The mission was a simple search and retrieve information mission. Cyclops had Gambit lead in the field, infiltrate the facility and in charge of extracting the information. Jean would be his back up, she would be able to tell him if she felt any psychic presence in the building, affording him the comfort of a higher amount of concentration on his job and not worrying about security or workers. Jean would sense them, give them a suggestion of sleeping and they could walk through the building undetected. Wolverine was their muscle, if something went wrong, his job to take them out and keep Gambit's back. They each had worn ear pieces for the mission but as soon as the blackbird landed and entered the building.
After Jean, Wolverine and Gambit entered the building, the communications console on the blackbird sparked and an electrical current rolled through the whole system. Scott grabbed the fire extinguisher to put it out. He didn't like losing track of communications with his team, but he knew his team would get it done. Once the communications console was no longer smoking. He went about trying to make minor repairs to get anything back. He berated himself for not bringing Beast.
Gambit picked locks or used his powers to blow up security measures. Once they made it into the data control center, he went about collecting the information the Xmen were looking for, while he was retrieving the data, he loaded a program Beast had given him on usb port. All he had to do was plug it in, and open the file and hit run. Once the program began, he removed the usb port and put it in a pocket.
Jean scanned the area, and Wolverine stayed at the doorway watching for any added security measures. He had taken out a few robot probes with his claws as they made their way to the control center. Gambit and Wolverine took a few jabs at each other until Jean yelled at both of them to shut up and stay focused. They looked at her and smirked. She rolled her eyes knowing the two of them couldn't help but bust on each other. It was just the way their relationship worked.
Once the data was retrieved, and they headed for the exit. Wolverine looked at Gambit, "don't you think its odd? "
Wolverine and Gambit were close enough friends to actually know what the other was thinking without actually saying it. They had enough honest conversations with each other that they knew each other well. "Ya mon ami, we've not heard from our fearless leader the entire time we've been in here."
At their words, Jean sent a telepathic call to Scott, "he said the coms are down on the blackbird, he's trying to patch something together." Jean furrowed her brow, "I don't like this, this whole mission feels wrong." Jean now concentrated more on the surroundings and tried to pick up any psychic residue.
Gambit and Wolverine stated together, "it's been too easy." Wolverine growled and Gambit pulled his bo-staff out, and pulled a few cards out.
"Ya think this was a ploy to get us away from the mansion?" Wolverine growled at the thought. Contact Beast or Storm." Wolverine had his claws out, ready for anything. "Keep your cards ready Gumbo, be ready for anything."
Gambit snorted at Wolverine, "I'm always ready mon ami." Wolverine glared at him and the three of them left the building the same direction they entered in.
Jean gave them a serious look, "coms are down at the mansion too, Beast doesn't know what happened but he's been working on it. He said everything was fine until a few minutes after we landed. Storm put the mansion on lockdown and is doing a head count. Xavier is with cerebro searching for .." Jean's eyes went wide, she didn't want to finish her sentence.
Everyone at the Mansion knew that Gambit and Nightmare were in a relationship, and they had noticed over time that the relationship had taken a more serious turn. Even though they were not the only couple staying at the Mansion. Nightmare was not on the duty roster for missions yet.
"You gonna finish that sentence Chere," Remy looked at Jean as the three of them continued toward the exit.
"Searching for anyone not at the Mansion, nothing to worry about, he says its a precaution." Jean hoped he would leave it alone until they got to Westchester. Gambit suspected something was wrong but left it be for now.
They made it to the blackbird without incident, another thing that was now starting to bother all three of them. They entered the blackbird, Cyke was doing a flight check. "Buckle up, we've got a problem and we gotta get outta here now." Jean took the copilots seat while Wolverine and Gambit took seats in the middle part of the cabin in the blackbird.
They arrived at the Mansion, and Beast met them in the hanger. He had his tools with him but before he could get to work Cyclops stalled him, "what happened?"
"We have had a breach in security." Before Beast could explain the details, Gambit exploded.
Wha? No way, I designed that system!" Gambit was incensed, Beast placed a hand on him to calm him. Gambit glared at him.
