Magneto scowled in frustration, and was still flinging metal spears at Ororo when Logan flew out of nowhere. He got dangerously close with his claws before Magneto stopped him, but he'd stopped him nonetheless.
"When will you learn, Wolverine? You attacking me is a very bad idea."
Sabretooth blinked, feeling some of his rage disappate into the air. Why exactly was he fighting Serenity again? She was such a pretty girl - hey, they'd been together in the past. And here she was, pinned under him. He leaned in to try to steal a rough kiss from her.
Frozen in the air in the grip of Magneto's powers, Logan fought as hard as he could to try to break free, but everything he tried was useless. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Serenity and Sabretooth dimly through the snow. What the hell was going on, exactly?
Good. Very good. Logan had bought her more time. Not only was the snow damaging the machinery it cut Magneto's conductor abilities in half, evening up the playing field. Damn, Logan was taking one for the team though. She kept up her shield making the snow hail even harder. What in the hell was Serenity doing? Logan kept taking some quicky glances. If it wasn't her iron will, she'd have taken a few peaks too.
Serenity hadn't expected that. She also hadn't expected him and Mystique. What really made her angry was the blatant jealousy. Victor wasn't hers. She didn't claim him, but she saw them and fuck if they weren't a modern day Bonnie and Clyde. Victor was never gentle. That was both a flaw and a perk. She hadn't started craving softer touches until she'd gotten with Logan. Contrary to what people may assume. Logan, is not the animal he seems, in bed anyway. Maybe he was practicing his gentle touch for good ol' Jeanie. What the hell was she doing? Ororo was in danger and Logan's get flung around and she's worrying about trivial crap! Snatching her lips from his, she turned her head, panting. She was tired. Emotionally. Maybe that's why it seemed like most of her fights where in Victor's favor. Charles took her edge from her. He made her weak. He deactivated that killer instinct.
Sabretooth could sense the weakness inside Serenity, but his will to fight had disappeared for the moment, dulled by the pheromones. He simply sat over the downed girl, enjoying his dominance for the moment. Behind the pair, the battle still raged on.
Magneto still held Logan suspended in the air, and seemed to notice exactly what was bothering him so much.
"Ahh, I see your little girl friend seems to be getting buddy-buddy with Victor again," he commented in a snide voice, watching Logan struggle furiously to escape his grip, "No wonder you look so upset. Although, as I recall, you had a thing for Dr. Gray?"
At the mention of Jean's name, a burst of fire seemed to flare in Logan's mind. Yes, I was better than her.
"Shut UP!" Logan snapped, mentally cursing the adamantium grafted to his bones. This was a bad deal, no denying it - the only thing positive he could hope for now was that Ororo would knock Magneto out with a typhoon or something while he was being tormented.
Now was her chance. While he was focusing his powers on Logan, she could take this opportunity to strike him with a bolt. He'd have no way to deflect it or use it to his advantage, plus all this snow would definately make sure of that. Calming the cyclone she took a deep breath.
"Get off me Victor!!" she struggled. Why was he looking at her like that? He never looked at her like that. She didn't know his features could soften. Damn, those pheremones were a big mistake. He didn't really feel this way for her and part of her didn't care.She had Logan. He doesn't care for you either...No. Not now, damn it! NOT NOW!
Sabretooth had been pushed off a little bit by Serenity's struggles, but the pheromones in his system were not wearing off as quickly as the poison had. He jumped back on her, re-pinning her to the ground.
Magneto, seeing both this and Logan's distress, decided to turn nasty. "Why don't you watch for a little bit, hmm? That is your girl, isn't she?" He twisted Logan in midair, watching the battle as well from his position.
Logan growled angrilly - if he ever got the chance, he was going to tear Magneto limb from limb, no matter what Charley X had wanted. Nothing else existed in his mind but burning hatred.
"Get. Off. Of. Me." She'd piss him off, hurt him the way he'd done her. "If you want someone to mount, go back to your little blue bitch. You two deserve each other. She grinned. I don't need you. I have Wolverine," she kneed him in the groin and pushed him off of her.
Now. She was ready. Right before she could light Magneto up like a light bulb, a 'rabid' menacle came from no where, slamming against her skull, knocking her unconcious. Instantly the weather calmed and the snow began to melt.
