Chapter 9.

(Angela)

November gave way to December by dropping six inches of snow on us. The students were thrilled and it was nearly impossible to keep their attention during class. Logan and I finally threw up our hands in despair and released our last strategy class early so they could go play. Twenty minutes later, I threw up my hands in despair and let Logan go play, too. A hundred and seventeen years old and still he had a need to go out, build a fort and lob frozen missiles at people. He's definitely living proof that men never really grow up.

Two weeks later was the start of the official holiday break at the school. Those students who were still on good terms with their families went home, but the vast majority would be staying. Regular classes were cancelled, which did not include Danger Room and gift training sessions. Those continued without interruption, especially for Beta team. We had long ago reached the point where we had nothing more to actually teach them, we could only help them to hone the skills we'd given them. They'd already been field-tested, some of them more than once, but anything else they needed to know could only be learned by doing. It was in this spirit that Logan and I had a long meeting with the rest of the staff concerning their status at the school.

I gave a detailed report on each student, making sure to include their performance during the missions we'd been on. They all had as much control over their powers as they were likely to get and they'd all kept up their grades in the rest of their classes with remarkable dedication. As far as I was concerned, there was no reason to hold them back and it was high time we graduated the lot of them and made them a permanent part of the team. Naturally, there was resistance to this idea.

"I still think it's too soon." Scott was insisting. "They haven't even been training a full year and you want to boost them up to Alpha team?"

"Scott, there's nothing left to teach them." I replied as calmly as I could. "Defense class with them is nothing more than sparring. They've passed strategy and tactics with flying colors and we've thrown some damned impossible scenarios at them in there. Anything else they need to learn can only be learned in the field."

"So what happens with Beta team? We just do away with it?"

"No, not even close. We advance Delta into Beta's position, they're ready for it. And we put together a new Delta team out of the kids who show the most promise."

"Keep in mind that we're puttin' together another team while you're at it." Logan said. "Call it the first step in becomin' an X-Man."

"What the hell are you talking about Logan?" Scott snapped.

"I'm talkin' about the new Gamma team. Any student that says they want in and is approved by any member of Alpha team will start on Gamma. They have to be at least fourteen and have to keep up their grades in their other classes or they're out til the next school year. It'll also give us a chance to test any older mutants comin' from the underground who say they want in."

"You mean Remy, don't you?" Storm asked.

I nodded. "We sure do. He won't be the only one, mark my words. Like it or not, word's been getting around about us through the underground. A couple of the safe houses have been emailing me and asking for visits, but I…"

Scott interrupted me. "How come we weren't told about this?"

"Because I didn't think we were ready. Now, maybe, but back when I got the messages we were still dealing with the Totem situation, your grieving process and getting the chip out of Logan's head. And we all know what happened just a few weeks later." Everyone grew silent and Scott pointedly stared at his shoes. "At any rate, it doesn't stop the people who run those safe houses from talking about us, telling these people who the heroes are that made all that possible. Sure, the kids mostly come here, but there are plenty of adult mutants out there and maybe some of them will get the same idea Remy had and show up here wanting to be heroes too. We needed a way to weed out the ones who would never make it, so we decided on Gamma team."

"An' that ain't all." Logan piped in. "We have another idea, but it can wait til we're done talkin' about Beta team."

It took another hour before Scott was convinced, but we finally got him to admit that Beta team was ready for advancement. I know that deep down he was trying to protect them, but being X-Men is what they wanted and there was no logical reason not to grant their wish. We decided to graduate them on Christmas Day and went on to the next topic.

"So, what's this 'other idea' Logan." Scott asked.

He looked at me and I nodded, taking a seat next to Sam while Logan took center stage. "A lotta shit's gone down in the past year and it got me to thinkin'." He began. "Stryker's invasion here, Alkali Lake BOTH times, Hudson Bay, they were all carried out with hurtin' us in mind. Now, we got us a guy in your White House that seems to be ok with mutants an' he's tryin' his best to make things right a little bit at a time. But we might not get so lucky with the next guy or the guy after him. Or some of those other active Weapon X operatives could be sent to infiltrate the underground or even get sent here. So I talked it over with Angela an' we came up with Omega team."

"Another team? Logan, how many teams do you think we can support around here?"

"Omega ain't a regular team. It won't have certain people on it all the time. It's the team that gets put together when nothin' else will do, when you absolutely, positively have to fuck as much shit up as you can."

