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Chapter Three – The Brotherhood of Mutants reformed. New allies.

The cold, metal hall was empty and he loved it. He loved to hear the sound of his footstep in the metal floor; he loved to feel the vibration of the metal around him, without any kind of distractions. Oh, how much he missed it! He stopped in front of a big door, the silence would finish now. When he entered the noise in the room broke and everyone look back t him. He analyse them, he count them; they were only six. He expected more.

That room was also all metal: floor, walls, a few chairs and even the table. His eyes search for two persons in particularly, but he only could find one.

"Pyro!" he called, and a young man quickly approached him.

"Yes?"

"Where is Mystique?" he asked him, coldly.

"I'm sorry, Magneto. She refused to come. These five mutants were the only ones joining the Brotherhood of Mutants."

"Pity. I don't know two of them."

"Those are Remy LeBeau a.k.a Gambit, a thief who charges unanimated objects provoking explosions or something like that. And the girl is X-23, I think you will like her. She has the same power that Wolverine."

"Healing?"

"Healing and adamatium claws." Informed him Pyro.

"Interesting." Magneto looked one more time for the mutants, Toad, who still was a little green man; Saberthoot, big and stupid, but faithful and strong; Gambit, with dark and red eyes, he seemed strong; Juggernaut, another big, stupid and strong mutant, he also was faithful, Magneto saved him and told him he knew things about his life and in time, if he served Magneto, he would tell him; and, finally, X-23, she was young, very young, maybe 19 years old, but there was only hate in her eyes, that was good, thought Magneto. Well, there was work to do.

"Brothers" started Magneto, with is voice of command, superiority and power. He was the most powerful mutant between them, at least if he had metal all around them. "I know we are just a few, but with time, our power will be the greatest. Why? Because everyone, mutants and humans, will understand that mutants are the superior race, and no one can step over us!"

Toad and Saberthoot said something like a "Yeahh!", but everyone else kept quite, so Magneto continued, thinking it would be hard to start all over.

"Not even the so called "cure" could take us out. We have a lot of work to do, and I'll need to talk with everyone in particularly."

X-Men Mansion

Rogue woke up alone in the laboratory and the first image she saw was a scared Wolverine, screaming of rage and hate. She closed her eyes again, trying to push the images away. Her nose sensed a familiar scent, Beast.

"Hank…", she said.

"Oh, already awake, child?", he said, admired.

"I'm not a child!", Beast smiled with that and turned on his computer. "How long was I sleeping?"

"Only half an hour. How are you doing? If your head hurts, take the pills beside you." Hank told her.

Rogue took them and watching Hank typing in his computer with a smiled she asked, "Shouldn't you be taking my temperature or something, Doctor?"

"Oh, are you feeling sick?", he asked without stop watching the computer.

"Forget it…", a moment of silence and then Rogue smiled, "So…what's her name?"

"Trish…uh…I mean…er…who?"

Rogue laugh. "For how long do you have a girlfriend Dr. Hank McCoy?!"

"She is not…Trish is a journalist, we're talking about work!"

"The one from the TV? Trish Tilby or something?" Hank nodded "Way to go, Beast! Anyway, where's Jean?"

"Somewhere, she is recovered."

"Ok, I'll leave you and the girl alone."

Rogue was heading for Professor's office when she heard the door. She opened it and she could only stare for the person in front of her.

"Hello. I need to talk to Charles."

"What are you doing here, Mystique?" Rogue asked to the blue woman.

"Are you deaf, girl? I said I need to talk to Charles."

Rogue opened her mouth to protest, but the Professor told her, mentally, to bring Mystique to his office. And so she took her.

Charles was alone and pointed a chair for Mystique. "Rogue, could you leave me and Mss. Raven alone, please."

"Whatever." Said Rogue.

She went to the leaving room and found Logan, Jean and Jubelee. The three were sitting, watching TV and talking about the cure.

"Rogue, you're up!" said Jean.

"And so are you. How are you, Jean?"

"I'm fine, thank you. I heard you took the cure."

"Yes… But it was a failure."

"I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you when you choose to take it."

"Don't be." Said Rogue. "I should have been there to help you, but I was selfish. I just wanted to cure me!" Logan and Jubelee just kept staring the young girl, they have never heard Rogue regretting. "Anyway, you know who just came in to talk to Professor?"

"Who?" asked Jubelee.

"Mystique."

"What?" said Logan, with his claws prepared to confront anyone.

"Calm down, Professor wants to be with her alone."

"What does she wants?" asked Jean more to herself.

Team, please join me in my office as soon as possible. asked Charles with his mind.

"I think it's time to find out." Said Logan.

Already in Charles' office, the team was asking what was Mystique doing there. Everyone was talking at the same time.

"Calm down, please. Raven asked to join the x-men and I want to talk about it with you."

"Who's Raven?" asked Kitty suddenly.

"I am!" said Mystique.

"Oh, ok…sorry."

"Raven, could you wait outside?" asked Charles.

Logan was the first one to talk, "I don't know about this, Charles. I don't trust, I think we're better without her."

"I know it's hard to trust her Logan, but she was honest with me. Raven told me she still doesn't believe my ideals, but she wants to try to be part of us for a wile."

"And then she will betray us!" said Bobby.

"Well, you know I trust your decision, Professor," started Hank, "but it will be hard to live with someone like Mystique."

"I know, Hank. But she can be a powerful ally. She prefers to be with us rather than Magneto, I don't want her to be with him again."

"Everyone needs a second chance." Said Rogue.

"She tried to kill you, Rogue!" said Logan.

"So what? If John wished to be back, wouldn't you guys accept him?"

"He's a kid, it's different." Said Ororo.

"Maybe Raven was only a kid when Magneto asked to join her. She tried to kill me and I can live with that. What about you?"

"Rogue's right. She deserves a second chance. Let's not blame a bad decision, we can all make one." Said Jean.

"So be it, but don't ask me to trust her." Said Logan and some of the others agreed with him.

Magneto's base

Magneto was watching them fighting. Saberthoot, Toad and Juggernaut were the same. They had the same tactics, the same strong and weak points. That wasn't good. In the other hand, Pyro had evolved; not his power, but the way he fought, he was good! Gambit and X-23 were strong to. And Magneto special love X-23's motivation: fight the Wolverine! She thinks he is her father.

He had to create a plan, but first he needed more mutants to fight for him and he already knew where to find two. His son and daughter, the twins; it's been a long time since he saw them, but they were strong and they would join him, no matter what.

Next chap – a new threat!