The slight seemed to have more effect than the shoving did. The rather lustful look that had been on Sabretooth's face a moment ago slid off, and a very pissed one took its place. "Let's see you say that with a broken jaw," he snarled, whipping a hand back for a punch to her face.
Magneto's enthusiasm seemed to die a little bit as well, and he noticed the weather calming down. Spotting Ororo unconscious by the machine, he gave a happy little sigh, "Well, that's two of you under control."
Logan's spirit lifted a little bit - so it had been some kind of a trick...or...something! He couldn't exactly figure out what had gone on, but whatever the case, Serenity was still on his side. Now, this mess with Magneto.
"Put me down," he snapped.
"Not a chance," Magneto returned calmly, watching the battle.
Dodging the hit she grinned more. She was getting fired up. sshe enjoyed him like this. "Aww what's the matter you don't like hearing the truth? Try this on for size. In speaking of broken jaws, mine might end up that way if I ever tried to cram all of Logan in my mouth. Funny, I never could say the same about you," malice oozed in every word. She charged at him, aiming a high kick to the chest at him.
"Oho!" Logan said, obviously amused at Serenity's comments towards Sabretooth. Man, she must really hate him - their relationship couldn't have ended well.
Sabretooth looked shocked for a moment, then fell back to his violent anger. Serenity's kick knocked him back onto the ground, but his reflexes kicked in and he was up like a shot.
"Yeah, that's just who I'd want to wake up next to - some guy who's been engineered to kill people and has a memory span of a goldfish." He gave a rather proud sneer, "Me, I'm all natural."
"Hey, dipshit!" Logan spat, "If it's a contest you want - "
"Oh, shut up," Magneto muttered boredly, "You're ruining the fight." He locked Logan's jaw and spent several minutes tuning out some very angry hummings from the man's direction.
She quickly slid her thumb against her nose, bobbing like a boxer almost. She was in her zone. He was getting cocky, and surprisingly so was Logan. She didn't even think he was paying attention to what was going on. Go figure. That's men for you. "That's big talk coming from someone who gets off just at the thought of murder. That's one thing that we don't have in common. I have the ability to regret, and I definately regret you. She blew more pheremone dust in his face. The angrier and hornier he got the better. She ran in to give him a swift upper cut to the jaw. "You're a natural bastard... It just pisses you off to smell him on me huh? To know he has something that was once yours?" Her braid was becoming undone and her flame red locks were falling in pieces around her face, neck and shoulders.
Feeling confused and conflicted by the messages and attacks he was getting from Serenity, Sabretooth simply wavered. He got ready to throw a punch, then the pheromones took over, and he lowered his fist, simply advancing on the girl. A moment later, he seemed to gain some sense back and aimed a low kick at her legs.
"You cheating bitch! I..." Again, the pheromones took over, and he got a rather dumb look on his face.
Magneto, across the room, did not look too pleased. "Perhaps I should lend a hand if Victor is going to be incapable."
Logan snickered at Sabretooth's reaction to Serenity, but again, fell helpless in stopping Magneto. The man had not yet put him down, and he was getting tired of it.
Flipping back she managed to avoid his attack. Before she plan another method of assult, another wile menacle slammed against her back, knocking her to her feet, grabbing her and dragging her back to machine. She clawed at the floor, but it didn't help at all. This machine was meant for Ororo, not her. How would it react to her mutant genes? Scared she reached out for Victor, but she was already a good distance away from him. "Ro!!!" Her heart pounded in her ears. Before she knew it she was encased in the machine, screaming in agony. The room shook. How did she get herself into these things?
Magneto glared at the machine - this wasn't supposed to happen. Dropping Logan to the ground, he ran to the large contraption, opening panels from the ground and unscrewing things at an impossible rate, trying to make the machine stop working before Serenity ruined it completely.
Sabretooth, halted by Serenity's entrance to the machine, stood a little dumbfounded, unsure of what to do. He spotted Ororo on the ground and slouched over to her, poking her with his foot, still confused by the pheromones.
Finally free, Logan dove for the machine, sinking his claws into it and tearing at the wires as best he could. He ripped through a major power source and the machine sputtered for a moment, powering down for a split second or two. Satisfied for now, he ran to where Serenity was chained, hacking at the manacles as best he could.
