Disclaimer: I don't own anything X-men
Author's note: I'm so sorry for the long delay on updates, I had to work out a few plot kinks as well as a small case of writers block. Anywho…here's the next chapie, and I apologize in advance for the accents, I'm horrible at them so just try and use your imagination, or review and give me tips on how they should look. By the way, reviewing helps motivate me (hint, hint). Alright, away we go…
Chapter 4: Back at the Mansion
Professor Xaiver was sitting in his study waiting for his X-men to return. He had managed to track one of Magneto's henchmen to New York City by using Cerebro. He only hoped that they would be able to find out what it was that his old friend Eric was up to before it was too late. It saddened the Professor to think of how his old friend, the man who had helped to start the School for Gifted Youngsters, had changed, letting his hate for homo-sapiens consume and drive him. With a sigh, and a hope for some answers, the Professor wheeled out of his office to go to the lower levels of the school. His X-Men were returning and he would meet them when the arrived.
Just as the large metal door slide open to reveal a hanger bay a large boarding plank lowered from the futuristic looking jet that had just powered down. Leading the group off of the X-jet, Storm couldn't hide the worry from her eyes. Even if she could the Professor would still sense it, so really there was no use hiding it from him. The instant he saw her walking toward him he knew that Storm didn't have good news.
"Let's discuss what happened in my office," the Professor replied as Storm was about to say something, but she stopped, nodded, and then followed the Professor as he wheeled away. Logan turned to Bobby and Rogue just as they were about to follow.
"You two have done what you can for now. Why don't you go get changed and find something to eat, let the Professor deal with what we've discovered, alright," he said looking pointedly at the two of them before turning and heading in the direction of the Professor's office.
For the first few minutes everyone was silent as they settled themselves in the office. Scott had wandered over to the window to stare out into nothingness like he had been doing ever since Alkali Lake. As usual Logan leaned against a bookcase, while Storm seated herself on the couch and the Professor wheeled his chair to face the coffee table. All of them were lost in their own thoughts, except the professor, who was in fact observing his X-men and catching glimpses of their thoughts. Finally, with a gentle clearing of his throat he brought their focus back, except for Scott, to the reason they were meeting.
"Something happened in New York. Storm what did you discover?" the Professor asked looking at his former pupil. Not quite sure where she wanted to start she simply pulled out the stack of papers they had retrieved from Sadie's apartment and set them on the coffee table.
"We think it was information that Magneto was after," she stated then glancing at Logan she continued, "and a…mutant." At this Charles looked right at her instead of the papers and sensing the thoughts in the room he turned his attention to Wolverine. "As you can see by the paperwork we found, she was researching the mutant gene. For what purpose and for whom, we have no idea," Storm said bringing the Professor's focus back to the information on the table and not the memory running through Logan's head about what happened in the alley with the new mutant. "From just looking through some of what we found it looks as though she has discovered how to isolate the mutated genes. This discovery in the wrong hands could mean the development of a cure, or worse…"
"The creation of super-mutants," Charles finished for Storm. "We must try to locate this mutant…"
"Sadie," interrupted Logan from the bookcase causing the Professor to look up at him. "Her name is Sadie Phillips."
"Phillips…" the Professor quiet and thoughtfully repeated, more for himself then the others. "Yes, well we must find her before she does fall into the wrong hands. I will go and try to find her with Cerebro," he stated before turning and wheeling back out of the office thinking to himself 'I just hope we're not too late.'
Storm followed shortly after mumbling something about food and a shower, leaving just Scott and Logan. The whole meeting Scott had simply stared out the window as if the world around him no longer existed, and ever since Alkali Lake that is just how he felt. Without Jean in his life, he didn't feel like anything else mattered. Logan knew this because on some level that is exactly how he felt too, but he also knew that it would not be what Jean wanted. She had sacrificed herself so they could live, not mope around and become dead to the world themselves, if only Cyclops would pull his head out of his ass long enough to see that. There was a long moment as Logan stood there just looking at Scott stare out the window, then finally he walked over and stood next to him.
