Disclaimer: Marvel Entertainment owns everything, with the exception of Cat who is my own creation. This is a work of fanfic, no copyright infringement intended.
Part 2 "They are the bombs"
Cat reached into her locker and withdrew a light green evening dress. She yanked it on over her head and adjusted the sleeves. She smiled at her reflection in the mirror.
"Not bad for a 76 year old." She observed to her reflection as she reached back into the depths of the locker and with drew a brush and a make up bag.
She made her way back towards the showers, where sinks and mirrors were suspended. She was not the first one there by any means. Every sink had one or two Red Guard or Hellion agents there. They were all preparing for the same thing. The gala that was to be held that night to celebrate Pietro's and Wanda's birthday. Cat edged in between Mystique and Moonstar, who were both fussing with their hair. Mystique had no need for this as her powers allowed her to change her appearance at will, so Cat could only presume that she wanted to be with the rest of her team, or that she wanted to apologise to Moonstar for putting her agents in danger.
Moonstar lifted her head as Cat edged in. She was wearing a turquoise evening dress, that very few could have pulled off. She spoke to Cat almost as quickly as Surge did when using her power.
"Cat I just want to thank you again for asking the Hellions to help with this event. It's just the morale boost that's needed."
Cat shrugged. She knew in the month since the collapse of Project Genesis, the Hellions had found it hard to get missions. SHIELD command had heard about their fight with the Red Guard; the ease with which Quill had been controlled by a telepath; their fight with the New Mutants and their co-operation with Human resistance terrorist; and had been reluctant to trust them.
"No problem. We needed an extra agent for the evening anyway. It's going to be very boring I'm afraid."
Moonstar shrugged. "It's still a mission."
Cat had no desire to disillusion Moonstar, so she said nothing for a few minutes. She then in a low voice asked
"How is your team?"
Moonstar shrugged. "We're holding ourselves together, but this mission will help morale no end."
"It's going to be a good event." Sofia a.k.a Wind Dancer said, leaning in to do her lipstick. "Everyone going to be there. Magneto, Quicksilver, Polaris, Wanda Maximoff"
Cat smiled at the fact that prejudices prevented Lady Wanda being called by her correct title.
"Wonder Man, Captain Marvel-"
"Yeah!" Cat said leaning in to do her own lipstick. "It will be good o see Carol again."
"Who?" the Hellion and the Agent asked.
"Carol Danvers. Captain Marvel."
"You know her?" more voices joined in all surprised.
"Yeah. She was a SHIELD agent in the Mutant Human war, same as Wolverine and me."
"What was she like?" Sofia asked excited.
"Ok. Not one of the ones who beat us up. Too young to be one of the ones who spoke up for us though."
Sofia nodded. She then stopped as a thought occurred to her.
"Where do we put our guns?"
Cat smiled. "SHIELD design Look about the waist, that tends to be where they put them."
Sofia felt around the waist of her dress and finding a pocket, placed her gun in the holster concealed there.
"Come on!" Cat said, finishing her make up and shoving her bag back in her locker "we'd best hurry if you want to make the briefing.
A large, 3D plan of the royal palace of Genosha was holographically projected in the middle of the table. Captain James "Logan" Howlett, a.k.a Wolverine was explaining SHIELD positioning.
"OK Spider Woman and Toad, you're in the kitchen. No body who shouldn't gets in or out. And nothing extra is added to the food. Agents Nightcrawler and Rogue, you're patrolling the stairs and the landing. It's where most of the royal family will be parading down from and guests will be up and down there all evening. Look out for any one acting suspiciously and check everyone's invites, before they leave the landing. Any doubts contact palace security and they'll take it from there. They're also responsible for security of the grounds with bout half a dozen Marines units.
"Agents Cat and Moonstar, you will the patrol the East side of the ballroom, Mystique and I will handle the west.
"Agents Sage and Maverick, you two are responsible for the protection of the generator. It's the most likely place for an attack, so one of you is to report in personally every hour, alternating it. Hellions, you have been given who you report to, but I will review it for the benefit of everyone."
He paused and consulted a file by him.
