Disclaimers on chapter 1
I seem to be getting back in the rythm, yay for me & yay for you because you get more frequent updates. On the subject all those who think it's about time I updated this fic raise your hand then forget about reading this header & get on with reading the story.
Chapter 2
A lone motor bike skidded to a halt in front of the ruined gates. Stepping off his bike he walked through the broken gateway to stand on the front grounds of what remained of the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning, the place he had once called home until the explosion a year ago.
Stopping and closing his eyes for a second, the man could still remember that day down to the smallest detail. He remembered walking towards the Professor to say his goodbyes to the man who had offered him sanctuary. As he neared, he saw the man many looked to as a mentor suddenly clasp his head and vaguely noted that Jean, a red head with similar mental powers as the Professor, was clutching her head also. The next second, a blinding flash and a wave of intense heat like some sort of explosion occurred. When the dust settled all he saw was the remains of the institutes front lawn and a crater that contained the ruined remains of Xavier's wheelchair.
Seeing that Xavier had somehow disappeared, he was half expecting Scott, a fellow mutant he did not get along with and leader of the X-men team, to start issuing orders. Instead, the man in question was currently calling out for Jean who had mysteriously vanished as well. He was therefore surprised when he heard the accented voice of Kurt, another member of the X-men team whose demonic appearance was a stark contrast to his kind and gentle personality, speak out over everyone who was crying or moaning in pain or confusion.
He watched in amazement as the elf, still covered in the adhesive sludge that had not moments ago cemented him to the ceiling of the Danger Room, started issuing orders to everyone and even slapped fellow teammate Ororo to snap her out of her depression and make her help out Hank who was tending to the wounded. If he did not know any better, he thought that Kurt had unofficially become the next leader of the X-men.
Opening his eyes to the ruins one more, he made his way through them to a particularly large slab of concrete. Like a fox checking for any predators before scurrying down the hole to its den, he carefully sniffed the air for any scent of an intruder. Smelling only the quiet air, he quickly lifted up the slab to reveal an elevator shaft. Jumping into the hole and unsheathing the claws that were embedded into his metal skeleton, he used them to slow his decent unaware that two shadowy beings had managed to keep downwind of him and had saw him disappear down the shaft.
Land slightly harder than expected at the bottom of the shaft, he stealthily made his way towards the only room in the underground labyrinth he was in that had working lights. Looking inside, he saw Hank McCoy whose codename, the Beast, was aptly named by his beast-like appearance currently hovering over a microscope examining something whilst taking notes without lifting his eyes of whatever specimen he was researching.
"Whatcha working on, Hank?" He asked causing Hank to exclaim in shock before turning to his unexpected guest.
"Logan, seriously, must you always make an entrance?" Hank asked the man who was currently skimming the pages of the notebook as if interested.
"Yeah" Logan replied lazily. "But you've gotta learn to relax, Hank. Get out more"
"Yeah well" Hank began as he snatched back his notepad. "With the Professor and Jean unaccounted for, it's hard for me to do anything else"
"Yeah, me neither" Logan agreed sobering up. "Learned anything new?"
Hank went back to the table he was working at as he skimmed through his notepad to the appropriate page. Ever since the explosion, Hank had been trying to find the cause of what had happened. However, without the right resources and funding, he managed to uncover very little. The only thing positive was that Hank, like any other scientist, got more intrigued with each piece of the mystery he unravelled.
"I have worked out that the explosion was indeed centred on Charles location, so he was the likely target" Hank stated after finding the right page. "However, the cause still eludes me. There was no evidence of combustion, chemical radiation or even electromagnetism which removes both the MRD and Magneto"
"So who did it then?" Logan asked impatiently.
"I don't know, but I'll figure it out eventually" Hank replied slightly exasperated. "I also don't know why you are here unexpectedly"
"Those freakin MRD's are getting out of hand" Logan growled. "They snatched up a family, just because they helped me after I saved their daughter from a train wreck!"
Hank was clearly surprised by the news about what the MRD were up to. Logan saving a little girl from trouble however did not surprise him at all; he and several others believed that Logan had a soft spot for kids but were too afraid to say it to the man for fear of losing their lives.
