Chapter 2
Hours pass and soon all the X-Men are getting out of bed for another day. But before the morning is even half gone, a phone call rings through out the mansion and Cylclops answers it. Listening to what the person on the line has to say, the conversation is mostly one way and, within a few minutes, the call is done. Placing the phone back down on the handle, Cylclops calls the rest of the team into the room to join him.
"What's wrong, Scott?" asks Jean, as she walks into the room and moves to stand next to the man she loves.
"That was Forge. Sabertooth broke out last night and he was wondering if we could help find him," answers Cylclops.
"What can't X-Factor do it? He's their team member," says Iceman, leaning against a chair.
"They're involved in a time sensitive mission and can't spare the time," explains Cylclops.
"What do we know, Scott?" asks Storm.
"Sabertooth has left the United States. He somehow got onto a plane and is now someplace in Europe," answers Cylclops.
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Muir Island, just off the coast from Scotland, is the base of Excalibur. They formed originally formed during a time when they had believed the X-Men dead. But even after knowing that their American team was alive, they stayed together. Now lead by Nightcrawler, the team now does for Europe what the X-Men do for the United States.
It's nighttime for them, as they team prepares to go to bed. Suddenly, a call comes in and Nightcrawler is the first into the comm room. Pressing a simple button, the telecom is filled with a picture of Cylclops. Pushing another button to call the team, Nightcrawler turns his attention to his former leader and friend.
"Scott, is something wrong?" asks Nightcrawler, while hearing from behind the rest of the team assembling in the room.
"Yes, Kurt. Sabertooth got away from X-Factor and they're involved in something too important to go after him. From what I have heard, Sabertooth is now somewhere in Europe," explains Cylclops.
"And since we're closer, you'd like us to take a look?" asks Shadowcat, moving up to stand next to Nightcrawler.
"If you could," replies Cylclops, nodding his head.
"Things have been pretty light here, so it shouldn't be any problems," says Nightcrawler. "We'll send a message if we find out anything."
"Thanks," replies Cylclops, before ending the transmission.
Shutting down the telecom, Nightcrawler turns to the rest of his team.
"Does Scott know how big Europe is?" asks Shadowcat, raising a brow. "Why didn't he say, 'Oh, by the way, can you check Asia too'?"
"I'm sure that Scott is aware how much work he's asked us to do, Kitty," replies Nightcrawler.
After a pause to consider the team before him, Nightcrawler decides what actions to take.
"Kitty, Wisdom," says Nightcrawler, glancing at the two members, "I want you two to stay here. Everyone else will spread out. Find out what you can. Don't engage him if you see him. Call in the team."
Watching the team move away, Shadowcat waits a moment before turning her attention back to Nightcrawler.
"Why do you want us to stay here?" asks Shadowcat.
"I want someone here in case there is trouble elsewhere. While we're doing Scott a favor, we do have our own things to keep track of," says Nightcrawler.
Walking to the docking area together, Nightcrawler glances at Kitty once before turning his attention back to the team as they get ready to move out. Stopping just inside of the docking area, Nightcrawler touches Kitty on the shoulder to get her attention.
"Katzchen, I want someone here I know I can trust," says Nightcrawler.
"Then why leave Wisdom," says Shadowcat with a grin.
"I said someone I could trust," replies Nightcrawler, with a quick grin of his own. "I expect that you can control your man."
"Of course, fuzzy-elf," replies Shadowcat. "Don't I always?"
Giving Shadowcat a quick hug, Nightcrawler goes off to join the rest of the team to head out into the night.