled around the room, eyes filled with tears, the swell of fear and torment like the rising tide against the telepathic Xaviers. But nobody said a thing.
"We're placing the school under quarantine until we can figure more of this out." Hank took over the briefing. "Ilehana and I will need all of you to report to the infirmary for tests, then to help us test the children, starting with the ones that have the most contact with Colossus."
"Have you cancelled our Washington trip like I asked you to, Matthew?" Xavier asked.
"Yeah, sorry, meant to tell you." Matthew sat a little straighter. "The press conference and debate were to be cancelled anyway, the President is on his way to Hawaii. Two of his daughter's friend's have been rushed into hospital there..." Matthew frowned suddenly, knowing there was something important there but not spotting it. Bobby was more clued in.
"Did you say Hawaii?" Matthew nodded as Iceman leant eagerly forward, meeting Jubilee's eyes. "Isn't that where Sian had flown in from last night?"
"Could there be a connection?" Blaze asked as Jubilee nodded.
"Its possible. Did they spend a lot of time together?" Ilehana asked.
"Are Logan's sideburns dodgy?" Blaze replied, incensced like fire in a breeze that it might not all be over. Gambit clarified things matter-of- fact-ly. "Down each other's throats all night, Chere."
"Cyclops, Storm, track down Havoc and this girl and bring them back to the mansion. Even if Sian is not the source of the virus, its possible both have contracted it and are passing it on." Xavier took charge irrefutably. "Matthew, can you use your connections to find out what is happening on Hawaii?" Matthew nodded his agreement. "Everyone else, Hank has given you your instructions. Dismissed."
Just like that the meeting was over, chairs scraped back and the X-Men leapt into action. Glad to have something to do, Matthew instantly began attacking the phonebook in his mobile. Heroes the X-Men maybe, but he wasn't about to stand by and leave it all to them if there was a chance he could help.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Last thing at night, he made the call. The shadowy man kept the details brief, knowing she wouldn't have much patience else wise. Suffice to say, things were moving exactly as they should be. The world was at their feet; soon mutants would be no more...