"They're arresting non-mutants now?" he asked in disbelief.
"I'm gonna fix this" Logan muttered quietly. "And I need your help to do it"
"No, no I can't" Hank said shaking his head before turning back to the microscope. "Why don't you ask the others?"
"What others?" Logan asked or rather growled.
"Perhaps the two others that's behind you?" Someone suggested from behind him. Whipping round, claws unsheathed, Logan came face to furry face with Kurt and what looked like a cross between a human, a tiger and a hawk.
"Dammit squirrel!" Logan snarled. "How many times have I told you not to do that? And how long have you been there"
"You have got to learn to relax, Logan. Get out more" Kurt said grinning at the startled Logan.
"Same old elf" Logan sighed before grinning himself. Despite Kurt's devilish sense of humour, the two of them were great friends and would often spar in the Danger Room using weapons and/or fists.
"Who's the stray?" He asked jerking his head towards the elf's new friend.
"Joshua Greenwald, or Tigerhawk if you would prefer" The cat-bird hybrid said bowing before Logan. "I am molto onorato to meet you Messer Wolverine, Messer Beast"
Logan raised his eyebrows at Joshua whilst Hank walked over to them.
"Remarkable" He muttered as he shook Joshua's hand. "I had heard rumours that your predecessor had adopted a mutant and that he took over when he passed away, but I never thought I would get to meet you face to face"
"You know this guy?" Logan asked obviously never hearing of Joshua's name before.
"Mr Greenwald here was once the CEO of Greenwald Incorporated, the company that supplied Charles with the equipment and technology he needed to create Cerebro and created the holographic image inducers to allow those with physical mutations to blend in" Hank explained to Logan who was beginning to look back at Joshua in a mixture of amazement and disbelief.
"Scusi my friend, but as much as I would like to discuss something with Messers Kurt and Logan, both that and my past can easily be discussed at a later date" Joshua interrupted.
"What say we save that family first, and then sit down und talk about what we've been up to over the last year" Kurt suggested.
"I take it you've got a plan, elf?" Logan asked.
"One that will take all of us to pull off" Kurt answered before looking at Hank. "That is, if you are willing to join us Herr McCoy"
"Well, seeing as you asked" Hank said putting emphasis on the last word as he looked pointedly at Logan. "I do need to get out more, as someone kindly put it"
"Wunderbar" Kurt said grinning.
-\#/-
"I do hope you need me for more than just the bait to get into the prison, Kurt" Beast said as he scratched the skin around the handcuffs. "These confounded cuffs are already making me chafe"
Both Beast and Tigerhawk were sitting handcuffed in the back of the MRD mutant transport van that Nightcrawler and Tigerhawk had managed to hijack and transport them to the Institute. Wolverine and Nightcrawler were in the driver's cabin with Wolverine wearing one of the MRD's uniforms whilst Nightcrawler's image inducer was producing a holographic copy of said uniform.
"Do not worry" Nightcrawler assured the furry scientist through the little porthole. "Just act like the beast you're not to help us get through the front gate, then all we'll need of you after that are your computer und piloting skills"
"Oh joy" Beast said with mock enthusiasm as Nightcrawler closed the porthole shutter. "Would you be so kind as to provide the physical requirements of this little ruse whilst I provide the sound effects, Mr Greenwald?"
"As you wish" Tigerhawk replied. "And please, call me Joshua. Mr Greenwald makes me sound old"
"Showtime" Wolverine called through the wall banging it twice in case they did not hear him.
-\#/-
The soldier standing in the booth next to the entrance of the MRD compound walked up to the mutant transportation van as it rolled to a halt before main gate. As the driver side window rolled down to allow the driver to hand over his access key, a loud snarl could be heard from the rear of the vehicle followed by something slamming against the side so hard the whole vehicle tilted to one side startling both the soldier, the driver and the passenger.
"What kind of mutants you got in there?" The soldier asked the driver.
"Couple of big ugly beasts" The driver replied as the whole vehicle suddenly lurched to one side again. "Now hurry up, you do not want them busting out, out here"
As if to prove his point the vehicle suddenly lurched again and a lump was now seen where the creature inside tried to bust its way out.
