Alison swore she'd never seen those two men before in her life. She thought they might be 'obsessed fans' of the Dazzler, but that seemed unlikely. She didn't want to stay at the Xavier Institute, because she claimed that this was her dad's way of interfering with her future career as a mutant superstar. Apparently he hadn't taken it well when she declared that she wasn't going to college to become a lawyer because she had 'bigger plans'. Hank was the only person who managed to talk her into staying, at least until they found out who had tried to abduct her and why. Kitty wasn't so sure about the roommate situation – because she and Luna seemed so different – but things had worked out for her and Rogue, so maybe it would be… great.
Once Alison was settled (and monologuing in a one-sided chat with Luna), Kitty joined in on the conversation between Hank, Scott, and Kurt. They were debating who might be responsible for what happened tonight. "The question is, how did they know where to find her?"
Kitty leaned against the doorframe and said what they were all thinking, "She wasn't exactly hiding, Mr. McCoy." She used her powers in a room full of people. Maybe this wasn't the first time.
"It could be S.H.I.E.L.D.," Scott suggested, running one hand through his hair. They had ways of finding people. Kitty had no idea what they'd want with Alison, but that didn't mean they weren't involved.
"They were definitely human," she agreed.
"But without Logan, we won't be getting much out of Nick Fury."
"What about Laura?" Kurt said somewhat reluctantly, "She knows S.H.I.E.L.D." He wasn't wrong, but Laura 'knew' S.H.I.E.L.D. because they tried to intercept her after she broke free of HYDRA's control. HYDRA had made her to be the perfect weapon – X-23, a clone of Weapon X with all of his strengths and no 'human' weaknesses – and S.H.I.E.L.D. wanted to get in on that too. She faked her own death to get away from them, and when she resurfaced outside the Institute one month ago, everybody was half-expecting Nick Fury himself to land a(nother) helicopter on the lawn. But no one came. Who knows what Logan had to do to get them off her back?
"I could give Agent Fury a call," Hank said, "But if S.H.I.E.L.D. is not involved, I'd rather not draw his attention to the Institute again." And nobody wanted that. Nobody trusted S.H.I.E.L.D. They were supposed to be 'the good guys', but Logan didn't buy it and neither did the rest of the X-Men.
It didn't help that S.H.I.E.L.D. had some 'new recruits' of their own: former members of the Brotherhood. And if those guys were 'agents' then Kitty knew everything she needed to know about S.H.I.E.L.D. How many times had they tried to kill her friends, or destroy Bayville, or generally endanger everyone around them? Only every day for the last four years (and Kitty was only slightly exaggerating). Yeah, those guys – Toad, Blob, Pietro, Lance – and Wanda had come through when Apocalypse nearly destroyed the world-as-we-know-it but then they turned around and joined S.H.I.E.L.D.
One good deed did not make up for… everything else. That's why it was so hard to believe that Magneto had really turned over a new leaf and just wanted to 'help' the Professor. So far, he had been a model teacher but… how long was that going to last?
"We do know other S.H.I.E.L.D. agents," Kitty rejoined tentatively, and Scott gave her a look.
"Kitty, don't."
"What? I'm just saying…"
"Cutting ties with Alvers was the right thing to do. That guy's not going to know anything."
"You got that right." Kitty glared at Kurt. He and Scott had never liked Lance anyway, so of course they would say that. That didn't mean she didn't agree with Scott, she totally did. She and Lance were not good together, she wasn't 'going there'. Besides, he dumped her (not that it mattered). Kitty just wanted to help. Talking to Lance would be less risky – 'hey, it's me, the ex-girlfriend you bailed on after we saved the world together, did your new friends at S.H.I.E.L.D. try to kidnap a mutant in Brooklyn this week?' He did have a history of hanging around those kinds of people, like Blob and Mystique – than asking the Nick Fury about it.
Maybe he heard a rumor, even if he wasn't directly involved.
"That's alright, Kitty," Hank diffused the situation gently, and then addressed the three of them, "Charles and I will debrief, and then we will decide what to do. I appreciate your good work today."
And that was that. None of them felt like it was 'good work', because there was still the glaring problem of the armed men who went after Alison – but there was nothing they could do about it right now. Kurt suggested re-heating leftovers from the dinner they missed, and Kitty agreed. Scott stayed behind to talk to Hank.
The next day Kitty oversaw the diagnostic danger room session with Luna and – though she was vocally resistant to having to get up before ten a.m. – Alison.
After lunch, Ororo took over and Kitty had some time on her hands before Scott's pre-dinner Level 4 simulation for the senior X-Men. She couldn't stop thinking about what happened yesterday, and she couldn't help but think that there wasn't any harm in trying to talk to Lance about this. He would tell her the truth, which was more than you'd expect from a super spy like Fury. The only problem was that Kitty didn't have his number. After they broke up (again) because Lance had no plans to join the X-Men, and she found out about S.H.I.E.L.D.'s 'offer' which meant he'd be leaving Bayville, she was angry. She didn't think she ever wanted to talk to him again. And now she couldn't.
Rogue figured out why she was 'sulking' in their room pretty quickly – and she'd never had a big problem with Lance personally (more 'the Brotherhood'). At any rate, she understood better than most… with Remy, and how long it took for people to warm up to him (and some people hadn't). When they first met Remy, he was going by 'Gambit' and he worked for Magneto. He hadn't been honest with Rogue either, and he put her in danger more than once. But he was here now and Rogue seemed to trust him… and so far, so good. Remy considered staying at the Institute but once Magneto moved in, he opted out of living under the same roof as his former employer. But he still stuck around to be with Rogue.