"And who's in charge of this team? You?"

"Nope." He looked at the Professor. "Chuck here's the only one with the authority to call Omega into action. An' you know if he's the one callin' for it, then the shit's really about to hit the fan. Leader of Omega will be the X-Man with the most seniority."

Scott turned to Xavier. "Did you know about this Professor?"

"Angela came to me a few days ago with the basic proposal." He replied. "I told her that I would not make this decision on my own." He leaned forward in his chair. "You are the leader of the X-Men, Scott and I am not going to take that away from you. However, there may come a time when certain gifts are more of a hindrance and a special team would need to be called."

"Like what?"

"Well, for one, there's Magneto." I said. "Much as I hate to admit it, if Logan, Totem or I get within half a mile of the guy, we're his bitches. Hell, he's probably strong enough to rip the adamantium out of all of us without breaking a sweat and I hate to think what that would do to us. So if he comes out of hiding long enough to launch another offensive, we are not the best choice to send out there. But if we sent a team of you, Sam, Storm, Kurt, Inferno and Bedlam, you'd have everything you need."

"On the other hand, if it's somethin' else, a military action, then you could send me, Angela, Kyro, Chasca an' Kitty an' there'd be no stoppin' us." Logan said. "Omega team is just what it sounds like, the last resort." He took a deep breath and looked Scott in the eye. "The final solution."

Scott paled when he realized what we intended with Omega team. "You mean it's the team you send when there's no choice but to kill someone." Logan nodded and I got up to stand by his side. "A hit squad."

"No, not a hit squad." I snapped. "You send a hit squad to take care of something before it becomes a problem. Omega is what we'll send when everything else has failed. And I do mean everything."

He sighed and sat down heavily in one of the armchairs. "And you say that Charles is the only one with the authority to mobilize that team?" We both nodded. "All right then, I'll agree to it. Unless someone else has any objections?"

"I vould just like to say that I do understand vhy you vant to do this." Kurt murmured. "I do not like it and I hope ve never have to use it. But, as you say, if everything else has failed and there is no other choice…vell, I can understand it." He looked at Scott with a sad expression. "I know it is not the kind of thing you vould normally do, mein freund. But I vill do vhatever needs to be done to keep all people safe from harm."

"Don't worry, Cyke." Logan said. "We might never need to use Omega team. But if Chuck calls for it, then whoever he sends has to be able to do whatever is necessary." Scott nodded, his jaw clenched so tight I could hear his teeth grinding together. "I mean it. Omega won't be goin' into situations where disablin' someone will do."

"Well, we'll just have to make sure there's never a need for it then, right?" Scott said.

"Ain't us you gotta worry about, bub. It's the rest of the damn world."

No one had anything to say to dispute that and the meeting broke up quickly after that. I, for one, was supremely grateful. Being pregnant was wearing me down and I was getting desperate for a nap. However, I wasn't going to get my wish for some time and I had none other than Remy to thank for that.

Logan had just gone downstairs to prep the Danger Room for Beta team when I heard raised voices in the lounge. I didn't see any other staff members around, so with a sigh I made way there and stopped dead at the scene before me. Bobby and Remy were faced off, Bobby's fists coated in ice while Remy held what appeared to be a glowing playing card between his first two fingers. Rogue was in between them with her hands raised, trying to keep them apart.

"Damn it Bobby!" She shouted, her face turning red. "Nothin' happened, for Christ's sake!"

"That's not what it looked like to me!" He retorted as ice began to creep up his arms.

"Listen to la belle femme, my friend." Remy said with a half-smile on his face. "She was jus' helpin' Remy adjust to tings 'round here."

"Helping you adjust? How does whispering something that made her blush qualify as adjusting?"

"Bobby Drake, you are being an ass!" Rogue snapped. "He was just giving me a compliment!"

"What could he have possibly been complimenting to make you blush like that?"

Oh, was THAT ever the wrong thing for him to say. Rogue narrowed her eyes and she clenched her hands tightly at her sides. "I don't know, Iceman. Maybe if you spent less time tryin' to figure out how to kiss me without killin' yourself, you'd see plenty of things about me to compliment!"

"Rogue, I didn't mean…" He began, but she cut him off with a glare.

"No, maybe you didn't." She said, her tone low and almost threatening, a bit of residual Logan coming through. "But ya still fuckin' said it, didn't you?"

