Title: Power Behind the Throne Part 14

Rating: MA

Author: Ethiercn

Disclaimer: I don't own them.

Justice walked into the empty barracks and yanked his mask over his head before tossing it aside. Watching Thomas kiss Angel, touch her, seeing Angel half naked on Thomas' lap, the images all had burned themselves into his mind. It wasn't jealousy, he thought trying to calm himself, for he could see Angel's carefully masked revulsion. It was seeing Angel put into that situation and not be able to do anything; it was seeing another man go further than he himself had gone. Last night, it had taken all his self control not to progress beyond the chaste kiss, not to show her that when they made love it would be far different, far better, than what Thomas had done.

He needed to get Angel out of here before this went too far. No one deserved that bad of a first time.

His phone went off. "Justice," Thrash spoke in rush. "It's Frost. The ice mutant. She fled the X-Men. We think she's coming for Shaw. Nova's flying me and a few X-Men out. We'll just waiting for Professor X to set up with some telepathic rely. We'll be there soon. Nita and the others are taking care of the teams, so don't worry about us. Just stay safe."

Shit, Justice thought. His mind worked quickly trying to calculate how long it would take Nova to arrive.

Suddenly, the phone was yanked from his grasp and pulled across the room. Justice watched as Thomas telekinetically crushed it.

'You must be Justice," Thomas said. "I'm impressed. I should've spotted you before."

"It's Frost," Justice began, hoping to arrange a temporary truce.

"I know," Thomas replied. "Whom do you think I've been working for?"

"Frost killed your brother!" Out of the corner of his eye, Justice looked though the window.

"My brother was a fool. " Thomas noticed the glance. "Frost has plans for Firestar. A well placed comment about the death of her father, the murder of her father on Shaw's orders, and the White Queen will not have to do anything else to assume control. And don't worry; I'll be sure to keep Angelica satisfied."

Almost causally, Thomas slammed his power into Justice.

"You want me to do what?" Angel demanded as she sat in across from Shaw in his study.

"To destroy the X-Men's mansion. Raze it to the ground," Shaw replied as he studied the computer in front of him.

"But they . . ."

"They murdered my son!" Shaw roared rising to his feet and banging a fist on the desk. "You'll obey me or . . ." he finished raising his hand.

"Or what? You'll hit me like last time?" Angel challenged as she got to her feet.

Shaw crossed the distantly between them quickly, "You forget daughter," he growled grabbing her shoulders and giving her a hard shake. "That I hold lives in trust!"

Something smashed the window opened. The air inside cooled.

"Enough!" a voice demanded. "I'll lose no more students to your folly, Sebastian!"

Justice quickly blocked the blast that Thomas sent his way and followed up with one of his own. Thomas blocked this and then hurled himself into Justice. Powered by telekinesis, the two men crashed though the barracks wall. Using his wrestling experience, Justice flipped Thomas over his shoulder. The man landed hard on the patio. Justice turned and got Thomas into a hold. The Warrior looked up and saw Frost, in Iceman's body, blast open the window to Shaw's study.

Before Justice could move, he found himself hurled into the pool. Thomas' power sent him to the bottom and held him there.

Shaw was the first to regain his feet. He straightened his cuffs and brushed pieces of glass of his jacket. "Emma," he said. "It's a pleasure to see you again."

"Emma?" from her position on the floor, Firestar stared at Iceman.

"Child, come and stand by me," Frost said with Iceman's voice. "I'll deal with this."

Firestar didn't move.

"Why Emma?" Shaw asked.

"My Hellions are dead because of your ineffectual politics. It is time for Hellfire to be ruled by a person who has clear vision and the means to achieve it," Frost replied. "You can't even protect your children."

Shaw rushed forward, colliding with Frost. They fell to the floor. Shaw got in a couple blows, but then fell away, shaking. His breathing grew labored. Frost stood above him, a cruel smile playing across Iceman's lips.

Firestar flashed Frost. Her power flickered over the other mutant's icy body. Shaw stopped shaking. Frost turned to Firestar, "Stay out of this child," she growled.

Firestar shook her head, "I can't". She rose into the air to battle her former teacher once more.