.n..

Terry couldn't help but notice that the guy he was dancing with kept looking at Willie, not that that was odd. Everyone was looking at Willie tonight. Blaze did a good job at picking out the costume, but this was different. The guy didn't have that I want to shag the hottie in the noble's costume look. He had the look of someone on the prowl. Terry was all too familiar with that look.

Terry moved to the beat as best he could, but in truth he was a little on edge. The techno beats pulsed throughout the club, song after song, upbeat and modern keeping everyone glued to the Dance floor. Terry talked to the hot red haired Angel he'd been dancing with,

"So what's your name Zorro?"

"Terry, what's yours?"

"Joshua, nice to meet you Terry." Joshua gave Terry a hardy hand shake.

"That's some grip you got there."

Joshua was trying to be as careful as he could; his mission depends on him maintaining his anonymity. He had been going through his mental check list. Find David and bring him back to Xavier's Institution, did that. Safely remove David's psyche from Betsy Braddock's mind, did that, kind of. Not everything went as planned, and now David was back on the prowl, and if Joshua didn't start focusing, he might blow his cover.

Joshua smiled and put on the charm. "Ah, c'mon city boy, that's nothing."

Terry wasn't fooled, he knew Joshua was lying. Knowing how to read a person was one of the things Bruce had trained him to do, and now it was paying off. The only thing Terry couldn't figure out was why Joshua felt the need to lie to him.

Joshua sneaked a glance over Terry's shoulder. David was still dancing with the guy in the noblemen's costume, but he could tell that he'd have to make the switch soon. Time was running out, the apparent signs were starting to show on David's body, and they were growing stronger buy the hour.

That was the fifth time Joshua looked over in Watts's direction. Each time Joshua looked over there Terry became a little wearier. It didn't take long for Terry to realize that Joshua wasn't looking at Willie, but that still didn't help ease his emotions, In fact, it maid him more fearful for Willies safety.

"I he your ex or something." Terry nodded to Willies Dance partner.

Joshua smiled sheepishly "His name's David and we use to be… partners."

Terry inspected willies dance partner. Bruce had drilled into him a few solid facts, and knowing your enemy was one of them. Not that David was his enemy, though he had taken the right steps in that direction. The David's hands where shaking, he was staggering off beat to the music and leaning heavily on Willie. If Terry had been anyone else he would assume that David was just being affectionate, but he wasn't anyone else. Davis didn't look so well, Terry also notice that over the last few songs Joshua had been maneuvering them closer to Willie and his ass hole of a date.

"So Joshua; how do you know Blaze?"

Joshua was going to lie but he saw no need to. "I don't."

"So who invited you?"

"No one, I heard a hot party was going on, so I crashed?" Joshua was dancing even closer to Terry now. "You're not going to have me thrown out are you?" Joshua smiled knowing full well that Terry wasn't going to get him kicked out.

They danced for a little longer, even went to the bar and got some sodas and talked over drinks. Terry knew that Joshua was keeping an eye on the guy with Willie. Which is what puzzled him, if Joshua was trailing this guy why would he get so close to him just to back off for a drink? Terry could only come up with two conclusions. One Joshua was giving him room to make his move or he was working with someone.

Terry studied Joshua carefully going over him from head to toe, keeping a mental note of what Joshua was wearing. The guy was drop-dead gorgeous, he'd give him that. Terry noticed a flashing light coming from Joshua's wristband.

"Your wrist is flashing."

"What?" Joshua moved his ear closer to Terry to hear him clearly.

Terry pointed to the yellow and blue wrist band that was flashing off and on. It was the only thing Joshua was wearing that didn't match. Then he remembered seeing other people in the club wearing the same kind of wristband.

"Oh, it's my phone." Joshua pulled back and answered it. This gave Terry the time he needed to visually sweep the room. He spotted three other people in the room with the same kind of wristband and all of them were using it at the same time. One was even dancing next to Willie and his date.

.n..

Willie couldn't believe the turnout, blaze only invited a few people but there were over a hundred people at the club. He had to admit the guy she had set him up with was very attractive. So why did he keep looking at Zorro.

"You seem distracted."

Willie could hardly hear a word that David said.

"Sorry, I'm just not really a big club person. It's kind of all new to me." He didn't lie, not really and there was no way he was going to tell his date that he was eyeing another guy, but he could tell that David knew.

"Who is he?" David glared at the guy in the Zorro costume.

"I don't really know. I just call him Zorro." Willie's voice was getting kinda sore from all the shouting. He was about to mention but David got to it first.

"Do you want to go some place quiet, where we can talk?"

"Sure."

.n..

