"It's not like we didn't know this day was coming," Emma told Evan as they walked down the corridor. "Just leave the talking to me."
"All right," Evan agreed, he was still nervous.
They entered the council area of the Inner Circle. Shaw, Leland and Pierce were clearly seen. There was another figure hiding in the shadows. "Glad you could make it for the meeting," Shaw said. "Let's get right to the point. Cypher is alive."
"I've just found that out myself," Emma said.
"Your golden boy screwed up big time!" Pierce snapped. "How do you explain your failure Daniels?"
"I blew up a warehouse around him," Evan said. "Usually that means somebody would be dead."
"Unless you knew he wasn't," Pierce growled.
"Do you honestly believe that Daniels would purposely let him go and I wouldn't know about it?" Emma glared at him.
"Of course not," Shaw intervened. "Cypher is obviously more clever than we gave him credit."
"He's already talked to SHEILD!" Pierce shouted. "We are in big trouble! By now they must know everything!"
"Not about everything," Shaw grinned. "My contacts in SHEILD informed me precisely of what they discussed. True this is a bit of a setback, but fortunately the damage is not as great as I feared."
"But he knows who we are and what we've been doing!" Pierce snapped. "If not everything, enough!"
"They were already investigating us," Leland waved his arms. "They already knew that we were part of the Inner Circle anyway. All the boy did was confirm it."
"What if they take his testimony to some Grand Jury then? Or to other authorities?" Pierce shouted.
"They can't," Emma grinned. "It's simply a case of our word verses his. And since we have many lawyers and important judges in our corner that we've paid off or blackmailed...Well…"
"One mutant's word against some of the most powerful people in the country," Leland continued. "It would never even come to trial. Oh sure they can use him for evidence against us, but they're going to need a lot more than that to collar us."
"But they know about our agendas!" Pierce shouted.
"They only thing they know for sure is that we are mutants and are trying to take over the bloody world!" Leland snapped.
"Considering we already control many parts of the world that would be a moot point, is it not?" A dark haired young woman in black emerged from the shadows.
"We don't control SHEILD!" Pierce told her. "They've been a thorn in our side for too long Selene!"
"So? What good is a struggle without a worthy adversary to keep you on your toes?" Selene asked. "Besides, although we may not control SHEILD itself we do have a few good spies placed within SHIELD. Enough to warn us if there is any real danger. Or head off any problems if need be. Like the telepaths who erased the memories of the Bio Pulse from the technicians."
"And they can't mention any of the times we attacked the FOH and stuff," Evan put in. "Not without involving the X-Men or putting some of their own secrets on the line. I mean, their buddy Trask did work for SHEILD and probably gave them some rip off of their technology right?"
"The boy has a point. Cypher's testimony is useless in the eyes of the law and they know it. The important thing is what do we do now?" Shaw asked. "From what I've gathered Cypher hasn't told them about our most important project."
"Only because he was never told how important it was!" Pierce growled. "They think that stupid Bio Pulse is our top priority! Too bad our telepathic spies haven't been able to get to him yet! Well we can't let him run loose! He could break our secret codes easily no matter how hard we try to change them!"
"I have a suggestion," Emma said. "We could try and capture Ramsey again even if only long enough for me to erase certain…parts of his memory."
"Why not just kill the brat and be done with it?" Pierce snarled.
"Because we may need Mr. Ramsey's services again," Shaw said. "Of all mutants, his powers are the most unique. All right Frost. You and Daniels may try and salvage this. And this time don't fail us."
"Very well," Emma nodded. With a wave she dismissed Evan.
"Let's move on to new business shall we?" Shaw sighed as he took out a map. "I'm pleased to report that after years of searching we have finally found the object we require for Project Phoenix. However as this map shows the exact location of its whereabouts could pose a problem."
"Well where is it?" Pierce snapped. "How hard could it be to…" He looked at the map. "Okay, that's definitely a problem."
"Considering it's inside an active volcano yes it would," Shaw agreed. "You think you can create machinery that might be durable enough to retrieve it?"
