BACK TO SCHOOL

CHAPTER 9: EPIDEMIC

It had been a few days and things weren't getting any better at the mansion. More of the students had gotten a bit more sick, a few of the students had a few fainting spells. Hank was already looking through the blood work as Gale helped out when she had free time. A few of them were getting a bit more sick, and even the Hellions had gone missing the last day.

Something was up and currently Hank was meeting with Xavier and Logan, Ororo was still in her bed at the moment feeling very tired. "Tell us Hank just what is going on here?" Logan growled out not liking any of what was going on.

Hank sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose, "I'm not sure but something is attacking the immune system of those that are sick. I haven't isolated much of anything yet but whatever it is, it seems to attack the white blood cells but without knowing how it's spreading that will just make it harder to figure out where it comes into the body as well. It also seems to degrade rapidly in the body that's why it's so hard to find any traces of it."

Xavier sighed this wasn't good at all, if there was a growing epidemic on their hands then things were not going well here. He was already expecting a new student as soon as her parents talked her into it but maybe it would be best to keep her away until this was resolved. "So what's the number of students affected?"

Hank sighed, "They all are to some degree, I've found trace amounts of something in their system and all have varied lower levels of white blood cell count…even you and I have shown signs." Xavier hadn't expected that. Hank had relentlessly been working to solve this but to no avail so far. "Only Logan and Sarah so far have been immune to this but that is no surprise. Rahne seems to be doing well thanks to her accelerated healing as well but only just."

"We need to know what the hell is going on!" Logan was close to shredding the place at the moment. "I mean what is this, a plague or what?"

"I wish I knew I really did," Hank snapped at him and sighed, "My apologies my friend I'm…I haven't been sleeping well…I think I just need help with this."

"Yeah well I understand Hank, sorry it's just that I'm the best at tarring things apart and so far we got nothing to go on." He sighed as he sat down in a chair, "I don't like knowin' there ain't anything for me to do and I hate sittin' on my behind like this."

"I know Logan…Hank perhaps we can collaborate with Moira McTaggart?" Xavier asked him, referring to Rahne's adopted mother and a close friend of his. Since she worked on Muir Island a research center to help mutants she did have some of the best facilities do deal with this."

Beast thought about it, "I can send her data and blood samples but at the moment I'm afraid on contamination. If this is just effecting the mutant population she would be safe but what of her own children there, the ones seeking medical attention?"

Xavier gave a small smile, "Knowing that woman, she would have already thought of such things. Trust me she would want to help out with this. If this is a new plague or disease attacking the mutant population only we could be faced with our own version of the Black Plague."

There was a moment of silence there as they thought of that. Something like that would be catastrophic to the mutant population of the world. "I'll make a few calls…There are certain people who should be made away of this." Xavier said after a moment. First up was Moira so she would be on the alert for any signs in her area of the world. Then there was also the new line to the council of Town-X. They may have to close their boarders if things got worse.

But then there was still one more group. SHIELD needed to know, they had mutants of their own and he knew they would want to know of anything like this. Although he wouldn't be surprised if some people had already known by the time he managed to contact them. But there were still a few other people he needed to contact, a few that could help shed some light on the details.

Upstairs Blink was looking after her adopted mother Ororo. She looked a bit worn at the moment and to Blink she was worried sick inside but didn't want to show it. Ororo had been one of the best things to happen to her, when she first got here she was so afraid and she took her in. She gave her the warmth and love that she craved all her life and it tore her heart to see her like this.

Ororo was on her bed resting, as she was feeling weaker lately. Blink was putting a cold wet cloth on her head to help with the fever and she got a few pills to give her and a glass of water to wash them down. Ororo was running a bit of a fever as she had taken her temperature. "Clarice?" Ororo's voice said opening her eyes.

Blink looked at her and held her hand, "Hey how are you feeling?"

"Better," Although it was a lie she didn't want to worry her. "So how are things at school?"