Terry watched as the guy led Willie in to the back of the club where the emergency exit was, three people followed him, all of whom had been sporting a wrist watch, the same type of watch that Joshua is wearing. Seconds later Joshua had found a reason to excuse himself.

Joshua walked gracefully through the crowed club and toward the back exit. Terry followed him, carefully keeping his distance so that he wouldn't be spotted.

The back of the club was virtually empty. Only the more carefree types inhabited this part of the club. The music was much lower and the lighting faint. Terry looked around to see if he could find Willie among the small group, but both he and his date seemed to vanish.

Terry spotted Joshua at the last minute making his way out the back exit, and then he heard a scream. Terry raced toward the exit door with all the speed he could muster.

.n..

Willie followed David out of the club and into the back alleyway. He didn't question the chosen location. He needed fresh air and they wanted to talk. The front of the club was packed with people talking, all of whom are waiting to get into the party, and the back was the logical choice being that it was both quiet and outside. The only noise that could be heard came from the junk yard across the street, and that was bearable compared to what was coming out of the club.

David staggered out the door. He couldn't keep hold of his body much longer; he'd have to make his move now. He let lose his powerful psyche, just as four people came bursting through the club door.

"Don't move David."

David watched as Julian Keller other wise known as Hellion, flung his hands up in the air. He could feel the telekinetic field that Keller was erecting around Willie.

"You're to late Keller, I've all ready began to claim him.

"You haven't taken full hold of him yet." Julian strengthened his shield.

David was amazed at how powerful Julian's telekinetic powers were. He'd gone toe to toe with tons of telekinetics and none have been as powerful as Julian Keller, in truth he didn't think his telekinetic abilities were as good, but luckily for him Keller didn't have the skills to match his raw power. Pushing his way through the shield would be hard but not impossible.

Julian could feel David slipping through his shield; it was taking all he had to slow David down.

.n..

Willie felt an invading presence in his mind. It was driving him into darkness, he was losing control, and still he fought for every ounce of mental ground he lost. He'd be damned if he'd just give up.

.n..

Julian looked around for his comrades. Joshua was on the floor by Blind-spot's side. Her body had begun to turn back to its true form. But it was weak, withered and burnt out, like all the other bodies had been after David left them. Luckily for her Joshua's blood could heal any physical damage done. Although Julian wondered how much mental damage would need healing.

Alleyne was looking around the room for something to throw at David. He still had the knowledge of Hank, Eric, and Forge in him. He knows that the only way to stop David is in his pure energy form. He just had to recall the memories of how the x-men stopped him last time.

Julian looked over at Alleyne and Cessily. "Would you two do something, I can't hold him back forever."

"I'm thinking." shouted Alleyne as he pulled Cessily back just as she was about to run into battle. Alleyne's hand wrapped around cool metallic skin then a memory came rushing into his head. Colossus had defeated Proteus by running through him in metallic form.

Alleyne looked Cessily in the eye as he shouted. His voice almost mimicking Hank's. "Run through him."

"What? Are you crazy?" Cessily knew how it felt to have pure energy pulsing through her body and she was in no way ready to feel that kind of pain again.

Blind-spot's body was healed, but she couldn't handle the stress it had been put through. She was out cold and Joshua didn't know if she would ever wake up. He had done all he could for her.

In a rage Joshua twisted around and leaped for David's knew form, he was unaware however of how much control David had attained of the boys body. He watched as the remaining portion of David's energy figure looked at him and smiled. Half of David's energy form was already merged with Willie's; it was the half that was still out that laughed at him.

"Just do it Cessily or we'll all die." Demanded Alleyne.

Cessily saw the boys hands raise, old machine parts from the junk yard melded together to make four armored men. Two of which were attacking Joshua and now pulling off his wings. She watched as Joshua's wings were ripped from his body. Joshua screamed in pain but kept heading for David. Cessily ran full force, trying to reach David before Joshua. She really hoped she was fast enough; she didn't want Joshua to get hurt or worst killed.

Cessily's liquid metallic body passed through David's energy body at the same time that Joshua did. There was a bright flash of light as David's energy form exploded out in all directions. Every one screamed in pain as the psionic energy coursed through there bodies.

.n..

Terry exploded out the door and into the alleyway, everything was happening so fast. He needed to quickly assess the situation. All he new for sure was that Watts was being attacked by something. When Terry was ready to spring into action a blinding light filled the area, at first he could see nothing, but then the blinding light died down. He mentally studied the area, four bodies, two females, the others male, one of which was Joshua. Four machine like man-things surrounding two men, one was Willie. Willie crouched on the floor behind a dark haired teen that looked like he's seen better days.

