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CHAPTER TWO

Xavier had called Wolverine, Storm, Gambit, Iceman and Rogue to join himself, Kitty and Archangel in the office. There, Kitty was giving a rather animated account of what had happened at the bank. "He could split himself in two and there was another one of him. Like, exactly the same as him. And I don't think he was controlling them or anything, they all seemed to have minds of their own."

Wolverine pondered her description. "Have I heard of this guy somewhere before?"

Silently, Xavier turned a computer screen round. Displayed on it were a headshot along with a detailed biographical file.

Kitty gestured to the screen excitedly. "That's him!"

"That's the one,"Warren confirmed.

"James Madrox,"Xavier explained. "A petty mutant criminal responsible for a number of bank robberies. Regarded as relatively low on the scale of mutant threats. Until he ended up working for Magneto."

There was a sudden chill in the room. "He's a member of the Brotherhood?"Storm asked.

"He was,"Xavier replied. "He was captured shortly before you fought Magneto at Alcatraz. There has been no word of him being associated with the Brotherhood since." He sighed. "Actually, there's been very little word of him since. According to the latest government files we have, he's still in custody, kept safe with that temporary cure you provided them with."

"It sounds to me like those files could do with an update,"Gambit commented.

"The Brotherhood are still out there,"Bobby pointed out. "I mean, John and the others escaped after we fought the Sentinels together. Do you think he's hooked up with them?"

"It's possible,"Xavier conceeded. "But I'd like to have more information."

"A lot of people in the government aren't happy about us teaming up with the Brotherhood,"Storm pointed out. "But we do still have some friends there."

"Maybe we should give them a call,"Wolverine suggested.

Xavier nodded. "Agreed. Until then, I don't suppose there's anything we can do."

As the group filed out of Xavier's office and headed down the corridor, Rogue hurried up behind Bobby and rapped him playfully on the behind. "So what do you want to do now?"

She'd been expecting a smile to appear on his face but instead he continued to look sullen. "Not now, okay, Rogue?"

She studied his face carefully. "You're really worried, aren't you?"

Bobby shrugged. "I kind of like to forget that the Brotherhood are still out there. Knowing that they might be behind this Madrox guy…"

"Well, it might not be them. I mean, Pyro was never the brightest student, a jailbreak might be a bit beyond him, especially one that no-one seems to have noticed."

"He nearly killed you."

Rogue paused as she recalled how one of Pyro's fireballs would have consumed her if Kitty hadn't managed to phase them both. "Okay. But until we know what's going on, how about we forget about it and just enjoy the downtime?" She kissed him lightly on the lips. He smiled slightly and when she kissed him again, he didn't object.

Wolverine and Storm had remained behind in the office with Xavier. "Logan, I want you to begin organising extra combat drills as soon as possible,"Xavier noted.

Wolverine had lit a cigar and was taking large puffs on it. "No problem, Prof, I could use the exercise."

"Storm, I'd be obliged if you'd help him. I'm going to need to concentrate on this investigation."

"You think we're going to have to take the kids into battle again?"Storm asked.

Xavier smiled. "I think that that distinction has been lost now that the younger members of the post-graduation students far outnumber the members of the older generations. But they already fought one skirmish today and I find it all too likely they'll be called upon to fight another. It does, after all, seem we have at least one mutant criminal on the loose."

"We'll see to it, Prof,"Wolverine assured him, putting an arm round Storm's shoulder and guiding her from the room. Once they were out in the corridor, he withdrew his arm and gave her a curious look. "You okay with all this?"

She looked at him in confusion. "What?"

"With the bald one calling all the shots again. I mean, not too long ago you were the leader of this outfit. Or I was. Never quite decided which."

"I've taken orders from the Professor before."

"Yeah but not like this. Before he used to just wind you all up and send you off to do a job. Now he's got his legs back. Well, he's got legs anyway. They're not exactly his. Either way, he's more likely to want to come out with us and do the job himself."

Storm sighed. "Logan… I've got a lot more to worry about than a hurt pride. Magneto, Stryker, Apocalypse… They're all dead now and yet they keep coming. When are we ever going to get peace?"

Wolverine shrugged. "We've knocked them all down and we'll knock this one down."

"Who though, Logan? We don't even know who it is we're fighting."

James Madrox, Multiple Man, was at that moment walking through the entrance of a large and extremely secret building. A hulking figure waited for him in the hall. This was Guido Carosella, known to the rest of their group as Strong Guy. "How did it go?"he asked.

"I nearly did it,"Madrox complained. "But two of the X-Men turned up. Got in the way."

Carosella rolled his eyes. "Isn't that just typical?"

"Where's the boss?"

Carosella gestured up a flight of steps to a door. "Up there."

"Suppose I'd better tell him what happened,"Madrox conceeded.

"He's not gonna be happy when he finds out the X-Men got involved."

Madrox shrugged. "Maybe he'll organise a rematch."