DISCLAIMER: I own Borderline. The Marvel-Persiana-verse this story takes place in belongs to Persiana13, and everything else belongs to Marvel.

Chapter 2: Are You in or Out?

"Wh-who are you?" Angelica stuttered.

"Borderline," said the boy in the green trenchcoat. "I had Gambit save you."

"Well…thank you, then," said Angelica. "Oh, I'm sorry, my name's—"

"Firestar," Borderline interrupted. "Real name Angelica Jones. Former member of the Hellions, Avengers, and New Warriors. Powers include flight and pyrokinesis. Said powers manifested via an X-gene. Neither Pro nor Anti-Registration. Currently retired."

Angelica blinked, disturbed at how much Borderline seemed to know about her history.

"He does that with everyone he meets, chere," Remy explained. "You get used to it."

"So…why am I here?" Angelica asked. "I mean, I'm grateful that Remy got Daken off my back, but why bring me to your headquarters?"

"Simple," Borderline said. "Need more recruits. Can't fight Osborn with only four people."

"But why me?" Angelica asked.

"Osborn wanted you," Borderline answered. "Can't let him have what he wants. Plus, your powers are handy."

"What's Osborn doing, anyway?" Angelica asked. "I know he's making his own version of the X-Men, but…why does he want me?"

This time, Borderline was not the one to speak, but instead Moon Knight stepped forward.

"Osborn has sought out various mutants to recruit for his cause," Moon Knight explained. "These mutants are typically unaffiliated with any group, as you were when Daken approached you. He has already recruited several by using this method, including your former teacher."

"Emma Frost," Angelica snarled, narrowing her eyes as she remembered the former White Queen of the Hellfire Club. "Figures she'd be involved."

"He's even got Mystique under wraps with some convenient little nanobots," Remy said, "not to mention he snagged Cloak and Dagger, too."

"And that Weapon Alpha guy!" Toxin added.

"Weapon Omega," Moon Knight corrected.

"Whatever!" Toxin snapped.

Angelica was stunned. How did the man once known as the Green Goblin draft such powerful mutants to his evil cause?

"Decision time," Borderline said to Angelica. "You can leave and be normal. Or you can join us and fight Osborn. Your choice."

"I…I'll need some time to think about it," Angelica said.

Borderline shrugged and turned back to his computer.

"Just one question, though," Angelica said. "How do you know so much about me, and about Osborn?"

"Hacking," Borderline replied without even glancing back at Angelica. "Lots and lots of hacking."

"O…kay," Angelica said, again somewhat disturbed. "I'll just…be in the lower levels...thinking."

The headquarters of the Dark Avengers was an unpleasant place, to say the least. Populated with some of the worst villains, it was a wonder why James Rhodes, otherwise known as the heroic War Machine, had decided to join. Regardless, Daken stormed past his comrades and straight into the room Osborn had claimed as his office.

"Ah, Daken," said Osborn as the son of Wolverine burst in. "I do know of your failure to recruit Firestar, but I have other matters I must attend to."

"Like what?" Daken asked.

"I attempted to access the list of superhumans who registered with the government during the Civil War," Osborn said, taking a tone of seriousness like no other. "And I found only one thing."

"What?" Daken asked.

"Nothing," Osborn snarled. "Someone deleted the List from every computer in the entirety of H.A.M.M.E.R, and whoever did it also wiped out all our other superhuman-related data."

"And you want me to find the little rat?" Daken smirked.

"Unfortunately, no," Osborn shook his head. "Even I could find no trace of whoever hacked H.A.M.M.E.R's computers, and that in itself is astonishing. For now, it will remain a mystery."

Daken let out a slight snarl.

"I do, however, have a job for you," Osborn said. "I want you to find a certain man and bring him here. I intend to use his research to build up the ranks of my new X-Men team."

"And who am I hunting?" Daken asked.

"It's very simple," Osborn smirked. "His name is Dr. Curt Connors."