AN: Well there's a new Spider-Man/Evo fic up by DrkMgcn called Mutant Web. Take a look if you want more Spider-Man and the X-Men fun.

THE RETURN OF SPIDER-X

CHAPTER 9: NEW BLOOD

Peter was going to his locker as school started up. He had been right, Xavier was glad to know what he had learned about Max last night. He hadn't liked the idea that one of the Brotherhood would do something so bold out in the open like that, it was lucky that he hadn't been caught because from what he gathered Max Dillion was slightly volatile and maybe even unstable personality. He had told him that he had made the right choice people with powers like Max shouldn't be exposed.

After the time Spider-Man became known his work had made an impact, Xavier had seen that with people seeing Spider-Man as a hero if and when mutants were exposed it could help people accept them. But if someone like Max who would have been found out to be involved in criminal activity and his pension for violence Xavier was afraid all of Peter's hard work would be brought down.

Although now Xavier would pay a bit closer attention to the Brotherhood and he had actually asked Peter to keep an eye out on anything strange with his 'night time activities' just in case this was only the start of something.

Peter himself was also worried sure he knew that Max would cause only a lot of trouble if caught. But he still hated it, the last time he let a crook go on purpose…His Uncle had been killed because of it. He just sighed to himself, it was never easy. He just hoped this wouldn't come to haunt him like that moment had or that he lost someone else because of it.

As he opened his locked he found a note inside of it. 'The hell? I hope this isn't a note from a secret admirer, Rogue will be pissed,' He joked to himself. He had seen her pissed he may be dating her and liked her, a hell of a lot actually but a pissed off Rogue wasn't a pleasant thing.

He took it and looked around trying to see if anyone was looking, but no one seemed to be paying attention. Peter just shrugged and opened the note, his face and his good mood fell at it. On the note written in red ink in a nasty looking handwriting was only four words but they made a chill run through him.

I know your secret!

Peter quickly folded the note and put it in his pocket and turned around looking again this time more carefully. He looked at all the students walking by listening to his spider-sense but he got nothing. Was it someone in the Brotherhood? Or was this someone else?

Peter suddenly felt afraid not sure what was going on or who was messing with him.

-Acolyte Base-

Mystique looked down at the new mutants that Magneto had made with the power of the crystals that he had gathered for his Evolution Chamber. Delilah had come out with physical changes, she was a foot taller now making the eighteen year old girl nearly six feet tall, her body looked like that of an athlete but still reminded very feminine, plus it seemed certain other parts of her body had been 'enhanced' by the way Morrie Bench was looking at her chest. She wore her long hair in battle braid as her super strength was show smashing up piles of concrete. She seemed to be perfectly fit for this with her fighting skills and Mystique made a mental note to train her in the finer points of hand to hand combat. Unlike the other Brotherhood members she actually showed talent and an interest to learn that.

Morrie Bench seemed to be taking to his new powers. He seemed to be able to turn part or all his body into water and increase the volume of water too. He could pass through anything no matter how small making him perfect to get into anywhere that had pipes. Also he could shot water out with the force of a fire hose or a tidal wave. He chose the code name of Hydro-Man given his water based powers.

There was also Flint Marko or as he liked to call himself now Sandman. Like Flint his body had the same powers only that his were sand based and not water based but Sandman however seemed to have better control and could made hardened sand with the density of metal and turn them into weapons such as giant maces or fists. They three newest mutants all were training in a special program and she had to admit they were impressive. Delilah and Morrie would make excellent additions to the team and help fill in gaps left by Lance, Wanda and Tabitha. They were even more powerful then that blond troublesome Tabitha and would most likely be more useful then her anyways.

"They seemed to have taken well to the change," Magneto spoke up startling her, she hadn't heard him come and that annoyed her. "What of the girl?" She nodded the tone in his voice she knew that he thought she was wasting her time.

"She's doing better I'm hoping that putting her through the machine will help her out as her body is flushed out most of the poisons in her system."