"I don't think even NASA has that technology," Pierce said. "And even if I did which is a big if, there's no way any circuitry would survive long enough in the heat no matter how well protected it was."
"That volcano must be several miles wide," Leland blinked. "The crystal is probably only a foot long and covered with lava so it blends right in. If it hasn't dissolved already."
"Oh it's there all right," Shaw said. "I'll bet my fortune on it. White Queen, how impenetrable is your diamond form anyway?"
"Let's just say I don't want to test it like that," Emma told him. "I'm not so sure I will succeed. The Black Queen's magic on the other hand, might."
"No," Selene said.
"What do you mean no?" Shaw glared at her.
"As in, no I won't do it," Selene told him. "Exactly how it sounds."
"May I remind you Black Queen that you have an obligation to the Inner Circle," Shaw fumed.
"Which is precisely why I refuse to help you," Selene told him as she left. "Mark my words Shaw, if you proceed with this plan, you are doomed."
"You haven't been dismissed woman!" Pierce shouted.
"Well then you bring her back," Emma was amused. "I wonder why she won't help us. It's not like her to turn down a chance for power. Especially for someone who's lived as long as she has."
"I'll bet you she knew all the time where the crystal was," Pierce snapped.
"Probably," Shaw nodded. "What is she hiding?"
"She just wants all the freaking power for herself," Pierce snapped. "Insolent Cow!"
"Let's focus our energies into how we are going to retrieve the crystal rather than complain about the Black Queen," Leland said. "That might be more productive."
"I need to ponder this," Shaw narrowed his eyes. "This could take a while. Right now dealing with the Ramsey boy is our biggest priority."
"Don't worry," Emma said. "Just leave it to me."
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
"It took four hours for the Professor to convince Fury that the best place for Doug was here," Scott said as he talked to Jean as they walked in the halls.
"Well that's some good news at least," Jean said. "Has he called his parents yet?"
"The Professor finally made him do it an hour ago," Scott said.
"How'd they take the news?" Jean asked.
"Not that well. Especially since Fury got on the phone and told them that it would be impossible for Doug to go back home with them due to what happened at the Massachusetts Academy," Scott said.
"What? He told them everything?"
"Not everything," Scott said. "Just that it was run by a secret society trying to rule the world and that they tried to kill Doug. I don't think they bought it."
"Well it does sound pretty unbelievable," Jean said.
"Yeah when they started talking about bringing in the lawyers…" Scott began.
"WHAHOOOO!" A large white howler monkey riding some kind of rocket propelled skateboard zoomed by. Nearly knocking the two over.
"COME BACK HERE WITH MY INVENTION!" Forge shouted as he ran after him.
"MORPH YOU MANIAC!" Magnus ran by with Sunfire. Both had bras on their heads and shoulders.
"YOU ARE A DEAD MAN! HEAR ME! DEAD!" Sunfire powered up and used her heat blasts on him.
"YEOW!" Morph screamed.
BOOM!
"And there goes yet another wall," Jean groaned. "When are these Exiles leaving?"
"Not soon enough for me. Except for Rachel I wouldn't mind seeing them go," Scott said. "These guys have been nothing but trouble since they got here!"
"Your group is not exactly an example of restraint either!" Joseph walked in covered in shaving cream. "Is it always this mad around here?"
"What happened?" Scott asked in a resigned tone.
"Some of your team mates and some of the Misfits are involved in a heavy dispute over which teen singer has more talent," Joseph told them. "Some say Ashley Simpson, others say Brittany Spears. Personally after listening to the two of them caterwauling and seeing them roll around like animals in heat on their videos, I suggested that neither one had any talent whatsoever!"
"And they let you know just what they thought of your opinions?" Scott sighed.
"Got it in one," Joseph wiped some more of the shaving cream off him. "And as soon as I clean up I am going to give them one!"
"Run! Run!" Kurt shouted to Nocturne as they ran by. "Hurry before it goes off!"