"Don' fret yourself, ma chere." Remy piped up. "It not your fault if he don' see what is righ' in fron' of him."

"Why you!" Bobby yelled and I took that as my cue to intervene.

I jumped in between the three of them, hands out to the boys and glaring at Rogue. "That is ENOUGH!" I yelled, startling them. "All of you, back off right now before I kick the shit out of all of you!"

"But Angela!" Rogue protested but I shut her up with another glare.

"No buts! You all know I can take you in any kind of fight you want to start, so stand down right this minute."

Remy looked down at me with a smile. "Ah, ma petit chat, don' interfere. Remy has dis under control."

"Number one, Mr. LeBeau, I am not your little cat and you would do well to remember that. Number two, if you don't back off, I will put you through a window." I narrowed my eyes and he took a step back. "I guarantee Charles won't appreciate that in this weather." I turned my gaze to Bobby, who was still slowly but surely icing over. "As for you Drake, you have Danger Room in less than five minutes. You don't want to keep Logan waiting." He gave me a hard look, but his hands relaxed and the ice began to recede. He stared at Remy for another few seconds before turning on his heel and walking out. Rogue went to follow but I grabbed her arm to stop her. "And where do you think you're going?"

"Danger Room." She said, her voice still holding a hint of Logan. "I'm still on Beta team, right?"

"Yes, but I also know that Dr. McCoy hasn't cleared you for it yet."

"But I really need to hit something!" She exclaimed.

"Then hit the books, you have a lot of catching up to do." She tried to stare me down, but that was a battle she lost before she even started. With a little snort of frustration, she spun around and left the lounge in a huff. As soon as she was gone, I turned my full attention to Remy. "Now, Mr. LeBeau. Suppose you tell me just what the hell you were doing?"

"Remy was jus' defendin' himself, me chere." He replied mildly. "Madamoiselle Rogue was showin' Remy around is all."

"Mmm-hmm." I crossed my arms and started tapping my foot. "See, I've known Bobby Drake for a while now and he doesn't lose his temper over something like that. So why don't you tell me what else happened or I'll have Logan get it out of you."

He looked down and shuffled his feet. "Remy jus' told la belle femme that he tinks she is very beautiful."

"And?"

"And nothing! Remy swears on his life."

I stared at him long and hard before uncrossing my arms and taking a step towards him. "I am going to take you at your word, Mr. LeBeau. But I promise you, if I discover that you left anything out of this conversation, you will answer to me personally. And it will be painful." I gave him a curt nod and stalked out of the lounge. I didn't relax until I made it all the way to my room, where I locked the door behind me and sprawled out on the bed. I lay there for a moment before pulling Logan's pillow out and curling up with it, finally able to get my much-needed nap. A heartbeat later, I was fast asleep.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

You rub your eyes and look up at the clock. You've been studying this schematic for over two hours and you still haven't been able to find a weakness in the security system that you can exploit. The op is supposed to go down in three days; if you don't find something soon, it'll have to be aborted and Stryker won't like that one bit. Stifling a yawn, you cross the room to get another cup of coffee in the hope that it'll stimulate your brain enough to find the weakness that you're missing.

As you lower yourself back in front of the computer, a sudden knock at the door startles you and you spill coffee all over yourself. Cursing loudly, you bark at the person to come in as you look for something to wipe yourself off with. The soldier who enters looks just like all the others on the base, from his close-cropped hair to his spit-shined boots. Still, he looks at you a little warily, knowing that you're one of Stryker's mutant assassins and most of the people on base are more than a little afraid of you. That's just fine with you; if they're afraid, they'll leave you alone and you like it that way. Wordlessly, he holds out a file and you motion for him to just set it on the desk next to the computer. He drops it as though it burns and makes a hasty retreat. You scowl at his retreating back and reach for the folder.

Much of what's contained in the folder is in Russian, a language you don't happen to speak. However, some of it's in English and what you read in there makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up. Near the end of the file is a schematic for what appears to be some kind of robot, specifically designed to hunt down and destroy mutants. There was nothing in the parts that you could read that explained how they could tell the difference between mutants and normal humans, but you assume that's where the Russian assistance comes in. You close the folder, noting that it's labeled "Project Wideawake" as you put it down. You notice something lying on the floor near the door and you cross over there, bending over to retrieve the item. It's a sticky note with the words "Eyes Only" stamped on it and you realize that it must have fallen off the folder when the soldier brought it in. You hastily affix it to the front of the folder and walk out of the lab in search of a project leader.