He looked at her coldly and once again he was debating this. He wasn't sure what the effects could be in fact this could be very well fatal to her. He hated to waste the crystals powers on someone that would most likely die but then again his forces would need more fighters. With what he had learned about this project against mutants nearly completion he needed to be prepared. If she was willing to put her faith in this girl then so be it, "Then I suggest you get her ready then Mystique."

"Very well then," She said sharply and walked off to Sandra's room. She had been doing better lately and she hoped that she would be strong enough for this because she knew that Magneto was losing patience with her and the girl. She came to the door and opened it up seeing her there resting, she didn't look as pale or hurting then she had been but she knew that she might be fighting off her addictions for years to come.

"Sandra," She said softly to her as the woke up.

"Raven?" She said a bit groggy, she looked through the haze of sleep to see the blue woman who had taken her from her hellish life and gave her a chance. The time she had been here hadn't been easy she had been hurting bad but Raven as she had learned was her name, had been there for her.

Mystique gave a small smile as she sat down stroking her black hair. Sandra was the only person she allowed to call her Raven it just seemed right in a way. "It's time."

Sandra sat up knowing what she meant she had watched as some of the others went through the machine and saw what had been done to them. Truth was Sandra was amazed at what had happened, and now she wanted that. She wanted the power she had seen and was craving it like a drug, she also didn't want to disappoint Raven. Sandra looked up to her, she was this powerful female that let nothing stand in her way, she was everything Sandra wanted to be.

"Raven…Why are you doing this for me? Really," The young woman asked her mentor and savior.

Mystique thought about that since they first met and truth was Sandra just reminded her so much of herself at that age, "I was a lot like you once and I had no one to help me out until I met another woman who saw past me and into me. She was the first person to show me kindness and…I guess I felt the need to pass that on in a way," She stroked the young girl's cheek feeling the years of loneness and bitterness fall away for a few seconds.

Sandra had never felt so cared for in all her life and she also had been made away of the risks of this as well. "Raven…In case I don't make it…"

Mystique became very stern with her then a small bit of her normal coldness showed itself, "Don't you dare say that."

"But I have to say it…Raven…You…" She tried to search for the words as she had never said anything like this before. "I've never been loved in my life, my parents never loved me, I've had no friends…But for the first time…With you I feel like someone actually cares about me."

Sandra was fighting back the tears, she wanted to be strong like Raven, "You've…You've been more of a mother to me then my own mother, and I just wanted to thank you. For everything." Mystique didn't know what to say to that, she wondered if this was how Irene felt at one point. She just hugged the young girl close to her. It felt so good to have someone else in her life that she could care for and that cared for her in return.

She had missed this type of feeling ever since she gave up Kurt and Rogue. 'Could this be…Could I have another chance?' Mystique wondered if there could possibly have the one thing she had always wanted but never had. But now was not the time to think about it.

Elsewhere in the complex Gambit and Black Cat were walking the halls, "God I wish I could get out of here more, he keeps on such a short leash that there are all those pretty things out there that I have my eye one."

Gambit had to admit she had a point even he felt the 'itch' lately to try and pit his skills against people who thought they had made something that couldn't be broken or bypassed. To see just how good he was. It wasn't all bad, Piotr wasn't much for conversation but he was easy to get along with then Sabretooth that guy gave Gambit the creeps. Then there was Pyro who was just insane, the new guys were pretty much trained none stop to get used to their new powers.

"Oui Remy have to agree wit' de lady," He told her as they walked to the living section of the base. They had just turned a corner when they saw Piotr returning from taking his little sister to the park. He wanted to get her outside of the base now and then and he knew who the little girl was and she was the reason for him being here. He didn't know the full story but he guessed they had nowhere else to go.

Felicia had heard about this from Gambit but had never seen Colossus' little sister. She was a small young girl that looked about five or six. She had long blond hair in a nice little dress and looked so cute and adorable. They came up to them and she smiled at the little girl keeling down, "Aww, are you so adorable." She cooed at her.

Illyana looked up at the young woman with long shiny white hair and wore a very strange black suit with white fur over it, she also wore some type of strange black mask over her face that covered her eyes. "Brother why does she look like a kitty?" She asked Piotr in Russian.

