Disclaimer: Not making any money from this
A/N: To Bizzy, thanks so much for your review. I would have replied directly, but you hadn't signed in :-(. Anyway, no Rogue in this one I'm afraid. In the past I kept making her cry, so my co-author and good friend Corrinth made me write her out! I hope there's still enough action for you though… Let me know what you think. Luv Lamby
Knife in the Dark: Scene 02"General Kincaid, how nice of you to visit," Charles Xavier did not mean a single word he said, and Kincaid knew it. That was why he laughed as he strode into the mansion that had become Xavier's prison.
"How are you Charles? And that feisty daughter of yours?" Kincaid grimaced in the direction of Ilehana Xavier, Charles' only daughter. She pointedly looked away out of the window, the collar she wore round her neck that kept both telepaths from using their powers bleeping quietly.
"What are you doing here? Do you really need to come and gloat quite so often?" Charles questioned from behind his desk.
"We have the Weather Witch," Kincaid was through pretending to be pleasant. He loathed these people with everything he was. "Though the children she was defending have managed to escape us for now."
"Oh Ororo…" Charles gasped, "What have you done with her?"
"She is at a specially designed holding facility Charles. I told you, I will not make martyrs of you until the outcome of this war is decided. We are ready for all the X-Men, and we have methods to stop them from using their powers." Kincaid smiled coldly. "You know it was one of your family that gave us the information to build the facility."
"Gambit, what have you done…" Xavier moaned as his daughter came to put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
"Gambit?" Kincaid spat the name. "We couldn't even get that scoundrel to answer a question straight. We still can't figure out how he managed to get away. Not that it matters, we have a GRSO unit on his tail, along with that charming feral you keep around here. Must be a relief, not having to change the Wolverine's litter tray every five minutes."
"If not Gambit, then who?" Xavier asked, taking his daughter's hand in his to stop Ilehana from attacking Kincaid for insulting Logan. "You owe me that much, General."
"Your own brother of course Charles. When you abandoned him in the care of the government, did you not think he might well end up being used against you? His recent release was no accident…" Kincaid returned, watching as a look of comprehension flitted across Xavier's face. They had been set up from the start.
"Look, I am willing to make a deal." Kincaid continued. "Storm will be allowed to return to the mansion under house arrest, much the same as the two of you, in return for one thing. I want to know where the other X-Men are heading."
"I can't do that." Xavier replied definitely.
"Fine." Kincaid spat. "I just wanted to keep you apprised of the situation. Hear me well Charles, the days of the X-Men are numbered."
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The airport terminal was chaotic in the worst way possible. The lone woman walked through the crowds as of they weren't there, expecting them to move out of her way. She didn't look at any of them. Her cold grey eyes were always fixed on a point in the middle distance. They glanced at her apprehensively, before looking the other way. More than once she heard the muttered insult of "Mutie…" Dell Tucker didn't let it bother her, other than to make the corner of her mouth twitch into a brief smile. Besides, she couldn't worry about these pathetic individuals. She had an appointment to keep.
She was a daunting looking young woman. Her physique was one of someone who often worked out, who took pride in pushing her body further and further. Her long chestnut hair was braided into a million tiny plaits, each one finished off with a tiny silver bead. The beads clattered against each other as she walked, their music melancholy. She wore a long black overcoat that stretched to her calves, teamed with stout black boots. Her left ear had silver hoops all the way up, but her right only had one silver stud. The belt on her trousers was black leather, the buckle solid silver in the shape of a circle scored through with an X. Her hands were gloveless, tattooed from wrist downwards with oriental dragons in fine black lines.
Stifle walked around the corner into the arrivals lounge of Manchester Airport just as the woman she was here to meet stepped through customs. Like Stifle, the newcomer wore an X-logo belt plain for all to see. Rather than rushing to greet this missionary from Xavier, Dell hung back. Somehow, she was disappointed in the appearance of this X-Man all the way from the US. Stifle wanted to clarify to herself why that was before she made any further moves. She would not be above turning and leaving the stranger right here if she decided it was more trouble than it was worth to take her on.
The newcomer was smaller and younger than Stifle. She wore her long red curls loose about her shoulders and down her back. Despite the long flight, her make-up had been carefully applied and her clothes were relatively free of creases. Wearing an off the shoulder jumper with long sleeves, and an ankle length skirt in similar shades of grey, her outfit looked expensive. Stifle glanced at the girl's nails. Yep, manicured just as Dell had suspected. This girl would be no more use than a rolled up newspaper against a charging rhino.
Yet Dell had deliberated too long. Even as she turned to make her hasty escape, she felt the redhead's eyes on her. With one rucksack tossed over her shoulder and a small case dragged along behind on tiny wheels, the X-Man approached. Dropping the handle on the case, she held out her hand for Danielle to shake.
"You must be Stifle, thanks for coming to meet me." Stifle hadn't expected that, the girl had a Northern English accent. Suddenly she could see why Xavier had sent her and not someone with more of a physical presence. How like Xavier, to believe that words would be more persuasive than violence. Did he think she hadn't tried that already? Oh well, sometimes we must trust others to have a plan, Stifle reasoned. She took the offered hand, and was surprised by how warm it was.
"And you are?" Stifle queried, raising an eyebrow.
"Blaze." The girl replied, not smiling and meeting Stifle's eyes levelly. "Its just Blaze."