A few minutes later, you hand off your burden to a man named Wallace, explaining that it had been brought to the tech lab by mistake. He takes it from you without a glance and you return to your former task, hoping that he didn't notice your nervousness. You know you were not supposed to see that file, but you've never given anyone here at Alkali Lake a reason to suspect you are anything but the perfectly trained and controlled killer they want you to be. It'll be another eight months before they realize how wrong they have always been.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I woke up slowly, my mind still fixated on the dream I'd just had. I'd never forgotten about the strange file I'd seen that day, but I also never gave it much thought either. After all, Logan and I had killed all of the really important scientists when we escaped from Alkali Lake and there had been more than enough time to get this Project Wideawake off the ground since then. But Stryker had been left alive at the time and with the way things had been going, it wouldn't surprise me if he'd tried to re-launch the project since then. I scrubbed my face and yawned, then set out in search of Buzz.

Not surprisingly, I found him in the computer room plugging away at some project or another. I tapped on the doorframe and he looked up then smiled. "Hey Angela. 'Sup?"

"Nada. Got a question for you." I replied, grabbing a chair and plunking myself down next to him.

"Shoot."

"Did you find anything in the Hudson Bay files about a Project Wideawake?"

"No, not that I remember. Just Weapon X and Project Prodigal, really."

"Damn." I muttered, sliding out the claw on my right thumb and chewing on it. "Well, what about other bases? Other locations where Stryker might have had projects going?"

"Got a few likely candidates." He said and called up a map of North America. "The blue dots are the legitimate military bases. I don't bother with those cuz I figure even Stryker wasn't crazy enough to try and get away with his shit in those places." He clicked an icon on the legend and pointed to the screen. "The red dots are what I suspect are the hidden bases. These three" he pointed out three red x's, "here, here and here are the ones we knew about; Alberta, Hudson Bay and Alkali Lake. The others I suspect because I've been having a damned hard time hacking into their computers."

"And you don't put up that kind of protection unless you have something to hide." I stated.

He nodded. "Exactly. Now, Stryker was U.S. military, but he did all of his dirty work in Canada. Probably cuz there's a lot more remoteness up there than you can find in the states. Nothing like keeping your captives surrounded by snow for more than half the year to keep them captives. So I've been focusing on these five for now." He clicked something else and five of the dots turned white. "Yukon, Northwest Territories, two in Nunavut and one in northern British Columbia. They seem the most likely to me." He turned in his chair to face me. "Why, what's going on?"

"I don't know. Maybe nothing. I hate to rely on something as stupid as a bad dream, but my instincts have never steered me wrong before and I have a feeling that they're trying to tell me something. And if you have any hacker pals in what used to be the Soviet Union that you trust completely, have them poke around and see if they can find anything over there."

"This is bad, isn't it?"

I just nodded and stood up. "Yeah, the worst." I put a hand on his shoulder before making for the door, but paused before I left. "Maybe even a worst case scenario I never thought of. See what you can find."

"You got it."

I walked out and went in search of Logan, suddenly in need of comfort. I will never come out and say that I'm psychic, because it's nothing that I can control. But my mind and my instincts have a way of telling me things sometimes and occasionally, they're so accurate that it's almost scary. Of course, I've been known to be wrong before. I could only hope that this was one of those times.

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AN: I'm dispensing with the disclaimer at the top...i'm tired of writing it and i'm sure you all know who does and does not belong to me and how the ones who DO belong to me will behave if you try to play with them...damned antisocial bunch, they are...:) Anyway, Special thanks to Zac and Turiel Tincdaniel, my most excellent beta readers...if you like, you can leave a shout out to Zac in a review or something...he's SUPPOSED to working on a companion piece to these stories about Sam, but i think he's been slacking and not sure that anyone would read it...moving on, Extra Special thanks to DBK(tm) for being so wonderfully supportive in a hyperactive terrier kind of way...:) Super Special thanks to my readers, for sticking with me this long...:) And Super Swanky Special thanks to those who review, because you're proof that someone's reading...so, thanks a million to reeltreble1031, Miss Lover Girl and sela103...and sela, don't let my story distract you from your studies too much:) Good luck in school!

Now, those of you who haven't reviewed, please take the time to do so...i really DO want to know what you think!