"Before what goes off?" Scott shouted.
"Nothing!" They shouted.
"KURT!" Kitty screamed. She was covered in cake. "You are so dead Elf boy!"
"She did it!" Kurt pointed to Nocturne as they ran off.
"It was your idea!" Nocturne shouted back. Kitty ran after them screaming.
Before they could recover Shipwreck ran by with Ororo chasing him. "MINE! ALL MINE!" He crowed as he twirled a bra around.
"DIE!" Ororo shouted as she started throwing lighting bolts at him.
"Yeah it's pretty much a typical day here," Scott said.
"It's episodes like this that make me wonder if giving up being a villain may not have been such a smart idea after all," Joseph grumbled.
"All right we need to gather everyone together," Xavier said as he approached them with Mimic.
"Who blew up what now?" Jean sighed.
"I'm afraid it's a bit more serious than that Jean," Xavier said.
"We have a problem," Mimic said. "Actually you guys have a problem…"
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
"So you're saying this Leech kid could be indirectly responsible for half the world being nuked?" Lance's jaw dropped. The Misfits, Exiles and X-Men were all together in the living room where Mimic told them everything.
"For some reason that doesn't disturb me nearly as much as there is a rogue section of the government responsible for constructing a mutant concentration camp," Xi folded his arms.
"That's only because you guys think explosions are fun," Sam said.
"Aren't they?" Fred asked.
"Obviously it's imperative that we find Dorian Leech quickly," Xavier folded his hands. "Before things get out of hand."
"So where do we look first?" Nocturne asked.
"Actually you aren't going to look anywhere," The Timebroker appeared among them. "It's time for you to bring Rachel and Joseph Magneto back to his home dimension."
"Already?" Rachel asked. "But…What about the problem with the Leech boy?"
"Yeah I thought we had to take care of that?" Nocturne asked.
"Since you told them everything," Timebroker said. "They have the chance and information needed to stop the disaster from happening. They have the potential to fix their own dimension. It's no longer the Exiles' responsibility."
"So what you're saying is that we just passed the buck and made it their problem," Morph grinned. "And we can't interfere with it. I can live with that."
"In other words we're on our own!" Rogue threw up her hands. "Figures!"
Rachel looked at Scott and Jean. "Do we have to leave now?"
"I'm afraid so," Timebroker said.
"Can we at least say goodbye?" Jean asked. Scott put his arm around her.
"Of course," Timebroker said. "But don't be long."
"I guess this is it then," Rachel looked at Jean and Scott. "I…I'm going to miss you."
"We're gonna miss you too," Scott said and hugged Rachel. "You take care of yourself."
"I'll wear your bracelet," Rachel said to Jean showing her the crystal bracelet she got the other day. "So I'll never forget."
"Who knows?" Jean said as she hugged her. "Maybe we'll see each other again. And maybe…Just maybe we'll create a future where you can be safely born into."
"You know Rachel will be with another version of you two," Magnus said. "It's not like she'll be completely without her family."
"Yeah, but its not going to be the same," Rachel sighed.
"I hope not," Joseph grumbled.
"Well so long everybody!" Morph waved. "I know it won't be the same around here without us."
"Yeah it'll be better!" Scott snapped.
"So long, do forget to write," Bobby said.
"You're still mad about those hamsters I put in your bed aren't you?" Nocturne asked.
"Do I want to know?" Xavier looked at Logan.
"Trust me you don't…" Logan sighed.
"Farewell X-Men, Misfits," Joseph said as the Exiles and their two charges prepared to leave. "I wish I could say this has been fun. Which it hasn't…"
"Goodbye!" Sunfire waved. The Exiles disappeared with the Timekeeper.
"Good riddance!" Logan groaned. "Like we don't have enough people trashing this place!"
"Yeah that's our job," Todd said.
"Look at the bright side," Scott said. "At least we have our basement back. What's left of it."
Next: The X-Men prepare for another chapter in their lives as the Hellfire Club gains a new ally. Here we go again.