Felicia saw the two talking not knowing what was being said so she looked at her teammate, "She doesn't speak any English?"

"Not that much, I am teaching her but it is going slowly," He admitted. Gambit and Felicia were the only two that he really trusted to any extent in this place. Although Felicia made him nervous in how she was a major flirt and how she dressed too. "She asked why you were dressed like a cat."

She smiled at that and Gambit leaned down a bit, "Hello petit."

Illyana only went to hide behind her brother's leg. The one with the accent scared her because he had these scary eyes. Gambit gave a strange too to Piotr he never did understand what it was about him that the little girl didn't like.

"Do not take it personally, she is just scared of your eyes." He explained.

Felicia gave a small laugh, "So finally found a lady you can't charm huh?"

Remy just shrugged at her with that grin that usually could melt the hearts of a few women, "Just give me time, I just need de right ammo and Gambit can eventually charm any girl."

By now Mystique was leading Sandra into the Evolution Chamber. She was a bit nervous but she wasn't letting it show. The room was all large and smooth metal with a few small columns with what looked like strange crystals inside of them in glass cases. There was an observation room above the polish walls, as she steed close to what looks like a metal cocoon the front opened up with a hiss and she saw a chair inside of it.

"It will be okay," Mystique assured her, "I believe that you can do this."

Sandra gave her a weak smile and nodded. She bravely walked into the metal machine her heart racing as she sat down. The hatch closed as she watched Raven disappear as the door closed. She was in complete darkness and she gripped the sides of the chair not sure what to expect. She heard a humming sound and felt small vibrations.

Then all of a sudden there was a bright red light. She felt her entire body feel like it was numb and on fire at the same time. She lost track of all time it could have been second it could have been hours or days. She didn't know her vision blurred, she couldn't remember if she screamed out or not. Her hands gripped the sides to much her knuckles turned white. It was like a really bad drug trip she had a few times it felt like her body was being turned inside and out.

Up in the control room Magneto had to look at the readings the drugs in her system were interfering with the progress of the machine. He had to adjust it a bit the readings on her life sighs were starting to become erratic. After a bit of fine tuning he managed to get it under control as any drugs left in her system seemed to be breaking down faster although he assumed that it wasn't pleasant for her. After a few more minutes the scans on her DNA showed progress. It was starting to show her DNA as being altered now, after fifteen minutes of this her readings finally stabilized. He shut the machine down and opened the doors.

Mystique waited for the hatch to open on the chamber and she was surprised by what she saw. Sandra slowly opened her eyes after what seemed like an eternity. She felt different though, stronger more fit. She felt better then she had ever felt in her entire life. Sandra walked up easily no longer feeling weak and tired all the time. She saw the look on Mystique's face, "Raven? What is it?"

"Sandra?" She couldn't believe what she was seeing.

Sandra looked at the reflective metal walls and gasped as she walked towards it. Her hair was longer and more full of life, her body was fit, she now stood a few inches taller, and not only that her entire body was more curves to it and looked sexy. Her skin was slightly pale her legs a bit longer. "Oh god…I'm…I'm…beautiful."

She reached to her face seeing her reflection she couldn't believe it. She was perfect now, she felt the tears in her face as she smiled and looked at Raven, "Do you see? I'm perfect!"

Mystique could only smile at her and nodded, "Yes, yes you are."

-Mansion-

Peter had been pretty much in a not so pleasant mood all day since the locker note. He wanted to know what was going on and who had sent it. He was walking back to the mansion with a few of the others, Kurt talking about something as Evan was joking around. Kitty had gone home with Jean and Scott since she was hoping to try and patch things up with Lance.

"Hey man you okay?" Evan had noticed how quiet Peter had been lately. It was like him, normally he was a fun guy to hang out with but at the moment he was like when he was brooding after the nasty black suit thing.

"Huh? Oh sorry man my mind is just elsewhere at the moment."

"Where, another galaxy?" Spyke asked him wondering what was going on with him.