Julian had managed to pull Willie behind his shields just in time. The mental burst had weakened him but he wasn't out for the count yet. He still had a little power left and when that was gone he'd kick butts the old fashion way.

Julian saw a young man bound out of the club, this was not good. Bad enough he had to play bodyguard for one person, he didn't think he could do it for two, not now anyway. In his current condition he could barely move.

"Go back inside; it's not safe out here."

The main threat was gone but he still had David's nasty little machines to play with. Normally four against one are fair odds, (when he could move.) but now the odds are against him.

"I said go back inside!"

"No, but thanks; I can handle myself hotshot and anyway the tin heads don't look so tough."

Terry ducked a fist to his head effortlessly, and then retaliated with one of his own.

"C'mon tin heads." He made short work of the first two and then helped the stranger pick off the other two. But at some point in the fray he lost his Zorro mask.

Willie watched as one of the robots came for him. He didn't know what to do, its not like he was a fighter, unless the fight was a complex math problem. He could hear chanting but not much else. The two guys fighting were marvelous; it was then that he noticed that one of the fighters was Terry. The robot approaching him made him incessantly more frighten. His mind ran rampant and his life flashed before his eyes.

"All he could think of was the night when the clowns had nearly pounded the life out of him and how a stranger came to his rescue, beat up the baddies and hauled his bloody ass to the hospital, then home and he'd kissed him without even knowing who he was, twice."

"Terry. Terry, Terry!" at first his words was nothing more then a whisper of realization, then that whisper turned to lust and acceptance, but his final call was that of fear as the machine shadow lingered over him.

Terry heard Willie scream his name. His eyes drifted over to the corner were Willie was. One of the fallen machines had gotten back up and was making a B-line for Willie. Terry was at Watts's side in a second and in just a few seconds more there was scrap metal at his feet.

By the time it was over there was a crowd of people out side. Terry had pulled Willie off the ground. Willie was badly shaken up but other then that, he was ok.

Julian went to go check on his comrades. Blind-spot was ok and was getting up and David Alleyne A.K.A Prodigy was being helped to by Cessily Kincaid A.K.A Mercury all was looking like it was going to be ok. Then he heard some one yelling out his comrade's name.

"Joshua!"

Terry shouted after spotting Joshua on the floor with his costumed wings snapped off lying in a pool of blood, it was then that Terry realized that Joshua's wings were real. Joshua was pail and shaking, not quite in total shock but still not all there, Terry could hear Joshua murmuring, but nothing he said made any kind of sense.

"The trouble with most of us is, we'd rather be ruined with praise than saved with criticism. It's in here, all curled up in my head. So evil, bad, bad, we've been. I like playing with the toys daddy but the kittens never live too long. It's twisted up with my thoughts. Her eye will wither the world. The ending was a real bruiser, but in a good way. Like a lashing after hot kinky sex. Oh here come the big lights, time to say night. Turn in, turn in. In the end, the red just isn't red enough."

Cessily was at Joshua side holding his hand, tears running down her face she whispered. "Is gonna be ok Jay. It's gonna be ok." She looks at Prodigy her eye pleading for some reassurance. she stuttered. "Wh… Why isn't he healing, Why isn't his wings growing back. His bloods like magic, it heals people, he should be healing."

Terry was about to call for the ambulance when Joshua's body began to glow. "What… What's happening to him?"

Blind-spot grabbed his head. "He has Proteus's psychic residue in him he may even have bits and peaces of Proteus's energy in him."

"Who the hell is Proteus?" Terry didn't like not having all the facts. Another little something he picked up from Bruce. Unfortunately he wasn't going to get those answers.

Blind-spot looked at Terry not knowing how much to tell him, she had decided on giving him the media version, but that was blown to hell when she felt a presence, the mind was all to familiar and this wasn't just psychic residue. She whipped her head around in time to see a young male running off. She knew who it was, quickly she checked around for the bag that held the eye of the fates in it.

As Terry asked his question, the lights of a truck clicked on.

"It's Proteus!" Shouted Blind-spot as the car came full force in there direction.

Joshua sprung up off the ground. A soft glow radiated off him. "Turn in, turn in." he whispered.

The glow became blinding and when the light cleared all was gone.

.n..

Joshua was gone and so was Proteus.

"What the hell is going on." demanded Terry.

Julian paid Terry no mind. "We have to tell the white queen what happened."

Terry stopped for a moment. I've heard that name before he whispered to himself.

There was a small crowd forming and too many people had seen what was going on. Julian looked at Blind-spot are you up to giving our spectators the whammy.

Terry looked confused. "The what?"

Blind-spot smiled "The whammy, it a mind fuck hun, you wont remember a thing, well you will but it wont be true."

.n..