Blink shrugged, "Okay, it wouldn't as bad as I think. Since I know a lot of people there and even though only a few people know I'm a mutant cause I hang out with everyone here, it's still okay."

Ororo smiled glad to hear about that, "So…What about this Ryan person I keep hearing about?"

Blink was startled by that, "H-h-how did you know about that?"

"A mother knows, and when I was up earlier for something from the kitchen I over heard a few of the girls talking about it." Ororo told her smiling.

Blink just blushed at this. She never had any kind of talks about boys with her biological mother there hadn't been much need since she still had never even kissed a boy yet. "Well…he's really nice to me…although he doesn't know I'm a mutant so I don't know how he'd react to that…"

Ororo gave a small smiled and held her hand, "Trust me, if he's worth it he'll like you no matter what. You're a lovely girl with a beautiful spirit. Blink's smiled and felt her eyes tear up a bit, she had never gotten any kind of encouragement like this in her old life.

"I hope so…" She whispered out. She had never had any luck in life in the romance department.

Ororo sat herself against her headboard and made herself comfortable. "So…Why don't you tell me about this Ryan boy?"

"Are you sure?"

"Of course dear, I want to know all about what's going on in your life."

"Well…Okay then," Blink took a moment before breaking into a large smile, "He's like so cute! I mean he really is, he's one of the football players and he's got this very cute smile and he's just so cool."

Ororo nearly laughed at her adopted daughter's enthusiasm over all of this. 'Ah what it's like to be young again.' She thought to herself as she continued to listen to Blink.

-Hellion Boarding School-

In the meeting room of the Hellion mansion was like the rest of it, large, lavish and expensive. Silk drapes were over the large windows, fine rugs and carpets, many items of worth and paintings on the wall. There was a fireplace in the wall and all the older members of the household were present sitting in a semi-circle around that fireplace.

Selene, the dark haired sorceress was in a black robe. There were also Emma and Shinobi although Emma made sure to sit as far from him as she could. Reeva was there as well with a glass of brandy, she had been looking into things on her end. She had been checking to see if there were any secret bio logical spills that were being kept under the rug.

Benedict was there with his cane next to his chair feeling a headache coming on. He had been taking medication for it and it did help at first but lately it was just getting worse. He had been looking into the kids and the medical side of things. They had the best doctors and equipment money could buy and yet nothing so far was showing up. They had only made small progress and by now three of the Hellions were in medical beds.

"Have we learned anything so far?" Emma asked them.

"So far there is nothing on any chemical spills or any industrial accidents being covered up in the area," Reeva reported, "I'm still trying to gain access to any military programs either on or off the shelf that will be of any help. There is also a few corporations that we know of that deal in black market bio technology that I'm also looking into."

"It's not mystical in origin either," Selene said scowling, she had spent the better part of an entire day looking and it had left her feeling a bit drained.

Shinobi looked like he was in deep thought, "My father is looking with his own contacts. I'm also trying to see if our agents in groups like the FOH, I'll know more later when they all report in." He knew that it was good to have agents in there. It was always best to keep an eye on your enemy, especially from the inside. 'The things what some humans would do for money,' He mused to himself.

Now it was Benedict's time to report in, "So far the doctors are running every tests they can at the moment, and they haven't found much. I'm ordering more tests and if they have to they'll keep doing it."

"Should we keep the Hellions at the manor?" Emma asked him. She didn't want to have anyone else on her team to get sick. She was the leader of these kids and she didn't want anything to happen to them. Emma knew she came off as cold at times but she did care for them, they were under her care and guidance. She had to be cold on the outside because she learned a long time ago that you had to have the appearance of strength in order for people to take you seriously.

But despite her cold outside on the inside she was worried sick about what was going on with her team. She was also wondering just how wide spread this was.

Benedict took off his spectacles and cleaned them, "They doctors say that it might not matter, whatever is effecting them it had to be in a way to be distributed over an area like it was air born. If that's the case then they are already infected which the doctors said they most likely are…as am I."