"Y-yessir!" The soldier stammered as he quickly opened the gate for the vehicle to pass through.
Trundling through to the loading bay, the vehicle stopped and killed its engine as two soldiers headed to the rear doors to remove the mutant cargo. Upon opening the door, the soldier barely had time to register one of the mutants grab his shoulders, flip over him then throw him over to the far side of the bay getting knocked out when it collided with the wall.
"Buenas noches" The mutant said before its leg shot out and sent the other soldier sliding across the floor.
"Much better" Beast said as he joined Tigerhawk outside the vehicle free of his cuffs. "The stench in there was beginning to get to me"
"Did you have to jolt the truck so damn hard?" Wolverine asked Tigerhawk as he Nightcrawler joined them at the back of the vehicle.
"It convinced them, non?" Tigerhawk countered.
"Let's not get side tracked" Nightcrawler interrupted. "You know what to do, ja?"
"I shall locate the control room then deactivate the alarm systems and the perimeter defences" Said Beast.
"I'll seek and destroy the radar dish and any jets I find so we have a clean getaway" Wolverine smirked as he unsheathed his claws.
"I'll look for the hanger containing transport helicopters and sabotage all but one for us to escape in" Tigerhawk replied.
"Und I'll find und liberate the prisoners from their holding cells" Nightcrawler finished. "Any questions? Nien? Let's go" With that, he teleported away.
"In bocca al lupo" Tigerhawk said to Beast and Wolverine before dashing off the way they came.
"What did he say, Chewie?" Wolverine asked Beast as he jerked his thumb at Tigerhawk's retreating form.
"Good luck, if my Italian's correct. I'd say the same to you but, I believe they need the luck more than you" Beast replied before making his way down the nearest corridor in search of the control room. "Try not to draw too much attention before I disable the alarms"
-\#/-
'Now that the third has joined us, I just need to make sure I escape with them' Tigerhawk thought as he skilfully darted across the rooftops of the compound. Despite all his skill and attributes, he had never been on a mission where his life was at stake. 'Oh Great Spirit, if you are listening, guide me to success'
He stopped abruptly upon the edge of a building, crouched like a gargoyle as he looked down to see several soldiers and a mechanic judging by the cap and toolbox in hand walk into the building he was currently perched on. Quietly climbing down until he reached the top of the hanger door, Tigerhawk hung upside-down so that he could peek inside without being seen. Inside the hanger were ten platoon transport choppers as well as the four soldiers.
"Evviva" He whispered before stealthily making his way down and into the hanger.
-\#/-
The continuous tapping of the computer keys were all that the two techies manning the control room heard as they went about their usual protocol. Tonight however it would be different as Beast suddenly appeared between them hanging upside down from an overhanging pipe.
"Gentleman, there are two ways we can do this" Beast suggested.
Several seconds later, the two techies went speeding down the hall in a chair, passed Wolverine and into a wall where they slumped unconscious. Looking at the two techies then back the way they had travelled, Wolverine walked up the hall where he saw Beast typing away at the console they were at just minutes before.
"It was their choice" Beast said when he noticed Wolverine in the doorway.
"I didn't say a word" Wolverine replied. "I've given their jets some new holes that'll need patching before they can refuel and perminently stopped their radar from functioning"
"And I, have just disabled the alarm and defence systems as well as scrambled their radio frequencies so that they can't call in for backup" Beast said as he finished typing something. "All that's left, is to help Kurt free the prisoners and then rendezvous with Joshua at the hanger"
-\#/-
"We told you, we don't know anything!" The Mother yelled as she clutched her daughter whilst glaring daggers at the scarred soldier for whatever he had done to her husband.
"Perhaps not" The soldier admitted before grinning darkly as he stared at the little girl in the woman's arms. "But she might"
"Excuse me, Herr Soldier" A voice called from behind him. "But I was wondering if you could help me find a freund of mien"
Whipping round as his hand went to his empty blaster holster, the soldier saw Nightcrawler standing behind him whilst his tail tossed the blaster into the air before catching it.
