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Knife in the Dark: Scene 03"X-Box 360!"
"PS3!"
"X-Box 360!"
"PS3!"
"Are they always this argumentative?" Matthew Cooper asked his boss' daughter Sam, aka Shockwave, dispassionately. They were sat on the windowsill of one of the scattered safe houses the Xavier School's pupils were using during the current crisis. Before them, the teenage boys Berserker and Cannonball were fighting over which games console got hooked up to the newly named rec. room's TV.
"Oh yeah." Sam agreed, looking up from painting her nail briefly. At seventeen, she was probably by now on America's most wanted list, Matthew thought sadly. Her father, a pro-mutant senator, was in custody for treason after supplying the X-Men with information. Keeping the President company in fact, as the USA was now under martial law until all mutant terrorists were behind bars. That vague description included not only the X-Men, but also all the kids from the school and most likely anyone else who ever owned up to being a mutant.
"How do the X-Men cope?" Matthew wondered aloud. Sam just looked at him.
"You're kidding right? I heard Cyclops and Iceman having the exact same argument last week…"
"Oh great." Matthew griped, watching as the argument got out of control and powers started to be used. "Is there any point in me getting involved?"
"No," Sam shrugged, "Whoever wins will be the one with the console that still works after they've destroyed the other." Shockwave changed the subject at that point, putting her dad's aide on the spot. "So what's going on with you and Blaze? You don't really want to be here with us kids. You only did this to help her out of a rough spot. And you were looking pretty friendly when we all walked in on you…"
"You don't believe me that I'd quite like the company whilst I wait for whoever's in charge of this coup to come arrest me for treason like your dad?" Matthew cut back, ever the politician. Sam shook her pretty head and pinned him with her green eyes. "Nothing is going on. Nor is it ever likely that anything will go on. That's Blaze's decision and I get the feeling its kinda final."
"You know why, don't you?" Shockwave consoled her friend. "Its 'cause you're too normal. I mean you've a good education, steady job, own home, prospects in your career, no addictions at least that I've been able to find out about, no messy break-ups, no nothing… Heck you're practically perfect. Blaze can't handle that, you'd make her feel like she was nuts all the time. Which by the way she is, so you're better off without her if you ask me."
"I don't know what's more disturbing Sam." Matthew said with a shake of his head. "The fact that you've been trying to find out if I ever had addictions or messy break ups, or the fact that you've concluded I'm practically perfect. Whatever happens, don't tell your dad that or he'll have me fired for leading you astray."
"Matt, if there's one thing I do not need help with, it's going astray!" Shockwave laughed. "You're talking to the girl who at fourteen nearly pulled Gambit just to wind Dad up!"
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"Aww, you givin' up already? You ain't lookin' so good!" Gambit called to the last few GRSO soldiers who were rapidly trying to retreat. "Maybe you should go for a lie down, eh?"
"Give it a rest Gumbo, you know they're only runnin' from your poor excuses for jokes." Logan sheathed his claws again and squinted into the dying sunset. "Now what? They're only gonna regroup and come back at us again."
"I t'ink maybe its time we follow the Professor's orders. What you reckon, take the jet to Mexico proper? Good a place to lie low as any."
"Sounds good to me. Let 'em take on Sabretooth when they get here next time. You never know, might just take care of two problems with one stone."
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Nightcrawler did his evening round with all the care and attention he ever did. The fact that he was not at the mansion, but instead in a monastery in a rough area of Indianapolis, only made it all the more important that the children felt settled and cared for. He closed the last door on the makeshift 'dorms' with woe in his heart. There would be no shortage of nightmares tonight amongst his young charges.
"Kurt, come look at this." One of the Brothers called softy to Nightcrawler, beckoning him to a window that overlooked the street two storeys below.
"There are people moving down there," Kurt whispered frantically, placing a three-fingered hand on the glass as he peered into the shadows. "Do you think they come for us, Brother Francis?"
"It seems most likely, Kurt. Just tell me what you would like the Brothers to do…"
"Nien," Kurt shook his head. "This is not your fight."
"We are sworn to help the innocent and the needy, Nightcrawler. We are prepared to defend the children." Brother Francis told the German mutant calmly. "Come, we can help you."
"Thank you," Kurt said gratefully, "You truly are men of God. May He bless you all for this…"
"I'd settle for Him keeping His faithful alive." Brother Francis wasn't quite joking, as he crossed himself sincerely. "But we will see…"