He saw the looks of the others, "In fact all our blood test with the exception of Selene, show a reduced number of white blood cells."

They all took in that information silently as each and everyone of them were wondering what to do. Selene as the highest ranking member decided to take action, "Well then the Hellions that are able should continue on like normal. We need to know if any of Xavier's people are not there at school, if so then we know some of them are affected as well."

"Continue on with each of your lines of investigation, I have a feeling that this is an attack. The most well known population of mutants suddenly all get sick? It's too much of a coincidence."

"I have to agree this all reeks of some sinister type of action against mutants," Reeva nodded her head, "So when we do find out who it was what exactly do we do?"

"Oh I was thinking of the usual sort of thing that the Hellfire Club does to those that get in our way," Selene grinned wickedly. It was a chilling sight even for them to see that look on her face.

"Actually we should think ahead Selene," Emma told her, "Whoever is behind this we might want to see if they have an antidote to this and how they are spreading whatever it is."

Shinobi nodded, "I have to agree I know that my father would agree with her assessment. And if there is a mutant virus or toxin that we can gain it could prove useful in the future." He gave Emma a small smile. Although her face was neutral she was scowling under it.

'Don't think just because of this we're friends again Shaw,' She sent to his mind.

He only grinned back at her, 'Please Emma let go of the past already. We had our fun and it ended.'

'Yes…with you sleeping with that bimbo in OUR bed.' Emma sent back to him. She had thought she had been the only woman for him and then she came to heir room one day to find him in bed with a servant no less. That had both been humiliating that he would chose a low class worker over her and how blind she had been.

'She meant nothing and you know it,' He thought back.

Truth was she did know it, but what that also meant to her was that she also didn't mean much to him. That's what really hurt her the most, the first man she opened her heart to in years and he just stomped all over it like it was nothing. Well she learned her lesson from that maybe that was why she was attracted to Scott. He was everything she wanted in a man, good looking, commanding, intelligent. He was the perfect match to her.

The only major problem was that Jean woman. She was more sexy, beautiful and intelligent then that red head and yet she could sense the bond between Scott and Jean. How she hated that woman for having that, she must have had it so easy and here she was with a man who felt such things. It made Emma jealous having never known such a thing in her life.

'Well then…with luck she's sick and won't survive this.' She thought as the others went on with the meeting. 'Yes, poor Scott would be all broken up and who will be there to pick up the pieces? Why me of course, it would be so much easier to help turn him to our cause.'

She had hoped that Scott would turn they could use a man like him to help build a future. And not that pipe dream of Xavier's. You can't expect humans to accept mutants especially when they couldn't even get alone with their own kind. History proved that, no what they would do would be to rule them but not a dictatorship like Magneto.

More like a Republic like the United States was only with those worthy to lead in charge. The Hellfire Club already had major influence in the entire world but maybe it was time for mutants to start to be moved into key positions. They had their own schools for mutants where they would be trained for the future and to help ensure that mutants would be the dominant species.

And if any mutant groups opposed them? Well this little sickness could be very helpful into making them more 'complacent' to things to come such as Magneto. That arrogant fool would most likely let his people die then submit to another's rule. Luckily they already had their own spy or two with in his ranks. They knew all about the Savage Land and what he was basically doing. Although she personally didn't know who the they were she was sure that Magneto didn't know either.

-Bayville Sewers-

Things were getting worse in the sewers, and Callisto was trying to figure out what to do. They were a proud people and didn't like to ask for help from anyone but with so many sick it was getting harder and harder to keep to that value. She was in her personal space, it wasn't much since there was limited room but as leader they felt that she deserved her own little corner.

It was mainly just a small old utility room with a cot, a sink and what passed for a bathtub. Mainly just a makeshift one honestly and she hadn't had time for that. Besides even though they tapped into clean water lines and they had strict methods to purify water she only used it now and then. Just to help save up on water. They took a page from the Romans and had kind of a public baths as it were.