Slowly Ororo began to come too. She groaned softly, rubbing her cheek. It throbbed horribly. Did Magneto cause that ? Had they lost? The last thing remembered was some big, flexible tube of metal knocking the wind from her. Something kept pressing against her. "Wha..?" She looked up, her vision had cleared. She saww Sabertooth. What was he doing over here ? Serenity.
With a light groan she fell forward without any hesitation. Someone had either turned off the machine or broke it. It mattered naught. The good thing is, it was off. This was something new to her. She'd never been flambied from the outside in before. Hell she'd never been flambied. She smelt something burning which was no doubt her. She coughed gently. Blood. Magneto was going to kill 'Ro. Maybe it was best she got caught instead. Ororo was to nice of a person. She would be missed.Of course she would...She was loved...You'll never be loved...Even a monster like Sabertooth can't love you...
Magneto's plans were quickly falling apart, and it was obvious he knew that; he wore a furious scowl on his face and was trying desperately to control the new Serenity while at the same time keeping her from ruining his precious construction.
"What are you doing?!" He snapped at Victor, "We've got a fight going on here!"
Victor seemed to snap out of it, and fell on Ororo, slamming her over the head in an effort to knock her unconscious to keep her out of the fight.
Logen took a step back from Serenity, smelling something from her that he didn't like. His eyes narrowed in calculation - this was going to take some real work.
"Serenity," he said, in a low serious voice, "C'mon. Let's grab 'Roro and get out of here." No more messing with Sabretooth, no more fighting until everyone was under control.
If you were me... he'd have carried you out of here by now...As much as she hated to admit it, Jean was right. She'd stay there and rot before she left anywhere with him. She felt as if she'd beenn shocked by lightning. She tried to push herself up, coughing up more blood. That definately wasn't good. "Get ...away from me..." her voice was weak and her words were mumbled. She'd screamed her throat raw. Never had she felt such pain.
Screaming, Ororo reacted quickly, rather than wisely. With the most accurate precision, she utilized the damamged circuits to aim a a shock of electricity at Victor. Just to get him off of her. She touched her nose. Blood. Did she have a concussion? She groaned pushing herself up. Why did Logan sound so angry at Serenity?
"Ghhaaa!" Victor fell back, his nerves temporarily fried by the shock to his system. He twitched on the floor for a moment before falling still, struggling up as the nerve damage began to heal. "You..."
"Take her down!" Magneto snapped to Victor, focusing his attention on Serenity for now. Perhaps he could play this to his advantage.
"Are you hurt?" he asked the woman, his guard still up.
"Wha - " Logan quickly shook away his confusion, and moved in to help her, looking serious. He reached out gently for her arm, prepared to help her up. "C'mon, you're hurt...let's just bust outta here, okay?" There was no anger in his voice.
She leaned into Magneto more. Things were getting dizzy. She coughed harder. She tried her damnedest to hold on, but she was slipping. She moaned. Logan sounded different. Less angry. It's a trick. We both know how Logan really feels about you.. Why was Magneto being nice. Lets not forget his offer. He may the only person who gives a damn about you...Maybe it's time you made the right desicion. "Shut up!!! JUST SHUT UP !!!!!" Pushing away from Magneto as well she blacked out.
Feeling no better, but back to her senses, Storm hopped to her feet and shocked Victor again. "You want to keep tempting me? Go ahead! I've had it! Look at what you've done to my friend!!" She shocked him again. His pain was her pleasure. Before she shocked him again, she stopped herself. This wasn't her. She ran to Logan. "Grab her and lets go,"
Sabretooth fell to the ground again, unable to fight back the elemental onslaught from Ororo. Incapacitated as he was, that meant that the only fighter left for the Brotherhood was Magneto.
Logan nodded, and dove in, scooping up Serenity easily in his arms and dashing off towards Ororo. The floor suddenly seemed to shoot out from under him, and too late he realized he'd forgotten something.
"Shit," he muttered, before being flung into a concrete wall.
"She stays here," Magneto said firmly, resting Serenity on a piece of floating scrap metal, "And you leave."
"Like hell I - " Logan jumped straight away from the wall, claws extended.
"Perhaps I didn't make myself clear," Magneto sneered, slamming Logan directly through the thick concrete into the hallway on the other side, "Go."
