Scott, Wolverine, and Kurt left the office quickly. He saw Jean walking toward him, "You know already?" he asked.
"Yes, telepathic eavesdropping." Scott chuckled, "Can you get us ready to fly A.S.A.P.?"
"Definitely," Jean spotted Storm and waved her over. "Come on, Storm, we'll need you. Scott can explain everything on the way there because I wasn't in on the meeting."
Climbing aboard the X-Jet, Scott got her airborne and they took off, it was late evening by the time they had finished preparing and finding everyone, midnight before the engine check was done and 12:30 by the time they could round up half the sleeping, grumpy teachers. Wolverine, or Logan as they called him, sat across from Jean while Scott was in the middle and Storm was in the pilot's seat. The ceiling rumbled above them as it pulled apart, the X-Jet rose into the air and they headed straight for the warehouse on the South Side of New York.
"So, what's this all about?" Jean Grey asked, "and where are we going?"
"I wonder which one I should answer first?" Scott replied, "Well, I guess I'll start with the first question. Do you remember the Unity Days Festival yesterday?"
"Yes," Jean replied, "I would have gone, but I was too busy."
"Yes, well, Logan and I went and everything was just great until Venom showed up and started attacking these kids."
"Kids?" Jean asked, "Who are they?"
"They call themselves the Teen Titans, ever heard of them?"
"Yes," she replied, "just a little. I know they live in Jump City."
"You know more than I do," Scott commented, "anyway, Spiderman was there too and we all jumped on Venom and chased him off. Logan then brought them to the school."
"That's nice Scott, but what does it have to do right now?" Jean asked.
"I'll tell you," Scott said, continuing, "Anyway, the Professor has uncovered this plot involving an alliance between the Brotherhood, Venom and a guy named Slade. This guy's obviously has something to do with the Teen Titans. So Professor X wants us to go to this warehouse and check out if they're still there."
"Thanks for the info Scott, that clears up some things," Ororro spoke up from the cockpit, "I was wondering why he suddenly had us drop what we were doing to go out in the X-Jet."
They traveled for some time in silence suddenly Jean spoke up, "Hey Scott, have you heard any of the rumors?"
"Rumors?" Scott asked, "What rumors?"
"Rumors that Xavier's original student has returned."
"Original student?" Scott asked, skeptical, "I thought we were his original students."
"I guess we weren't," Storm said.
"Wait as second," Logan spoke up, "you guys weren't his first students, and I thought he found you guys when he first started the school."
"He did," Scott said, "but I guess that he taught someone else before he discovered us." He shrugged, "Are we almost there?"
"Yep," Storm replied, "Let me just set this thing down a ways away from the building so we don't attract attention."
Settling the Jet into a dark alley, the X-Men made their way silently towards the warehouse. They quietly climbed onto the roof and peered through the glass windows. They heard voices. The voice of Magneto and Venom, there was another man there, one that none of them recognized. Logan used his animal like senses to catch some of the conversation. "...I won't pay you a thing until Garfield Logan is dead, do you understand me?" the man demanded.
"What of your money?" Magneto asked, "What is this boy to us? He is no threat to our cause."
"He's a threat to me; he could ruin everything I've done. Eliminate him, and four million dollars is in your pockets. What do you say, gentlemen? Four million for one life."
Magneto looked thoughtful. "It seems like a waste of time, but I could use that money to further the Cause. Yes, soon our fate will be theirs and I'll have enough money to do it...yes, consider it done."
"What's in it for me if I help?" Venom demanded, "If he gets paid I should too."
"That can be arranged. Make sure the boy is dead and I'll pay you the same."
"How do we know you have all this money? How can we be sure this promise of yours will be kept?" Venom demanded. "Don't worry, friends, Mark Logan was a wealthy man. He had billions, with his bratty son out of the way, what's to stop us after we've killed him?" The man's eyes gleamed, "Absolutely nothing." He looked at them, "Do we have a deal?"
"Yes, I believe we do. Garfield Logan will be dead by tomorrow evening, at the earliest." Magneto and Venom shook his hand.
"We better go, we'll leave you to your own amusements." He began walking away from the man, "I warn you Nicholas Galtry. Cross me and I'll see to it that you're a dead man."
"That is completely understood, Magneto. I'll remember that."
"Good," he said and Magneto and Venom left the building.
The man named Nicholas Galtry walked over to a huge video screen as soon as he knew they were gone and connected to Xavier.
Logan motioned to Scott, Jean and Storm, "Go down and cover the doorway, I'll keep listening and when he's leaving, we'll nab him." They nodded and separated into their spots.
Logan leaned down to listen again. More snatches and pieces of the conversation floated up to him. "...All I want is for you to tell a boy named Garfield Logan that he can't escape me, I'll find him and see that he is destroyed!"
"...Who are you?" Xavier demanded, "And what do you want with this boy?"
