So Warren flew into Toad at the peak of his leap, knocking him down. But Toad landed on his feet and bounced back up- shooting toward a cult expert the prosecution had brought in. Warren swooped down to intercept him again. It looked like he would have a real fight on his hands.

As Logan already did, battling Time Shadow. For once Logan didn't need to try to avoid killing the enemy. He in all his phase forms dodged each swing of the claws perfectly, taunting Logan mercilessly. And Logan did not seem to be getting the help he needed keeping him back. What was with the security officers?

Verdammt. Kurt was going to have to teleport the witnesses into the van himself. The security detail had actually closed in around them, not helping while he, Warren and Logan facilitated the escape and fended off enemies. In fact, they weren't doing anything at all except blocking his view, making his job more difficult. Worse yet, some protestors, whether out of fear or morbid curiosity, apparently changed their minds about following the dispersal order, and they were jostling with people who were trying to leave. The press of course had to stick around and get all this, and they also found themselves in the way. And where was Kassandra?

"Of course she'll go straight for me," thought Ticktock. "But we should be able to remove that threat. It's not very clear, but I don't expect she's willing to hurt the security officers."

"No, I was actually hoping to stay out of this fight altogether," said the wraith that stood right before him, wielding a couple of borrowed nightsticks. She took swing after swing. And missed.

"You don't have a choice, now, do you?" said Ticktock, as Time Shadow's phase forms now engaged her as well as Wolverine, Toad and Archangel tusseled, and even Kurt was beginning to suspect he might have to fight, rather than just teleport himself and the witnesses out of this mess. Why couldn't Kätchen be here now? Or Jean? Or a few Madroxes? Or even Scott? Even with Kassandra's temporal multilocation, it looked like they could use all the extra help they could get.

"I always have a choice," said Kassandra. "RUN!" she screamed, throwing up a temporal field, stopping time around the witnesses that Kurt hadn't yet teleported out. And they were gone.

"Very well," thought Gamesmaster. "Your ascendancy must begin with bloodshed. If we can't get our original targets, these people will serve just fine. Fall back and let security take them."

Kassandra detected that thought. It rankled that she couldn't tell just then where it came from. But no matter. Toad had finally managed to leap onto Warren's back and yank out a couple handfuls of feathers bringing them both down. Logan's irritation at being neither allowed nor apparently able to kill Time Shadow was beginning to get the better of him. And while Kurt and Kassandra fared a bit better against the temporal phase forms, there was Ticktock's extratemporal gift of anticipation, a handful of angry, frightened stragglers, and no small number of fully armed and telepathically manipulated guards to reckon with. Ticktock particularly impressed Kassandra. However, there was one thing he did miss.

Something distracted Gamesmaster. Ticktock knew that was probable, but as he didn't understand how, he dismissed the likelihood. And yet it happened. And that distracted him, too, giving Kassandra all the opportunity she needed. In that instant, it was lights out for Ticktock, Timeshadow, and Toad.

"Kurt, raus mit ihnen," Kassandra cried, indicating Logan and Warren. "Jetzt!"

Kurt knew better by now than to disbelieve Kassandra. He hoisted up Warren, threw an arm over Logan's shoulder, and teleported them a short but, he felt, safe distance away. And noticed something very odd. Normally teleporting with two people took a lot out of him. This time, it took almost no effort, and he felt fine. And it seemed that his teleportation released less than the usual amount of smoke.

"You know the way to Gregor's from here?" Kurt asked.

Warren nodded, looking a bit dazed

"Good, because I don't." Kurt teleported back to the courthouse. And that felt normal.

Kassandra had just put down the nightsticks, and while she was still powered up, there were no more extra wraiths flitting about. And Ticktock, Toad, and Time Shadow lay at her feet unconscious.

"You've got them, Miss Altheim. Now power down," said a rather disoriented looking security officer as his forces now completely surrounded her.

"You've got your guns trained on me," said Kassandra. Gamesmaster could hardly blame the girl for radiating mistrust over the situation. He had been trying, with frustratingly limited success, to refocus after that momentary distraction. While he couldn't read her thoughts, there was never any doubt as to how she felt. And he suspected she was on to him. Better to break all concentration before she was sure.

"And some mutie's been poking around in my mind!" shouted one of the braver, more defiant stragglers. The shouting of the remaining protestors and the violence of their struggles redoubled in response. So the apparent telepathic manipulation had ceased. That did not by any stretch mitigate the danger.

Kurt, deciding this was his cue, caught Kassandra up in his arms, and teleported out. He noticed again that porting took less effort and released less smoke than usual. And found himself, much to his astonishment, taking them right to Gregor's front entrance. He set her down and after a giddy lip lock, asked, "Wie sind wir hier gekommen?"

"A five mile blind teleport?" said Kassandra, equally astounded. "I kind of navigated and sped us through. What I wonder about is how I took you outside of time twice today, and you're not showing any effect."

"Was!"

"Oh, I knew you'd be okay. I just still don't understand how."

"Das ist gut so, Kassandra," said Kurt, "aber, die anderen?"

"They've regained consciousness, but are still feeling like they've got some jet lag."

"Still, did you have to do that, and knock Toynbee and the rest out while they couldn't fight back?"

"Kurt, the prosecutor and the witnesses are alive and safe, and I've held off the start of a genetic race war. Granted, the ends don't justify the means, but what would you have had me do?"

"Ich wiße nicht, Liebste," said Kurt, pulling Kassandra close, winding his tail around her waist. "I really don't know. But," he said, smiling again, "I'd like to figure out just how we managed to port like this."

"Und ich auch," said Kassandra, smiling in return, "Perhaps this is something we should ask Hank about. But I think the others are waiting for us. And I think we should all at least try to have some fun tonight."

"Is there something you're not telling me?" Kurt could hear Johnny Cash's version of "Hurt" emanating from an open car window.

"Isn't there always?" said Kassandra, trying in vain to lighten her own mood. Kurt frowned.

"Es tut mir leid, Kurt," she apologized. "You know there are facts that we must face. For one thing, I am far from innocent in all this."

"That doesn't make you a murderer, though," said Kurt, a little defensively.

"And it's up to the jury to determine if that's even relevant, Kurt. Don't get your hopes up. You remember reading To Kill a Mockingbird, nicht wahr?"

"Macht nichts, Liebling," said Kurt, noticing that whatever Kassandra expected would happen the next day horrified even her. "Du bist rechtig. Let's try to enjoy what's left of the evening."

"But first, I should call Charles," said Kassandra. "He may already know we're okay, but I think he'd want to hear it directly from us." She then picked up her cell phone. And hit redial.