Hello again readers, or more specifically X0001, here is the final chapter for a while. I still haven't moved but I'm almost fully packed so this time I can actually say it will be the last for some time.
Disclaimer: Still Don't Own Any X-Men Or Marvel Related Materials.
Chapter 22
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Things are changing
Central ParkAs the sun rises in Central Park the F.O.M.E. member Shift sits on a park bench sipping from a cup of coffee. Very few people are out on the streets at this time of day and even less are in the park allowing Shift to swap between his human shape to a neutral green colored version of him.
"I liked you better with brown hair." Paul Stevenson said with a smile holding a jacket over his shoulder.
Shift following his namesake shifted back into human form and handed his teammate a cup of coffee as the Canadian took a seat next to the shape shifter. "Yeah and I'd like you better with big breasts."
Paul rolled his eyes and took a drink from his coffee. "Ah hot." He said trying to cool off his tongue.
"Yeah that never happens. Who would make coffee hot?" the shape shifter asked sarcastically. "So have a good night?" Shift inquired nudging Paul with his elbow.
"A gentleman doesn't kiss and tell."
"So I hear. I will remind you though that you have that shit eating grin on your face." Shift stared off into the distance while Paul moved his hands over his face to see if he did have that smile, he did. The two sat that way for a while in silence drinking their coffee. "Something's coming."
Paul nodded. "Well it is the morning people usually begin to move during the morning."
"That's not what I mean! Seriously something's going to happen and I know it. Something BIG."
Paul couldn't help but scoff at the statement. "This from the guy who hits on anything he isn't related to."
"Hey that's not true! I once hit on a cousin."
"That's my point how can you be in touch with the universe to know something's going to happen?" Paul then got up and threw his coffee away and began his walk back.
Shift sat on the bench still looking off into the distance as two armed men stole a car and sped away. "Something is coming…I know it."
At the office of agent Drew of SHIELD the assembled team of FOME teens Paul, Lissa, Zack, Bailey, Griffin, Hyacinth, St. John and Holly Marco stood waiting to be briefed. Agent Drew smiled at the teens standing and waiting for their orders.
"Welcome team, I know you are not happy with the new arrangements of SHIELD running things but I assure you in time you'll grow accustomed." Standing up the agent approached the group. "The group of you and miss Marco has been called here for a mission. As I'm sure most of you will notice that you are paired with a teammate of the opposite sex, and this mission will require you to work together."
Before Agent Drew could continue a hand shot up, it was Zack's. "Is this mission one where we can go off into dark corners for uh…down time?" Zack asked putting his arm around Bailey's shoulder.
Completely ignoring the question agent Drew continued, "Miss Frost of the Hellfire Club has asked for your services. She needs each of you to come and work security but you must be very discreet. This is simply a way for her to show that she and the Hellfire Club are not dangerous but we know otherwise. You have till eight tonight to be ready. Dismissed."
"Does this mean we have to dress up?" Asked Griffin, already knowing the answer but hoping against hope. Agent Drew gave a simple nod each person giving a collective groan.
"Can I go naked!" Zack asked raising his hand again. This of course earned him a deathly glare.
The first mutant into the Underground Café Zack waited for his teammates. Thanks to his powers he was fully clothed in a tuxedo of course he was a few hours early. "Hey Bar Hag give me something to drink will yaw?" Zack asked sitting down at the counter.
"You know it should be me that's going tonight instead of you, I mean what can you possibly do better than me?" Jean-Paul replied as he spit into Zack's coffee before handing it to the shape shifter.
"Well I can act like a straight guy" he replied sarcastically before putting the cup to his mouth. Before he could take a sip the newest recruit Olivia took the cup out of his hands. He had saved her some time earlier in the night the Sentinels attacked New York and she had yet to leave his apartment, she had even taken his bedroom from him. "Hey!"
"He spit in it!" Olivia exclaimed drinking the coffee while watching to T.V.
Zack stared down the French Canadian who only scoffed in return and began to do other duties. "Haven't you left yet?" Zack asked turning towards the young mutant girl.
"Have you grown a pair yet?" She replied not taking her eyes off the television set.