"Agent Scion, you will be reporting to me and Agent Mystique. Agent Wind Dancer, you will be reporting to Agents Nightcrawler and Rogue. Agent Surge you are reporting to Agents Cat and Moonstar along with Agent Quill. Agent Synch will report to Agents Toad and Spider woman. Agent Magik, you are reporting to Maverick and Sage."
The Hellions preened themselves at been addressed as agents.
"Hellions, you will report in by radio, every hour. Any questions?"
There were none.
"Ok let's do it."
It was about the 3rd time that Maverick reported in that a wave of panic gripped her. There was nothing to cause it. The evening had gone well and quietly, with only a minor incident when Nightcrawler snubbed Warren Worthington III, but after the incident in Wakanda that was only to be expected.
Yet sudden blind, terror gripped her. She fought to keep it from her face, but she surrounded by those who knew her best, Wolverine and Maverick.
"Cat what's wrong?" Maverick asked, concern ringing in every syllable.
She swallowed. "Something is about to happen" she said as calmly as she could "something very bad."
She couldn't have been more definite had she been asked, but Wolverine, thanks to over 60 years of friendship, didn't ask.
"Agents Report!" he bellowed into the communicator.
One by one they all reported in, first the Red Guard, then the Hellions. The Red Guards were nervous; afraid they had missed something and were in trouble. The Hellions were slightly annoyed, believing that Wolverine was checking up on them. No one reported anything unusual.
It was while Cat was digesting this, that she lifted her head and saw the boy enter the room. He had just come in though the French windows and was walking though the room, unnoticed by the other guests , despite the fact that he was wearing jeans, a dark blue jacket and a baseball cap instead of formal dress. Cat couldn't give a reason; she just knew that this, the young boy, was the source of her fear.
"Wolverine" she said into her communicator, as she edged forward "get the Hellions out of here now!"
She was vaguely aware of instructions being issued as she approached the boy. He raised his head and saw her. Then she realised that this was a mistake. But it was too late. Even as she began to scream a wave of pure kinetic energy it her. The world went black.
The hospital was in chaos. While details were still sketchy, it was clear that someone had set off a bomb at the house of M gala to celebrate Quicksilver's and Lady Wanda's birthday. Cat lay still on one of the trolleys provided, trying not to move as it felt like everything hurt. She tried to remember the old SHIELD maximum that pain was good, pain means that you're still alive and you can still kill guy who did this to you!
Colonel Sebastian Shaw, director of SHIELD had already been in to receive her version of events. He hadn't been too impressed, her description of the bomber he dismissed as worthless, that he had telepathic abilities that rendered him invisible to all but the SHIELD agents with their scramblers, he snorted obliviously, however when she mentioned that she had seen no bombs or detonation devices he turned pale.
"But that sounds like that he was…one of us" noticing the confused look on Cat's face he continued, "a mutant"
Cat shrugged, and then stopped as it made her shoulder hurt. To her the idea of mutant terrorism wasn't disturbing, but she knew that Shaw would.
"With respect sir, mutants have been known to process terrorist fractions for years" she gave a slight laugh. "It would appear that Bucky was right when he said "these Mutants don't plant bombs, they are the bombs!" Shaw probably thought that she was hysterical or still in a state of shock, as he left her alone after that.
She felt beside the pain, a degree of restlessness, as though what had happened was about to be explained.
She lay back, trying to boost her healing factor and gazed up at the television suspended above the chaos. Suddenly the screen went like a swarm of bee and when it cleared a young man stood there.
He was dressed in yellow and black, with a mask covering his face and was about 16 years old by his build and voice as he spoke.
"Mutants! Hear us. What you saw today was just the beginning. We must save mutants from those race traitors within us who would that we breed and "co-exist" with the creatures that fear and hate us. We are Homo Superior. We are the Children of Xavier. We will prevail!" he lifted his arms so that they formed an X across his face, that matched the X on his belt.
The screen flicked back to the original channel. But no was watching it. Everyone sat in silence.
Wolverine who lay next to the unconscious Mystique, healing, glanced at Cat. To his amazement she was sitting up with a thoughtful expression on her face.
"Xavier" she muttered. "Now where have I heard that before?"
To be continued