"You're not the only one who misses her, you know," Logan stated breaking the silence with his bluntness, but still Scott didn't respond. "Do you think this is how she would have wanted you live, or not live in your case?"
"She's gone Logan, we'll never know what she would want or not want anymore," Scott quietly, but angrily replied. "Besides," he continued his tone growing louder with each word, "what makes you think you would know what she wanted? You weren't her husband; you didn't know her like I did, so just back off and leave me alone."
"Fine bub, you want to sulk, then sulk, but don't bring us all down with you. If you're not going to get your head on straight then I think you better hang back here when we go to find Sadie Phillips, because with the way you are now I can't trust you to watch any of our backs out there," Logan stated flatly then turned to leave.
"Look who's talking," muttered Cyclops.
"What," Wolverine stopped and turned back towards Cyclops.
"You heard me," he replied quietly, and then more loudly continued, "Since when have you been known as a team player Wolverine? I mean just this evening you took off ahead of the rest of us. You stand there telling me that I'm being stupid for missing my wife, the woman I loved, when it's quite clear that you've found your next infatuation. I just hope that this Sadie girl has enough sense to stay away from you, before you hurt her too," Cyclops said in a cold tone as he turned away from the window and faced Wolverine, who at this point had extended his metal claws and was growling as he glared at Cyclops. It took every ounce of his strength to resist slashing Cyclops to ribbons right then and there, so still fuming he turned sharply and stalked out of the office. He needed to burn off his rage, and the only place to do that would be the Danger Room.
Once she had left the office Ororo had been planning on taking a shower but as her stomach growled and grumbled she figured food would come first so she headed to the kitchen. When she had passed through the swinging doors she saw a familiar figure and a small smile crossed her face.
"Kurt, you're back," she said warmly as she approached her blue transporting friend. After a friendly hug she sat down on the other side of the table. "When did you get back?" she asked.
"This afternoon, but the Professor said you vere out on a mission. Vhat vere you looking for?" he asked before sipping some of the coffee he had been drinking.
"Well, were trying to figure out what Magneto is planning to do, and we think we found a solid lead," she replied as her smile faded. "Do you mind if we talk about something else?" she quickly asked, and at his head shake she continued with her smile returning, "Tell me all about your trip?" And the next few hours found them drinking coffee and sharing stories in the kitchen, Storm's shower long forgotten.
Professor Xavier rolled into the cavernous, round room, right to the end of the walkway and to the podium where the headpiece for Cerebro sat waiting for him. Once he had placed the strange headpiece on himself he cleared his mind and began to focus on finding the new mutant. When he did this the round room with its square panels faded away to show what looked like a world map covered in red lights.
Charles had been in Cerebro for what seemed like hours, but he could find no trace of the girl or of Magneto and his Brotherhood. With a heavy sigh he removed the headpiece and thought, 'where have you gone Sadie?'
There was fire and explosions all around him, the Sentinel was destroying everything around Logan, but he was managing to keep one step ahead. This is what he needed, a good fight. He knew that Cyclops said what he did out of anger and remorse, but that still didn't help him from becoming enraged by what was said. Logan was more furious with himself then Cyclops actually, because some small part of him agreed with Scott. Logan wasn't usually one of the "team". He had always been doing things his way, even at Alkali Lake. He ran off after Striker, wanting answers, leaving the others behind without his support. 'But I came back,' he thought as he dodged another blast from the Sentinel, 'I always come back.' Then his thoughts shifted to other thing that Cyclops said. Logan had loved Jean too, he honestly couldn't remember ever loving anyone the way he loved her, but that didn't stop the mixed emotions he was feeling now. When he first met Jean he was drawn to her, and now he was feeling similarly for this woman Sadie. He felt torn, guilt for thinking of someone else the way he once used to think of Jean, but then knowing that he couldn't let himself wallow in remorse, that he would need to let go, move on. With these thoughts still running a cycle through his head he let out a primal growl and ran right at the attacking Sentinel feeling the need to sink his claws into something and release all his fury and pain.
Author's note: Next chapter takes us back to Sadie and the Brotherhood, and in coming chapters more wonderful characters are introduced, yippee.