When you lived in such close quarters, limited spacing the first thing to go was modesty. At the moment she was just leaning against her wall sitting on her bed thinking. Her eye was closed as she tried to think of her options. Since she and only a select few could pass for human it meant a limited number of people could go topside. It also meant they had to scavenge for things they could pawn off for money to buy food and medicine.

They did have a couple of healers but even they had limited use in them. So far none of the usual stuff was working either, the healers healed until they were exhausted but still people were getting sick. One of her options was to use the tunnels to get into the lower levels of a hospital and break into the store room and try to get some more medicine.

The only major problem with that was the fact that they had no one with any real medical training so they couldn't know how much to give. Medicine could be just as affected as any poison if you give too much to someone.

Her thoughts were broken as there was a knock on her door, she gave a deep sigh before telling whoever it was to come in. She wasn't surprised to see Spyke and Marrow. "Hey you got a sec?" He asked her.

"Yeah sure why not," Callisto said sitting up a bit straighter.

"Well it's no secret why we're here," Evan told her, "You know as well as anyone something is going down here. And me and Marrow are sick of waiting around and doing nothing."

"He's right, we need action."

"And what would you have us do exactly?" Callisto asked her.

She thought about it for a moment, "Okay I say we raid someplace for some more medical supplies. Our healers are getting tired and we don't have enough. Some of our people are in really bad shape."

"I know that," Their leader sighed and shook her head, "But with the way things are now if we start robbing people from the surface then they'll come down here. They only leave us alone because we're out of sight and cause no problems. It's like we don't exist down here but if we start doing that we'll have a war down here."

If there was one thing Callisto was she wasn't afraid to fight, she made sure the Morlocks could defend themselves. She knew that eventually someone would come done here to cause trouble but she would be ready for them. But if you could put off that battle even longer well that was just fine with her. They had children here and she didn't want them to get in the crossfire of a fight she could have avoided.

Marrow was silent, truth was if there was a fight she'd be ready for it. Living down here all her life had toughened her up a lot over the years and she would defend her home with her life. And if she had to spill the blood of those that would harm the safety of this place then so be it.

Spyke however wanted to do something but he had another idea, "Well…there are those at Xavier's…"

"You mean those that live in luxury that you left," Callisto said with some bitterness in her voice. It was hard for her, hell for most of them to think of how well off the X-Men were. They had it all and they had to struggle to get by. "We take care of our own Evan, I let you go off with them because they needed you. But I don't like the idea of hand outs. We work hard to get just what we have."

"I know, I know and I like that. I mean we all work hard to just get by and we do it on our terms and no one else's," he told her. He had a lot of respect for Callisto and what she had done. Even though at times he wanted to do more. He hated how they had to hide from the world although last time he had done something about it had caused a lot of trouble. Callisto had given him one hell of a talking to after that thing with Duncan and his boys shooting up Bayville.

"But what choice do we have?" Evan sighed.

Callisto was about to tell him when there was a knock on the door. "What is it?" She called out. Caliban opened the door and he looked even looked to have a bit more sorrow on his face then normal.

He looked at them all and then just at Callisto, "We've had our first fatality. A young boy, his body gave out just five minutes ago. They expect a few more not to make it to the next day."

It was dead silent in that room, the only sound was from the pipes and a small dripping sound. Callisto closed her eye shut. She failed, she couldn't get anywhere with this problem and now one her people had died. Now there were several more that would most likely die.

She looked up at Evan, "Fine…Get them Evan, but we run the show here."

"On it," Evan said as he made his way out of the room. He was already thinking of the nearest opening to the surface to get to the surface. Callisto sat back, as she thought about all of this. Marrow pulled Caliban with her knowing when she wanted to be alone to her thoughts. Although like all Morlocks she didn't like the idea of outsiders but they needed it.

NEXT UP CHAPTER 10: EVEN MORE PROBLEMS ON THE RISE