Scene 2
New York City Street
"Hey," Rogue said as Logan handed her an ice cream cone, "Thanks for doing this."
"It's just ice cream kid."
She smiled, "No, chaperoning, coming on the trip with us."
"Don't mention it." He paused as they continued their walk down 54th street, the sun was setting and it cast deep shadows along the sides of the buildings and across the sidewalks "you know I was professor of art once."
"Oh yea?" she said, her eyes lighting up.
Logan laughed, "Yea but I didn't get to bring kids to MOMA."
"It's the new generation Logan, you have to do fun stuff, not just hand them a bunch of crayons and paper."
He laughed, "Yea well, you're turning out to be a much better teacher. You bring kids to New York City to look at art stuff and I" he paused, lowering the tone of his voice, almost remorsefully, "bring kids to Boston to get shot at by police."
"You did the best you could." Rogue said, not sure exactly what her words were meant to mean.
They walked the next block in silence.
"So," Rogue said, "do you think we should get back to Kitty?"
"I think the squirt can handle her self." Logan said, turning right down an alley.
"Logan?" Rogue questioned, hesitant to follow him.
"Well, just in case, this'll be a short cut back."
Rogue shrugged, still hesitant, she fallowed him into the alley.
"Don't worry kid, I'll protect you." She smiled.
Hotel Room Manhattan
"Hey Kitty," said a boy with glasses, he blinked and the television changed channels.
"Hey, I was watching that," she protested.
"Sorry," he blinked again and changed it back.
"Thanks," she said, "so why aren't you in your room reading like everyone else? I hear Professor Rogue is going to give you all a test when you get back."
The boy didn't respond, just blinked.
The television changed and a woman with quaffed hair in a navy suit was talking, a picture of the Capitol Building was projected next to her.
"It's been six months since the Mutant Attack on Alcatraz. But those involved still remember the horrors that took place. None of those responsible for the attack has been captured. But there is a continuing hunt for the mutant called Magneto. Senator Kelly's replacement, Senator Abrams has recently proposed a bill, much like his predecessor's mutant registration act. Which, he says would enable the government to more effectively track the mutants responsible for the attacks. All mutants whose abilities were evident during the time of attack would be required to register themselves, the list of person and their ability would be reviewed by government officials and checked against statements made by the surviving service men."
The screen switched to show Senator Abrams.
"Oh course, this list would be top secret. Mutant's identities would be kept safe from public knowledge. With only a handful of government officials knowing who is who in the mutant world."
The screen switched back to the woman reporter.
"In other news, a tornado ripped through Walker County in Texas today…"
The boy blinked and Kitty's show returned. She looked at him, face paling with her lips taut.
"Who else knows about this?"
"No one." The boy answered. "My room mate is asleep."
"Ok," she said, rising and switching off the television, "Tell everyone to pack their things, not frantically or anything, don't panic everyone; just say Storm called and we have to leave early. Tell everyone to just pack and stay in their rooms until I say so ok?"
The boy nodded, "they wouldn't really approve a bill like that right?' he asked.
Kitty smiled; trying on her best reassuring face, "No, now go tell the others to do what I said ok?"
He nodded again and rushed out her door. Kitty collapsed on her bed rubbing her temples. Logan and Rogue didn't have a cell phone, she didn't want to call Storm just yet, and she didn't want to call anyone at the mansion. They were all perfectly safe, their was no need to worry anyone. No one in the hotel even knew they were mutants. But her hands wouldn't stop shaking. She walked to her window, looking up and down the streets in view.
"Fuck," she muttered, "where are they?"
Somewhere in Manhattan
"Logan," Rogue said hopping over a puddle of some sort of foul smiling liquid, "I think we're lost."
"Since when do back alleys curve," he said, more to himself than Rogue, and turned right.
She sighed, pulling the deep green jacket tighter around her shivering frame. They had been walking for twenty minutes, through alleys, down a deserted street, back through alleys. She was lost in her thoughts, drifting back to the hotel. It was dark, Kitty was alone with thirteen kids in a swanky hotel; she shivered.
"Ok kid, I think we're out." Logan said as they emerged to dimly lit street.
"Now if we can just find our hotel we'll be all set." Sarcasm rolled off her tongue; Logan smirked.
He placed a cigar in his mouth, running his hands through his pockets and sighed. No lighter.
"Your prize?" Rogue joked.
"Hey," he said holding the cigar between his fingers, pointing at her, "I found our way out."
"Yea, after you got us lost in the first place." Rogue retorted.
"Hey kid…" Logan started, but stopped as a loud bang came from the alley they were walking next to. They stopped.
"Logan," Rogue whispered, subconsciously moving closer to him.
"Fuckin' mutant," the voice was loud and deep, another bang, "You all should'a been exterminated!"
Another bang, and then a noise echoed out to the street. The noise that reached them wasn't a whimper, or a scream, it just sounded like muffled pain. Rogue shivered again.
"Logan," Rogue said louder this time, her eye's going wide; his claws were out and he was walking towards the alley.
"Stay here kid." He said, not turning around, he was like a commander and she was just a foot soldier, and the battle was about to begin.
"Hey!" Logan shouted.
The alley smelled like Chinese food gone sour. There were a few dumpsters and then a grimy green paint flaking door. There was a body coughing, bleeding badly as far as he could see, it was lying on the ground. Logan couldn't see his face.
A man, dressed in a brown hooded sweatshirt and denims walked over, "Can we help you, friend." The man spat the words out, than literally spat on the ground.
The bleeding body on the ground went into another fit of coughing, reaching his hand into his denims pocket. The man standing closest hit him over the back with the crow bar.
"Hey Terry," said the man in the sweatshirt, "I think we've got a deaf one on our hands."
He brought his knuckles together, cracking each one, as the other man, Terry, walked next to him. Leaving the body to squirm in pain.
"This doesn't concern you, get the fuck outta here man." The guy spat, his friend knuckles was chuckling.
Logan sighed, bringing his claws in, he walked towards them. Flexing his fists, he didn't need claws to deal with them.
Three steps away the thugs burst into flames. Screams erupted, and then only the roar of fire could be heard.
The flames stopped, Logan looked over to the now standing figure, shock plastered on his face.
"Of all the places," Logan mumbled.
The fire stopped, the figure stumbled and fell back down.
"Logan," Rogue shouted, running towards him.
"Damn it, I told you to stay where you were." He said loudly.
"I heard voices, and then all I saw was fire, are you alright?" She asked, eyes scanning the tiny piles that used to be the attackers. Her nose twisted in disgust.
"What happened?"
"Why don't you ask him." Logan said flatly, turning and walking out of the alley.
Rogue turned and saw the body laying limply, his face now illuminated by the tiny lamp fashioned to the wall beside the green door.
"Logan it's…"
"I know who it is."
"We can't just leave him." She said, pleading.
"Watch me." He said defiantly.
"He's hurt."
Logan stopped, turned around and raised his arms questioningly. "What do you want me to do about it…knowing him," he motioned to the body, "he probably deserved what he got."
"Logan," Rogue said persistently, "I know just he looks really bad."
Logan sighed, long and tired, "What do you want to do?"