"...It's none of your business, Xavier," the man said, "Just tell him that Nicholas Galtry is coming for him." Logan couldn't catch the rest, but it was enough. He signaled Scott. They all got in position.
Nicholas Galtry exited the warehouse looking about him suspiciously. Being reassured that no one had spotted him, he started towards his car. Storm swooped down and stood in his path. "Who are you?" he demanded.
"That is not your concern, you're coming with us." He pulled out a gun. Scott fired his laser, sending the man sprawling. He got back to his feet and began firing. Storm dodged and used her power to cause a great wind to rise up as he tried to make his way towards his car. He spotted Jean and whipping out a knife he hurled it at her. Using her powers, she caused it to freeze in midair and fall uselessly to the ground.
Logan jumped down, claws extended as the man made a break for his car. Slamming his fist into his face, Logan caused the man to stagger. He whipped out another knife and slashed hard. Logan sliced the knife into neat, even little pieces and then he dug his claws into the man's shoulder from behind and Nicholas Galtry fell to his knees. "Well Mister Galtry. Looks like you won't be going anywhere anytime soon."
"Scott, help me get this bozo to the Jet."
Scott grabbed the man's arm roughly, "Come on!" And they led him inside.
Storm walked up to Jean who was making her way inside. "So, what do you think this all means? None of it makes any logical sense."
"It doesn't," Jean agreed, "but there has to be a reason for everything. We just have to find out what it is."
They flew back to the school in silence. It was four in the morning and they were all tired. The Mission was accomplished. Now they would have to see what it would all mean.
Raven had found a first aid kit and fixed her wounded shoulder. She'd ignored the pain as she had lost herself in the moment of lost memories, as well as lost happiness. She'd forgotten who she was, before Azerath was destroyed, before she'd lost everything she'd ever cared about. Except Xavier, he'd never given up on her, even after all these years, he still believed in hope for her. That was a comfort, a small one, but still a comfort nonetheless.
She was once again beside the reflection pool, now black in the dark night. No one was there as she stared blankly off into its depths. She felt nothing. There was nothing. What could she do now? There wasn't any visible, tangible hope for her, not the kind that she wanted. The hope she longed for was to be happy, at least, content and satisfied. But satisfaction was far, far away now.
Suddenly, there was a small shout of, "Ow!" and a muttered, "Oh great," as Raven whirled around and saw Beast Boy standing in some bushes.
"Come on out, Beast Boy," she said. "Why aren't you asleep?"
"Didn't feel like it, so I decided to explore the roof and I saw you climb out your window so I followed you."
"You followed me?" she asked, a slight amount of anger filling her voice, "You saw the Maze, didn't you?" she asked.
"Yes," she replied. She was nervous, he'd seen a different side of her, one that none of the other Titans had seen, it gave him a form of power over her, and that was unnerving.
Beast Boy looked at her, "I watched you, and—" he began to stutter and stammer, "—You, what you did was, absolutely incredible. I've never seen you so powerful before. It scared me."
"Do I scare you, Beast Boy? Is that why you don't talk to me?" Raven felt he was rejecting her, "Is that why you hate me so much? Because of my powers?"
"I don't hate you Raven," Beast Boy said and stepped closer to her, "you just scare me that's all." He looked at her until she forced herself to turn and look at him.
"Please, stop staring at me," she said, more nervous than before, he was very close to her, now she was plainly frightened by him. "Why?" he asked, his voice a mere whisper, "are you afraid of me?"
"I'm not afraid," Raven said flatly, bringing a feigned sense of strength into her voice, "I don't do fear."
Beast Boy moved closer to her, he could feel her shaking. "I think you are afraid of me," he said, his voice soft and quiet. "I think you're afraid of what I could do to you," he gently wrapped his arms around her, "what I can do to you."
"I'm not afraid," Raven said in a voice just above a whisper, "I'm just very lonely."
Raven saw Beast Boy smile in the dark, "Then let me ease your loneliness," he whispered, he gently brushed his lips against hers, he pulled her close, his lips found hers in a sweet kiss, full of kindhearted compassion and love, a love he didn't know he had for her. Raven's reaction was slightly different. At first, she resisted, but suddenly felt herself relaxing, wrapping her arms around him, the whole world fell away, her fears, her dreams, her nightmares melted away like wax. There was nothing else, no Slade, no Magneto, no Brotherhood of Mutants and no Venom anymore. There was just him, he only mattered now.
Beast Boy felt his emotions running wild. This felt wonderful. No, she was wonderful. Everything about her felt good. He kissed her deeply, pouring his heart and soul into it, he didn't want the moment to end, but his lounges needed air. So as gently as he could, he pulled away.
"It's three in the morning," he whispered, "we need sleep."
"You're right," she whispered. I'd better go," he said as he silently left her as she stood by the reflection pool, deep in thought once again.