"Not the security you've put in place, that protects the mansion. However, your security system doesn't cover our communications systems. We left the computer security to someone else," he coughed feeling like he should have done a better job with computer and communications systems instead of staying is his lab for long periods of time. "I had not been vigilant in the upkeep and care of the communications systems. Forge hasn't been here in awhile and I think perhaps, we need him to check in more often and go over the systems on a more tight schedule." Beast continued, "I get very wrapped up in my lab and forget how much time goes by, the coms system hadn't been check in almost a month. I'm not sure when it got hacked yet but it didn't activate until a few minutes after the blackbird landed tonight." Beast took a more serious tone, "Which means this planned but to what end I do not know yet."
"Everyone report to the war room, the Professor would like to speak to us." Cyke led the way and the rest of the Xmen followed along.
Wolverine, Gambit, Jean, Scott, Beast, Storm entered the War Room, they each took a seat except Gambit who wanted to lean against the wall. He was feeling a nervous energy and didn't want to sit, as he started twirling a card between his fingers. Xavier entered the room and went to his customary place.
The war room had computer screens on one wall, and high tech computer system throughout the room. The room rivaled Stark Industries. While the oval table appeared to be table, it also had enough tech build into it to centralize whatever was needed for a briefing. From video calls, maps, radar, to schematics.
Cyke gave his report of the mission and communications issues in the blackbird. Wolverine gave the mission report. Normally that would fall to the field leader but Cyke sensed Gambit wasn't in the mood for it, his clear irritation with the conversation in hanger had not dissipated. Jean added additional comments when needed. Beast went over what he knew about the communications issues at the mansion. Xavier nodded and then he glanced at Gambit. He knew Gambit's powers interfered with his, so he watched him. While Gambit didn't give anything away, his reaction to his part of the debriefing could be explosive. He sent a message to Wolverine, telling him he would be the one to keep Remy under control if need be. Wolverine cocked a brow and gave Xavier a hard glare but shook his head in assent.
"We have another problem, I've managed to find all of members but one. Nightmare is missing, and I can't seem to locate her at the moment." Xavier looked at Gambit.
Gambit stood up straight as stared at Xavier, as the card was caught between his middle and ring fingers, he wasn't sure he heard him right, and he felt like someone slapped him, "Wha did ya say?"
Wolverine spun around in his chair to watch Remy,while Xavier repeated himself. "Christina had went out on her own for a few days time, and now she has gone missing. As of right now I can not sense her whereabouts through her brain-waves."
Remy blinked a few times and then looked at Xavier with an incredulous look on his face "How is dat possible, use Cerebro!"
Xavier sighed and knew he'd have to tread carefully. "She wanted a couple of days off. With the missions we had planned I didn't see a problem with it. And something is blocking my combined powers with Cerebro to track her whereabouts."
Gambit's rage made Wolverine get up and take a couple steps toward Gambit holding his arms up, a gesture to make Gambit back down.
Xavier quickly supplied, "She took a tracking device, she didn't give me all the details of her plans, nor did I ask. She said she was going to try and locate someone on her own, and that you were helping her from what information you were able to obtain from your research . She's smart, she definitely has learned a great deal from you. She considered the variables and asked for a way for us to find her if she got into trouble." Xavier looked sympathetically at Gambit knowing that Remy had deep feelings for her. It showed on his face.
Before he could lay out a plan to find her, the tracking device Xavier had given Tina started beeping away on a console. Beast called up the tracking on a map that appeared above the table. Beast hit a few more buttons to zone in closer to the location.
"There she is, in a cave in a few miles from here." Beast imported the coordinates to the other older blackbird that wasn't used much.
"I can not guarantee the communications system is intact, but I would feel better if we went in that one." Beast looked to Xavier for instructions.
"Cyclops take a team be ready for anything. Try to stealth as best you can. Jean, Storm, Beast, Wolverine should be all you need." The professor said, before noticing Gambit was quite upset
Upset was an understatement, Remy was totally pissed off "I'm goin' professor."
"Gambit, while I understand your reasoning wanting to go, you are a bit too close, you may not be objective. The mission could be compromised by your emotions." Xavier was pleading with him.
"Objective?!, Ya gotta be kidding me. Either I'm going or I'll get there on my own." his gaze was heated.
Wolverine placed a hand on his shoulder in an action of solidarity, "I'll keep an eye on him X, we'll be fine." He sent a message to Charles that it would be okay, that Gambit would be okay.
Charles shook his head in acquiescence, "Very well, Wolverine. Gambit keep your emotion in check, I would have hate to have something happen to you, along with Nightmare"
Gambit nodded his head, before the team quickly left the war room, and headed to the older model black bird, before taking off to the forest where the tracking signal was.