Well, I'm back again! Haha, thank you once again to all of my reviewers. I'm one off from my goal, but since I'm going to be gone for a week, I figured I'd give you this bit to chew on.

It hadn't taken long for John to find Magneto through the crowd of people. It was hard to miss a man, clad in a cape and helmet. Not only that, but there was something about the man's imposing figure. Something that set him apart from the rest of the crowd. But now, as he saddled besides his leader, he didn't look towards him. Neither did Magneto show that he acknowledged his presence. Rather, Eric looked ahead, gazing upon his army while John too watched with a mix of awe and wonder if such blundering fools could actually aid in their attempt at conquest.

"They're not ready," he stated, an observation met with a sneer. In truth, he knew Magneto knew that as well. But something told him that one Eric Lensherr didn't quite care. And the smirk on his leader's face proved his suspicions true.

"Pyro," Magneto began, a slight laziness to his tone. "There are things that must be learned when you plan accordingly for the next step. Sometimes it is best to have an army filled with those who know nothing. It makes them careless, yes. That, and other times cocky, especially if they believe they stand a chance against the X-Men. It makes them strong willed, and far more likely to attack head on, rather than fearing for their own safety. No, untrained armies are sometimes far better than any other. That, and those who no not what will come of their existence. Most will not survive, or be succumbed to the dreaded 'Cure'. But in reality, while the deem themselves to be the sole hero for our race, they are truly only pawns in the bigger game."

Frowning in thought, eyes still one the rather inexperienced soldiers, John couldn't help but wonder where he stood in Magneto's plans. Was he just another pawn? Or was he really Magneto's right arm? Not quite his queen, he had a feeling Callisto had taken Mystique's place in that. And really, he didn't want to be referred to as Queen either way. But perhaps he was a bishop. Or a Rook. Maybe a Knight, who knew? Part of him smirked in thought of him being seen as a knight, the symbol of heroism. Suddenly he scowled, knowing the truth. He was no knight, that was for sure. The only 'knight' he knew was Bobby. Rogue's knight in shining frickin' armor. Kicking at the ground, he noticed that Magneto now chanced him a glance and gave him a puzzled look.

Frowning at himself, he shook his head. Why the hell had he thought of that? It's not like it mattered to him whether or not those two were together—not matter what sort of troubles were going down in that department. As far as he was concerned, those two should well be out of his mind. It's not like they were involved in his life anymore. Well, at least Bobby wasn't. Technically, Rogue was having an interesting involvement in his, considering she was lying against a tree, sleeping.

Still, he couldn't figure out why it pissed him off so much. The fact that those two were together, that is.

"I have a job for you."

The comment came so suddenly from Magneto that John half wondered if he had been talking for a while and he had just missed it amongst his thoughts. Looking up, however, he noted that he had been abrupt to interrupt his thoughts.

"What is it?" he asked, finding himself cursing under his breath. If it involved abducting another one of his ex-friends, not pun intended, he was pretty close to telling him to shove off. Screw that, he wasn't going to do it. To send his Callisto after them. Besides, it had been hell trying to carry Rogue there in the first place. Sure, the jet ride back to the island had been easy. But Callisto, satisfied with her addition to the capture, had decided to watch him struggle in carrying her, careful not to touch her skin, rather than to aid in any way.

Just another reason to hate that speedy, good-for-nothing, mutant-sensing whore. Yes, John had some rather large issues with her.

"I want you to visit another old friend," he began, but seeing the sudden defiance in John's eyes he had to laugh. "Nothing like before. I'm afraid it was a one-of a kind sort of deal. No, this time I have discovered a certain Robert Drake is on a quest to find our young Rogue. I need you to head him off, to give up looking for her. He needs to find reason to stop searching for any trace of her, or at least to cease his attempts for some time. Long enough for us to keep her here without raising suspicion. She is too important to lose in all of this."

Nodding stiffly to show that he understood, John turned, formulating in his head how he would make this attempt on Bobby. There had to be something to say to get his attention. Then again, there was a long jet ride ahead of him to plan this.

"Oh, and John. Be careful not to screw this up," Magneto gave a smirk, referring to the first attempt at a mission, the one that nearly failed when he went to retrieve Rogue.

Scoffing, John glared over in the direction where Callisto was instructing some of the mutants. "Yeah, just make sure she doesn't stow away into the jet this time. If she does, I swear I'll go on a suicidal jet crash if it means I'll be rid of that bitch."

Magneto chuckled appreciatively. He found the two's arguments amusing. Far more interesting than the mindless spats Toad and Sabretooth would have on occasion.

"Don't worry about her. I assure you that she'll be sticking around," he agreed. "I have much to preoccupy her here. Just because an uneducated and cocky army may be best, it doesn't hurt for them to actually know where to target verses shooting at their own allies."

Nodding in agreement, he grunted slightly at how it seemed Magneto had found a need for her greater than himself. Stalking off to the jet, John found himself trying to think of what he could do to get Icebox off of their case.

Perhaps a telegram. 'Dear Mr. Frozen Ice Idiot. We regret to inform you that your beloved girlfriend has perished from an unsterilized needle while taking the cure. Do not search for Pyro or Magneto because they do not have her tied up in a secret forest. Please go back to your Institute and cry. Sincerely, a very smart, important scientist.'

Smirking, he shook his head. No—Iceboy wouldn't comprehend the word unsterilized and would ask Storm to read it for him. While Bobby would be fooled by such a message, Storm surely would not.

She was too damn smart for that. There was nobody in the world named 'A Very Smart, Important Scientist'.

Ah well, it was a long ride to the East Coast. He'd think up something a little less challenging for Bobby's mind by then.

There it be! Now, since I will not have internet access for a week, I'd like to come home to a ton of reviews ;). I'm trusting ya'll. I've got a lot of plans for this story, the ending of which I'm sure will be the most intriguing (my story goes as far as the last battle, and then one final chapter after that). So...review, please!