"Ja dude vhat's up? I mean it's doesn't have to do vith…you know…" Everyone was still tip toeing around the whole suit thing knowing it was a very sore subject for Peter.

Peter just shook his head, "No it's not that," He was contemplating what to do, but that last time he kept something to himself it nearly cost him. He really didn't like to make the second mistake twice, and he did trust these two. He sighed and pulled the note out of his body and handed it to Kurt.

"Someone put that in my locker…"

Kurt looked at it with an open mouth as Evan's eyes widened a bit, "Oh man this is bad dude. I mean really bad," Evan said to himself. "Do they mean about your powers or that spidey stuff you do?"

Peter hadn't thought of that. If it was about his powers like he was a mutant then the others might be in danger too. But if it was just him being Spider-Man then he might be the only one in danger, "I honestly don't know guys, but either way this isn't good at all."

"Ja no kidding," Kurt said softly looking back at the note, "Are you going to tell ze Professor? I mean if someone is after you zhen ve should know and help you out. Ve are part of a team now ja?"

Peter guessed he should tell the Professor, just to be safe. "Yeah well I'll tell him later today, maybe after the Danger Room session we got."

"Oh man I totally forgot about that," Evan palmed his face, "I mean with the Brotherhood basically de-fanged why bother with all of that?"

"Cause Magneto is still out zhere," Kurt had an idea that Magneto wasn't the type to just give in.

"Not to mention all the other nuts jobs out there," Peter added in, "Remember that Bullseye guy awhile back? It took a punch of us to take him down and he was just one guy. And from what Logan said he was just human." Even Evan had to admit to himself that was pretty harsh to lose to a normal guy like that. But then again from what he heard that guy had mad skills.

"Plus there was that guy in the Rhino costume and the other on in house insulation with the sonic weapons attached to his arms," Peter remember that day from when that black stuff first showed up. Rhino and Shocker were still out there and who knew how many more people like there were actually out there?

"Yeah plus what if someone lets out Juggernaut again?" Evan asked the rest of them as they finally came up to the mansion.

Kurt looked at Evan with shock, "Dude! Don't even joke about zhat!"

Peter groaned himself, "Yeah I've only been in two simulations that was designed to fight that guy. The simulation alone is nasty."

They got up to the front door and made their separate ways, mainly to their rooms to put their school stuff away for later. Peter was nearly his room when he saw Kitty about to knock on his door, she noticed him and walked up to him, "Hey Peter this letter came for you."

She seemed a bit down and he guessed she hadn't managed to talk to Lance yet. He took the letter there was no return address and that was a bit weird. It wouldn't have been from MJ or Harry he was sure of that. He still kept in touch with them with e-mails, phone calls and even online chatting. He even got a few of the others here for a group one now and then.

Peter then looked at Kitty, "You okay?"

Kitty answered a bit too quickly for his tastes, "Yeah I'm fine."

Peter sighed and put a hand on her shoulder, "Kitty, Kurt and I were in the library remember? I take it you and Lance are still a bit off?"

She sighed and hug her head, "Yeah that's like putting it lightly. I don't know what to do."

"Well apologize to start with."

"I've tried but he never listens or he just moves out of the room," She huffed and crossed her arms, "Why does he have to be like so stubborn all the time?"

"Don't know but you might need to try something new then," She looked at him with a curious expression wondering what he was talking about, "Sneak up on him and phase his feet into the floor."

Kitty gave a small smile, "I guess I could try but if he used his powers as we lose a wall I'm telling Logan it was your idea."

"Gee thanks," Peter said in a deadpan expression, Kitty gave a small laugh and walked off. Peter shook his head hoping Lance wouldn't do that, for all their sakes. He went to his room throwing his backpack against the bed and began to open the letter.

He was a bit confused seeing only some paper inside. He pulled it out and once again he felt a chill reach him as he looked at was it was. It was a picture of Spider-Man on it and the same red writing on the picture from a newspaper that read: We're coming for you!

NEXT UP CHAPTER 10: TROUBLE ON THE RISE