Ororo looked at Logan and then Magneto. Something was up, but Logan was getting it handed to him. Damn. Magneto was actually going to let them leave. If they left Serenity. From the way he set her down, this was not business this was personal. She always had a home with the Brotherhood. But she promised herself she'd come back for her friend. "Logan lets go! They wont get very far.."
Struggling up from the floor, Logan looked torn. Through the hole in the wall, he could see Magneto hovering over the unconscious girl, and a wave of hatred coursed through him. The man looked up, directly at Logan - another threat. Turning to Ororo, he nodded wordlessly, a fierce look on his face. There was no way he wasn't coming back for her.
Magneto glanced over to Sabretooth, who still lay on the ground recovering. "Get up, Victor," he snapped, "we have work to do." Not in the least lay in repairing the damage to the room.
"I want you to take her to a place to stay. And make sure it's a nice room," Magneto emphasized, "not a cell."
Sabretooth nodded from the floor, scowling. He didn't want to have to deal with her, after she'd made such a fool of him, but it was the boss's orders, after all.
With some of the emergency money Serenity would'nt let them spend. Ororo had purchased Logan and herself a room. One bed. Their funds had to last. She sat on the bed looking at him. He didn't look too happy. "Logan, what are you thinking?" If looks could kill she wondered how many would be dead from his gaze...
Where was she? Even she didn't know anymore...You're home... I don't have a home. She didn't know if she'd thought that or spoke it, but she felt her lips move. She was on something soft. Couldn't possibly be a bed. Where in the hell would she find a bed at in Magneto's lair? His men didn't require or deserve such luxeries. She couldn't hold on to unconsciousness much longer. Her eyes fluttered and coughed hard. Her throat was dry as a desert. Electrocution will do that do you.
Magneto sat calmly in a metal chair across the room from Serenity, watching her with calculating eyes. Seeing her begin to wake up, he spoke up quietly, "Welcome back to reality, my dear." He'd put on a more kinder persona than the one he normally used to terrify and fight the other X-Men, and he'd also had Sabretooth leave a pitcher and glass of water by the girl's bedside.
It was one of the most common requests his prisoners made. He'd made Sabretooth stay out of the room, too - for Serenity's sake, at least./color
Logan jerked his head up, meeting Ororo's gaze for a moment, before looking back down at the carpet.
"That bastard," he muttered, clenching and unclenching his fists, "All he does is play us like we're some kinda game." He was furious about losing Serenity, and more furious that it was mostly his fault.
She knew that voice. She sat up and eyed the man across the room. Damn, he head killed her. Did her and Brotherhood get trashed without her knowning? Her jaw ached a little. Touching it memories flashed back. Sabertooth. She growled. Where ever there was Magneto, Sabertooth followed. "Where is that tall and furry bastard?" Better yet..."What in the hell am I doing here?" She wasn't a prisoner. She was way too comfortable. That's what scared her. "Where is Ororo and Logan?" Did he have them locked up somewhere? She coughed more. Eyeing the pitcher on the dresser near by she grabbed it and chugged the water down faster than she's seen most fratboy's down a keg.
"Well that is his nature. All we can do is expect him to take advantage of Charles absence...although... I am confused. He went from wanting me to wanting Serenity. Was I just bait from the beginning? Or had you two thwarted his plans to kill me?" She paused thinking for a moment. "Did you and Serenity get into another arguement before you both came to get me?" Those two could not be left alone sometimes. Two hot heads, never equal calm. Most likely Logan said something upset her and she said something to upset and offend him and their pride took it from there. That was always the case. "I do not think they wish to harm her, otherwise Magneto would have prevented you from stopping the machine," This definately was a case for Sherlock Holmes, no pun intended.
"Ahh," Magneto replied calmly, "If you mean Victor, he is not here at the moment. And I'd rather you refrain from tearing him apart should you see him. I've ordered him to do the same courtesy to you." He folded his hands neatly across his lap.
"As for your two...companions, they are gone." He would use this moment to trash their reputations in her mind completely. "They fled the scene as soon as it became apparant that they couldn't defeat me. As for your other question, you injured yourself, and I took it upon myself to see to your recovery." Magneto could sense magnetic fields - it was a bizarre yet sometimes useful part of his power. And he knew the force of the Phoenix all too well. He could use this to his great advantage.
Logan scowled at Ororo, but not in a mean way - he was only mildly irritated by her assumptions.
