Kurt And the Others walked between the pews, the hundreds of candles lining the front and sides giving more light than one would expect. Not very many things were electrical, It was mostly candles and torches that illuminated rooms and corridors. They stopped infront of a priest who was bowing infront of a large cross that towered over the small band of mutants. "Father Elliot, Rask namun ifto nat Stryker. Nakum Graftu sero Kurt." The priest whispered to the bowing man. He looked at him and stood, then turned, "I see...You are dismissed." He said, and the priest walked off. "My Name is Father Elliot. Please, Come to my office. I actually had been expecting you later on down the road." He said, turning and leading them down another corridor.
He opened a door and held it open for them, each one entering and looking around. Only Wolverine looked at the Father like he was trying to remember something. Father Elliot closed the door and sat down at his desk, "Adalia isn't here. She hasn't come back since Sabertooth and Toad had Abducted her. I suggest you forget about your search for her and Return to Xavier...He will understand." He said curtly. "How do you know so much about Magneto and Xavier?" Storm asked. "I used to work with Stryker. I know about each one of you...Ororo." He said, looking at her. "Why are you keeping her away from the Academy? Why didn't you send her there?" Cyclops asked. "Why should I tell you everything I know?" Elliot replied, knitting his fingers together and resting them on the desktop. "We have other less pleasent methods of gathering information if you prefer them." Wolverine said, his claws sliding out with a snikt. "I'm not threatened by you, James. Quite the Contrary, in fact." Father Elliot said, looking at a slightly annoyed Wolverine. "I was one of the scientists that Experimented on Adalia. Several others are also part of the Conduit Program. We found that she wasn't going to be able to resist Stryker without the serum, so we gave her the ability to resist. We strengthened the walls of her mind, stretched it to accompany vast amounts of knowledge, and smuggled her out. She was a Pyrokinetic before her Mother gave her away to him. She's...a bit like you, James." Father Elliot smiled. "I worked on you, too. You were an amazing subject. We all thought you were dead for that first time." He said, looking at Wolverine. "You...helped them do this to me?" Wolverine asked, staring at the Father. "Of course, I was the one issued to keep you alive." Father Elliot said. "I was the one that took care of the minds of our experiments. Before We...allowed your escape and smuggled out Adalia in the process, We suppressed both of your memories. Only Adalia kept having nightmares when she got older, thinking it was some different person it was happening to. Every night, a nightmare would come to her and she would in turn come running to me. Seeing a young child tormented by such memories made me only want to end it. But I couldn't. I know I couldn't because of the possiblity the boundries would break and she would cause harm to many people." He said, staring at Wolverine's hands. "What about her nightmares? What were they like?" Wolverine asked. "Always the same: Pain, Submersion in water, Her bones being crushed, Metal being inserted into her skin. The Pain was the Aftermath of the experiments that actually worked, the Submersion in water was actually just a solution we use to get better in tune with the nerves and cranial cavity. Her bones were broken to find, isolate, and speed up the healing factors. Of course, the problems we were having were becoming to big of a risk. She kept fighting against the serum and eventually built up an immunity to it." He said, turning and staring at the stained glass window depicting the Left hand of God striking down a powerful demon. "Vat About ze metal?" Kurt asked softly, almost hesitantly. "The metal, my son, was The needle bearing Adamentium being injected not only into her skin, but her bones and nails as well." He said, turning to look at Kurt. "You don't have to wear that in God's house. No one will judge you here." He added, smiling softly. Kurt shook his head, staring at the man before him. A boy burst through the door, "Father Elliot! Adalia is back! She has brought more than stories to tell, sir!" He cried, holding out his hands. The were slightly scalded and covered with blood. "Go to the Infirmery and get treated for your hands. Her blood can't enter your bloodstream, So go quickly. Run!" Father Elliot Ordered. Immediately the Boy turned and ran, his feet moving faster from fright.