"That doesn't even make sense!"
"Your face doesn't make sense!"
Zack lowered his head in defeat "You got me there." He replied and rose to his feet and thought about what to do to kill time. "Hey…I'll bet Bailey is just getting out of the shower now!" in a flash the shape shifter quickly disappeared.
"So why is it you drank the coffee if you knew I spit in it?" Jean-Paul asked Olivia taking a seat next to her.
Olivia looked at him in surprise and a bit of happiness crossed her face as she finished the coffee. "You actually spit in it?" she asked rather excitedly.
The Hellfire Club's Inner Circle were each greeting guests as they entered their lobby, on the rooftop across the street a figure covered in shadows watches closely. Crouching down the figure's face reveals that of Raine Kumo or as most knew her by Reaper. She was once again in New York for reasons known only to her.
A stretch limousine pulled up to the curve of the Hellfire building and Reaper recognized the members of the F.O.M.E. she quickly jumped off the building onto the sidewalk below.
Stepping out of the limo first Griffin Riley stepped out looking very uncomfortable in his tuxedo followed by an equally uncomfortable Caeda Mendara who continually looked at her watch to see when they could get out of these clothes.
In contrast the female member Lissa, or Force as she was also known, was completely immersed in the atmosphere. She smiled, winked and flirted with many of the males around. Her date for the evening Paul Stevenson was comfortable wearing his tuxedo, he was enjoying the chance to dress up and converse with the social elite.
Out of the limos sunroof Zack hopped out and slid onto the ground. In contrast to his teammates the shape shifter was dressed in a pink tuxedo shirt and a pair of heart covered boxers. His date Bailey stepped out of the limo, with no help from Zack, and was dressed in a pink dress to match his with a glare to match.
The last to step out were the former Acolyte St. John Allerdyce dressed in a red suit and flicking his ever present lighter and his date Holly Marco. She was dressed in a simple dress with nothing to draw attention to her, her attention of course being on the only mutant who was sexually attracted to fire.
St. John leaned towards Zack and spoke directly into the other teen's ear, "Shouldn't you be wearing a tux mate?"
Zack nodded and smiled. "Yes, but Bailey said I had to match her dress and clearly I am doing so. These shorts on the other hand are really riding up on me."
Back at the Mutant Apartments Shield agent Drew was reviewing paper assorted all over the desk. There was a ring at the phone, which was promptly answered. "Drew here."
"Agent Drew I hope the children are at the Hellfire's gala." The voice of Nick Fury said in a commanding voice.
"Yes sir, is there any reason that I should know of why the Hellfire Club asked these kids to help them?"
"That is what they were sent to find out. Why would a club such as the Hellfire organization ask our recent team to work security? I expect your report by tomorrow." Nick Fury ended the conversation along no room for rebuttal.
"Jerk." Agent Drew groaned before hanging up too.
S&S Inside the Hellfire Club's buildingBailey Doty of the F.O.M.E. sat at the bar drinking. Though she was underage she still managed to provoke alcohol from the bartender. She was too intoxicated to watch the crowd but not enough to talk or hate.
"Don't you think you've had enough?" Asked the bartender as he poured another drink.
"Enough? No. I'm in a tight dress, my boyfriend didn't care enough to dress nicely in a tuxedo which he had, and everywhere I look I see girls hotter, skinnier, taller, and bigger breasts than me!" She spat back as she downed a shot. "And my wonderful boyfriend is looking at all them wishing he could be with them."
"Damn it Bailey I'm right here and I am watching you!" Zack replied sitting next to the inebriated redhead his eyes focused on her. "Someone can't hold her liquor." He stated as he rubbed her back.
"Don't touch me." Bailey said shaking off his hand. She stood up form the bar and lost her balance, only to be touched once again by Zack who caught her. "I'm fine!" she said pushing him away again.
"Angry drunk." Zack said with a laugh. "Come on sunshine let's get you back to your apartment."
Bailey walked towards the door but was stopped when she saw a man kissing a girl he was dancing with; this immediately brought tears to her eyes. "You never do anything romantic for me you know…" Bailey said in almost a whisper.