"We didn't get in a fight," he muttered, folding his arms across his knees and resting his chin on them, "I don't think you were bait for anything...I guess he just changed his plans." Ororo may not have thought it, but Logan knew she was extremely powerful; she could reack havoc on a scale he was not capable of. But for some reason, Magneto had changed his mind...
"Well, the only thing we can do is go back," he said logically, "I'm ready when you are." That was so like him, always eager to jump straight back into danger.
"You're lying...they wouldn't.." Images flashed in her head of Wolverine screaming at her to get up, when she could barely breathe..They abandoned you...left you to die... She shook her head and rubbed her temples. This wasn't funny anymore. Was she going crazy? Why was Magneto being so nice all of a sudden? He never disliked you to begin with..."Shut up," Only your X-friends..."I said shut up!" the glass she left of the table shattered. What was happening? Was this a side-effect to being thrown into his machine?
Ororo gently squeezed Logan's shoulder. "Calm down, we can't just go rushing back in there. I'm sure Serenity's fine. We do need a plan. Or else it might end up with me and Serenity having to come back and get you, and I doubt Magneto has any hospitality reserved for you," She sat back down. "What was with Serenity and Sabertooth?" It looked like they were doing more than just trying to rip each other apart. There lied some other forms of tension. As much as she knew it would piss Logan off to talk about it. She needed these questions answered. She thought she knew everything about Serenity. Had Charles known about this as well?
Logan's face twisted into an angry scowl at the mention of Sabretooth, and his mind shifted in a new direction entirely. "If I ever get my claws on that asshole again - " he made a violent motion with both of his hands, missing knocking a table to splinters by mere inches. He'd seen the action between Serenity and Sabretooth, and it had left him feeling confused and wounded, two things he hated to be.
Magneto watched Serenity's outburst calmly, waiting until she'd stopped talking to speak up. "Calm down," he said quietly, "You are just feeling shock at everything that's happened." If he could play his words right, Serenity would trust him, so he concentrated on that for now.
"And I am not lying," he added, "But you need to rest. If you have any questions, I'd ask them now."
Ororo smiled. "Since when have you felt any differently? There's nothing new about you wanting to shred him to pieces. I just never understood why they fought the way you and he did. Viciously. I thought Charles healed that animalistic side of her... How does Magneto plan to keep them off of one another? Surely he doesn't plan to let Sabertooth take advantage of the state we last saw her in..." Enough of this thinking. They had to formulate a plan. Logan had gave her one of his shirts to fill with ice cubes and place against her raging headache. "I think I might have a concussion. I might slow you down,"
"No, I don't want to rest. I'm fine..." She didn't want to be left alone with her thoughts. Not since they turned on her so suddenly. "I do, however, need a change of clothes," she looked him in the eye with a challenging glare. What questions could he answer for her? Why was he doing this? What were his motives? Her body ached. From Sabertooth's beating and the machine. She wanted to talk to him. Actually talk. She knew Magneto was serious when he said he'd ordered him not fight her. This left room for conversation.
Logan knew Ororo was in part right, and he knew she could think clearly because she wasn't mad as all hell at the moment. "Magneto'll find some way to make it work," he muttered, "He's clever like that." He stood from his position against the wall and flopped on the bed, feeling helpless and a bit emotionally exhausted, "I'm not doin' anything until you're healed, 'Roro. I might be good against Sabretooth or the others, but Magneto - " Well, he didn't even have to finish the sentence. Magneto could easily kill him if given the chance; thank God the man only enjoyed toying with him for now.
"I'll see to it that you get one, then," Magneto returned, "And a shower, if you'd like." He still remained calmly sitting in his chair, "I am not here to be your enemy, Serenity, in case that thought somehow made it into your mind, and I have no doubt it did. Charles certainly has a very specific picture of me, and I can't help but say it's a bit unfair."
She smiled. "He has an unfair advantage I'll admit. Perhaps you should allow me to take him. Strip him of his resources and his only weapon left is you...i hope he doesn't realize that. He has yet to use you against use." That certainly would be a scary thought. She groaned softly laying next to him. Her head had taken a beating. She didnt want to push herself. Her team mates needed her to be strong. "I'll tell you what's not fair. You're healing factor. You always get the roughest treatments and at the end of the day you look as if you sat back in Cerebro with the professor just watching," She chuckled softly. Serenity looked pretty bad coming out of that machine. "I'm sorry Logan," If it wasn't for her. Serenity wouldn't be bunking back with the brother hood.