Elliot Flew down the hall, his footsteps echoing down the long corridor with the Xmen not far behind. He skidded to a halt infront a crowd of Robes, "Disperse!" He ordered them. They quickly moved out of his way as he hurried and kneeled by Adalia's side, "You've tried waking her, correct?" He asked, looking up at the Priest from before. "Yes, sir. Even tried Ice. We got nothin'." He said. Father Elliot took the Rosary from Adalia's hand and rested the Onyx cross on her forehead, murmuring in Latin. Kurt strained to listen, but only caught a few words. Adalia gasped as her eyes opened and she doubled over, coughing up water mixed with blood. Her skin rippling and growing up over the wounds as she looked up at him. "Thank you, Father." She said raggedly and hugged him. She rubbed her head as he helped her up, "I can heal and all, But the pain's still there." she said, smiling weakly. "It will pass." He reassured her. She was about to say something and saw the others, then motioned for him to come closer. "Father...I did it again." she whispered. "God will forgive you." he whispered back, grazing her forehead with his lips. She Looked at Wolverine, then at Kurt and the others, "Guess you found me again, huh?" she asked, smiling politely. "Now I know your a stalker." she said under her breath, making all but Wolverine laugh. Wolverine's Claws slid out as he pinned her against a solid oak wall, going straight through her shoulders. His eyes were empty and Emotionless. The wood behind Adalia's shoulders began to burn as her blood ran down it, making intricate patterns. "Ada! Quit foolin' Around." A Boy from a small row of children said as they walked by. "Hush, Raphael." A nun shushed him and pushed him along with the other children. "Ada, Let him go. We have much to debate about." Father Elliot said as he walked back to his office. Ada sighed, then Said, "Anger is not the Answer.". Wolverine pulled his claws from Adalia's Shoulder, them coming out clean and unscathed as they slid back into his hands. Her shoulders healed as he blinked and shook his head, the color coming back to his face. "What happened? I feel like I got whacked by a sledgehammer." he said, rubbing his head. "Actually, It was Cerebral waves. Similar to those that most telepaths use." She said, smiling. "Come on, I'll show you around the Abbey if you want." She offered. "No thanks, We actually need to take you back-" Scott began. "Absolutely not, Adalia Seere Romanikoff!" A Nun interrupted as she stomped toward them, looking peeved.
"You almost gave me a heart attack! Bleeding all over the floor! Not to mention wet and unconcious! You could have caught your death of...well..." She trailed off when she couldn't find a disease she wasn't immune to. "Can think of anything can you? Don't Worry, Nan...I'm okay now thanks to Father." Adalia smiled, bowing. "You still scared me, dear. You know I can't take much more of this excitement." She said, her voice now softer. Nan was a very stout woman, with greying red hair and light brown eyes. She was much stronger than she looked, quite literally; She was one of the flawed experiments that had escaped from Styiker's base, cursed to age yet be invulnerable. "Why would I be leaving, anyway? It wasn't because of last night, was it?" She asked. "Of course not, Ada...We just need a safer place for you." She said, smiling softly. Ada looked down, slightly worrying about what had happened when she nearly crushed some of the praying children by the gigantic cross. Luckily, Wolf had followed her and caught the cross in time. "You have to be more careful...If you weren't, You would have to go into purgatory for that." he had said. Ada Paled when she remembered that. "You five just make yourselves at home...Father Elliot will be with you shortly." Nan said and she pushed on Ada's shoulders. "You can control people's minds but you sure can't control them enough to stay out of trouble." She sighed as she pushed Adalia out the door. Kurt was still a bit confused, Too much information was buzzing around in his head. A little while later, Father Elliot had returned with Adalia, "Ah...I see you are patient enough to wait." He said. Adalia was much calmer now, And still shy enough to stay silent. Wolverine mumbled something, making Adali smile and try to keep herself from laughing. He looked at her as thier eyes met, then hers nervously shifted away. "Now...You want to Remove Adalia from this Church here, and place her in your Academy? I would say it is out of the question any other day because She still has much to learn. Even though her studies here have surpassed that of what you teach there, She still needs to learn more. She's quite brilliant and she has an insatiable appetite for knowledge." He said, Bringing Adalia in front of himself. They began a debate, each of them adding thier own two-bits into the convorsation. "You really don't have to go to any trouble." She told them. "I want you to go, Ada. You deserve to leave this crowded abbey and go out into the world." He said, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him, then nodded, "Yes, Father. I will do as you ask and go." She said. She turned to the others and bowed, "I would be honored to go with you." She said, smiling. "Then It's settled. We'll leave tonight." Scott said, sounding slightly optimistic.