Zack turned Bailey around with a small scowl on his face. "Oh yeah?" He replied getting down on his knee and pulling out a small ring in the shape of a handcuff. "How's that for romantic?" He asked looking up at Bailey.
She nodded before she suddenly vomited up her alcohol on his face. "Oh I think I'm going to puke." She said a minute to late.
Zack wiped the puke off with his shirt and threw it onto the floor and slid the ring on her finger. "Okay lets get you home." He said walking her out and hailing a cab.
"Zack you stay here and wash off…sides it is a mission." She said smiling, a small drop of vomit under her lip.
"Yeah but I kind of could use a shower, a long one." The shape shifter replied opening the cab door. Bailey stepped in and as Zack prepared to get in there was a scream from inside the party. He continued to try and step in but Bailey pushed him out and closed the door. "Go." She said simply. Zack shook his head and tried to get in again, "Go!" she said before tapping the seat of the cab, which quickly drove off.
Zack sighed and ran into the party. "I'm going to regret this."
"Say Sheila you think this guy will burn?" Pyro asked Holly opening his lighter.
"Pyro! Don't do it!" Griffin yelled as he activated his shields over his hands. "Hyacinth blows the gun out of his hand! Shift wrap yourself around him…" Griffin stopped with his orders once Force punched down the man with a gun. "Force! I didn't say to do that!"
Force just shrugged and lifted the man up before throwing him out of the building. "We're security we don't have to fight as a team." She replied before returning to a crowd of men who each laughed at all her jokes and bought each drink she wanted.
"There, there Griff" Paul said trying to console his dejected friend. Griffin hung his head low and disappeared in the sea of people. Paul turned to talk to Pyro but all he got was a glimpse of the fire lovers back as he walked hand in hand with Holly off to a corner.
Being one of the mutants not chosen for a mission Chance was in his lab looking at a computer screen typing furiously. "It just doesn't add up…the glasses spark whenever they…man I'm hungry." Chance ranted to himself. He got off his chair and made his way to the elevator where he would go and get some food.
Bailey swayed back and forth as she walked into the Underground Café. It felt like she had been walking for miles in reality however she had only walked a few feet from the entrance. She sat down at a table and began to doze off and try to sleep off her intoxication.
Olivia raided Zack's fridge in his apartment though her search was fruitless. With an angry slam of the refrigerator door she had a sudden epiphany, "The Café!" She exclaimed running through the door without opening the door and leaving a hole behind where she exited. She made her way towards the elevator and pressed the button. The doors opened and Chance smiled and greeted her.
"Late night hunger?" he asked watching as the younger girl hit the already lit ground floor button. Olivia didn't respond but her stomach's growling was answer enough. Chance couldn't help but laugh. "Me too."
Along the way Jean-Paul entered the elevator and joined the duo on their quest to find food. The three of them reached the ground floor and were greeted with the sigh of Bailey sleeping in a pool of her own drool. They left the girl alone and began to make some food to feed their starving stomachs.
There was a sound of tires screeching and the glass doors to the café were shattered and an armed battalion of people dressed in dark uniforms entered. "Freeze muties!" They all yelled in unison.
The other two members Masque and Katie were in Katie's apartment. Masque watched over her as she slept until he heard the sounds of the tires. The former Morlock quickly jumped to his feet and looked out the window in time to see shards of glass blow out into the street.
"What is it?" Katie asked, the commotion waking her from her sleep.
Masque looked towards her and motioned for her to lie down. "Something is going on downstairs…I will go check it out stay here!" He replied the last part of his reply being an order.
"N-no! I'm not staying up here alone!" Katie exclaimed getting out of bed and taking off her clothes revealing her F.O.M.E. outfit underneath.
Masque knew he couldn't argue with her and grabbed her hand leading her into the elevator.
The only person not to respond to the commotion was Agent Drew who blew off the sounds as that of New York.
Sorry guys I know I rushed through this one but I got kind of excited to write it and I thought I'd end it here. It's only 5 pages but I really feel like being mean. Look at it this way though you each get two chapters for the price of one. Well okay not you each but you one reader. Don't worry the next chapter will be up within a few days.