She nodded. A shower sounded too good to be true. "Charles always thought fondly of you. Your extreme views were what set you two apart. You were always a friend to him, but that doesn't explain your kindness towards me. Why extend your hand out to me? With the brute force you've got lined up, my powers would prove to be nothing that a pittance?" She ran her fingers through her hair. None of this made sense at all. Logan and Storm had a damn good reason to leave her... but for some reason she remembered not wanting to go. She wanted to be as far away from Logan as possible. Her head ached. She'd think about it later.
"Let's hope Magneto isn't that smart," Logan agreed with Ororo - he didn't know what he'd do if the man turned him into his own weapon against his teammates. He was a little suprised by her comment on his healing factor, but shrugged it off when she apologized.
"It's alright, I get it a lot," he said in an understanding tone of voice. His mind was still conflicted over thoughts of the battle; he'd need a while to plan this.
"You should go to sleep, 'Roro, you need it," he sighed after a moment.
"Ahh, I'm glad you understand so much," Magneto said, adjusting his position in the chair, "Yes, Charles and I have always been good friends, even though we disagree on some key issues. But if you'd really like to know why I kept you here, it's not quite so simple. You don't honestly do justice to yourself; your powers are better and more helpful than you'd like to think. I saw you using them to great effectiveness against Victor back there." He stood, and paced around a little bit.
"To tell you the truth, I think you have great potential, and I think there is an ability to unlock it, if we seperate you a bit from those who were holding you back.
"Are you sure Logan? We need to devise a plan. Time is something we have very little of." Their trail on the Phoenix was running cold as the two spoke.
She looked down. "My powers are nothing to be proud of, but they do get the job done. Was do you need my gifts for?" You might as well as help him, you're not welcome in the X-men anymore...Logan want's me and you'll never be me... She ran her fingers through her hair. "Save me the recruitment tactics. I'm in."
Magneto gave a small accepting smile, and stood from his chair, "I'm glad you made up your mind. Well, now that that's dealt with, you may rest if you wish, or if you want something to eat, I'll have something sent for you. Just say the word, my dear." He was very good at playing this kind of game.
Logan knew that Ororo was right, but that didn't deny the fact that she was still injured. "What, you think I don't care about any of the lovely ladies in my life?" he asked with a small smile, "Get some rest, 'Roro. We'll find her eventually."
"I need a shower, do you still have my old suit before I went with Charles?" She was itching to get in it. She needed to wash the X-men from her memory soon. She was good at that. Erase anyone before the pain can kick in. She would miss Ororo though. iShe's already forgetting you... and don't even think about Wolverine... All he has is 'Jeanie' on the brain...precisely... She shook her head again. Had she finally lost it? Was she really hearing things? Jean is dead...Only to some.. Why her? She did not need this in her life right now.
Ororo chuckled, followed by a groan. "Don't sweet talk me. It might work on most women but not me Mr. Besides in this condition, I can't sleep. I need the pain and dizziness to lessen atleast and it wouldn't be safe for me to rest now anyway." They could always talk. There was lots to talk about.
Magneto searched his memory for a bit. "I can't think of any case for us to throw it out," he said after a moment, "I'll have one of the others go look for it. In the meantime, help yourself to our facilities." He gestured to an adjoining door, one that looked nondescript enough to be a closet.
"There is a small bathroom through there, so it's yours to use for the duration of your stay. Well, I should probably see to finding your old clothes - if you need anything, don't hesitate to call." Magneto turned towards the door, unable to supress a small eager smile. With this kind of power at his hands, who knew what he could do. There was vast, untapped potential here, and he was already planning how to use it.
"I guess so," Logan admitted with a wry smile, "but I never liked hurtin' too much after a fight." Although, in his case, he could just sleep and the effects would all eventually vanish.
"Well," he said, standing from the wall and pacing the room, "We know Serenity's probably still in that underground place, and that in the state she was in, she won't heal too quickly. So, we can think that she'll be there for a while. And Magneto knows that only we know about the place, and he'll be confident enough to think that if he's beaten us once, he can beat us again." He scratched his chin thoughtfully, unwilling to admit that another attack with just the two of them might not be the best idea. He didn't want any help - aside from Ororo's - in rescuing the girl.