"He's about my height, always scowling und has steel claws" Nightcrawler finished before throwing the blaster down the corridor. "Kind of like the man this family you are holding prisoner looked after, after he saved their daughter"
The soldier scowled as he looked about to find out what had happened to the men he had patrolling the detention block. Instead he saw the mutants who were supposed to be in their cells in the corridor heading towards the exit whilst the soldiers were somehow in the cells in their place. Now snarling, the soldier was about to strike Nightcrawler with his fist when he saw the angry look the elf was sporting.
"Now I accept that there are many people who do not like us for what we are" Nightcrawler growled as he stepped towards the soldier making the soldier take a step back. "But people who go about harming children, regardless of whether becoming a mutant or not, makes me want to become the monster you people claim I am"
The soldier gasped as he felt his back press against the back wall of the cell. Nightcrawler kept walking until they were a foot apart.
"Fortunately" Nightcrawler growled angrily before suddenly smiling and becoming cheerful. "I can't stay angry when there's a child about, auf wiedersehen"
With that, Nightcrawler teleported out of the cell which had its containment door activated trapping the soldier inside.
"Excuse me, Mr Elf?" the little girl asked Nightcrawler as he led the group of escapees out of the detention block.
"Ja, little fraulien?" Nightcrawler said politely as he bent down to the girl's level.
"I've seen your friend" the girl replied happily before pointing down the hall to where Wolverine and Beast were approaching them. "He's right over there"
"Why, so he is. Logan you must stop getting yourself lost, it's making me get grey fur" Nightcrawler mock scolded making the girl laugh.
"Zip it Elf" Wolverine replied quietly.
-\#/-
The soldiers in the hanger did not know what hit them. One minute they were patrolling the hanger they were protecting, the next something pounced from the shadows into the two soldiers on the rear guard forcing their heads to collide with the ground and making them blackout. The other two only had time to register hearing something behind them before their heads collided with one another and knocking each other out.
"Patetico" Tigerhawk muttered as he let the two fall to the ground.
Quickly stashing their bodies into one of the choppers cargo holds, Tigerhawk went about sabotaging all the helicopters minus the one nearest the hanger door. As he made his way from the last sabotaged helicopter the sound of a gun hammer being cocked reached his ears.
"I thought I forgot someone" He muttered whilst behind him the engineer shakily pointed his pistol at him. In the blink of an eye, he spun round, grabbed the gun in one hand and neck chopped the engineer with the other rendering him unconscious. "Idiota shouldn't have stood so close to me"
"Hey, Stripes!" Wolverine called out as he appeared at the hanger entrance with the rest of the team and the escapees behind him. "Where's our ride?"
"The one closest to you" Tigerhawk answered as he walked up to the group. "I hope someone here knows how to fly it"
"Why else would we bring Hank with us, other than to act as bait?" Wolverine smirked.
-\#/-
The scarred soldier glared as he watched the chopper fly away from them. A soldier had been lucky enough to pass by the detention block and had quickly released all the soldiers that were taking up the space the mutants had recently vacated. Upon reaching the hanger the scarred soldier was told that not only were the other helicopters and jets been sabotaged, the alarm system and radios were disabled as well as the perimeter defences allowing for the mutants to get a clean getaway.
-\#/-
"Those cells we emptied, they'll be full again within twenty four hours" Hank said to Logan, Kurt and Joshua when they returned to the ruins of the institute after relocating the family somewhere safe and letting the other mutants go their separate ways.
"We all know what's going on" Logan said as he stared at the television that was broadcasting a news report about the escape.
"War is coming" said Joshua. "And many will be involved, willingly or not"
"Which means we must revive the X-men" Kurt noted. "Und this time, we will remain united"
~-\#/-~
Translations
Molto oronato: very honoured
Scusi: excuse me
Messer(s): Mr('s)
Buenas noches: good night
Evviva: hurrah
Patetico: pathetic
Idiota: idiot
~-\#/-~
Quick question: Does anyone know how much of an accent Kurt has in this show? All I've noticed is that he sometimes puts a German word into his sentences now and again, no vees or zees anywhere.
Answer & review if possible & 'til next time
Watch this space & peace out