"Now I don't know if this is gonna help ya much," she drawled, running a brush through her hair. White streaks framed her face. She was going out with Remy. Kitty was sitting on her bed. "But Tabitha still talks to Pietro. If ya really wanna track down Lance..."
"I don't 'really want' to track him down," she argued lamely, "I just… want to know if he's involved-"
"Or in town?" Rogue guessed, glancing at her roommate through the mirror reflection. Kitty didn't say anything. "Look, I think ya should leave it to Hank and the Professor." Not what she wanted to hear, and Rogue caught the subtle roll of her eyes to the side, "But if you're gonna do it anyway," and she was, "Be careful."
It was just a phone call, and it was Lance. This was X-business, nothing more. And she wasn't trying to take on S.H.I.E.L.D. or anything, she only wanted to ask the question. "Thanks." For the tip about Tabby, because Kitty had no idea she was still talking to Pietro. She knew that they were friends, kind of, as much as anyone could be friends with Pietro but… Kitty just assumed that everyone who joined S.H.I.E.L.D. severed ties with the people they'd known before. But maybe it was just her.
Tabby had moved back into the mansion after what happened with Apocalypse. She wasn't interested in being an X-Man, but she did want to stay with Amara. The Professor said she was always welcome here, so she came and went as she pleased.
"Alright, Kitty, I'm leavin' now." Rogue turned towards her, checking her reflection one last time. She wore black jeans and a black tank top underneath a long-sleeved olive green shirt, and her signature black gloves and boots. She looked good.
"Have fun," the brunette replied with a teasing smile, sliding off the bed, "I'll walk you out." She left with Rogue and stopped at the stairs, waving at her friend as she crossed the foyer to the front door. "Tell your boyfriend hi."
"He's not my boyfriend." He totally was, Rogue just didn't call him that because… who knows why, maybe she was worried it would jinx the relationship to 'label' it. And she was a little sensitive about the whole 'dating' thing since her powers made it tough for her to… you know.
"Uh huh." Once Rogue was gone, Kitty checked a few places – the kitchen, the dining room, her bedroom – before she found Tabby in the rec room, watching Jaws with Amara. The blonde had her head in Amara's lap and wasn't paying attention to the film, holding her new phone out in front of her face and taking pictures. There was an unfinished pack of grape-flavored Bubbalicious, the blackened seeds of burnt popcorn in the bottom of a big green bowl, and some sodas on the table.
Kitty tapped on the doorframe before she walked in, and Amara looked over and smiled at her. "Hi Kitty," she said sweetly.
Tabby didn't roll off of Amara's lap but she did twist slightly to get a good look at the brunette. "Hey Kit-Kat," she greeted her loudly, "We are movie marathoning our fav monster flicks. Do you want in? We've got gum, and we had popcorn but 'Mara burned it."
"I like it a little singed," Amara protested, then glanced at Kitty, "But I can make some more if you want."
Kitty shook her head. "No thanks. I actually wanted to talk to you, Tabby."
"Word," Tabby arched her back to reach for the remote she was laying on, then she hit pause half-hanging off the couch, "What's up?"
Kitty didn't know how to ask without sounding completely obvious… not that she had anything to be embarrassed about. She decided to be direct, admitting, "Rogue said you still talk to Pietro."
"Yeah. Me and Speedy keep in touch."
"Is he- um, are they in New York?" Pietro and Lance, and the rest of the former Brotherhood. Even if they weren't, S.H.I.E.L.D. could still be involved – but Kitty was curious.
Tabby made a face. "No idea."
Wait, what? "But you just said you talk to Pietro."
"I text him," she explained, holding up the phone. It was the one the Professor paid for, and he did that for any student – or resident – who wasn't able to pay their own bills. Tabby was on her own, she didn't talk to her parents and that was for the best because her dad was awful. "I send him funny videos. And pics. But he never responds."
"Seriously?" Tabby just looked at her. Kitty sighed, put her hands on her hips. "You don't happen to have Lance's number, do you?" She didn't. "Well, can you… like, ask him for Lance's number?"
"Sure." Tabby murmured aloud as she typed the message, "Kit-Kat wants to-"
"No," Kitty protested quickly, "Don't tell him I'm the one asking, he won't give it to me." Pietro didn't like her. The dislike was completely mutual – and then some. He was the most arrogant, egotistical jerk she'd ever met… and she used to know Jean's old boyfriend, Duncan. The fact that he was Lance's best friend was one of many contributing factors to their break-up(s).
"Whatever you say, Kit-Kat." Tabby sent the message, and less than ten seconds later her phone buzzed with a response. Kitty stood there awkwardly as Tabby replied, then received another text. She read it and smirked slightly. "It's for you." She showed Kitty the screen, and she read through the messages:
Me: hey speedy
Me: give me lance's #
Speedy: No.
Me: y not
Speedy: Pryde: No.
"How did he know?" Kitty said irritably, to which Tabby shrugged semi-apologetically.
"What do you need to talk to Lance for, Kitty?" Amara asked curiously.
"It's nothing," she replied, clearly discouraged, "We just saw some trouble last night and we thought S.H.I.E.L.D. might be involved," and it was a longshot anyway, to think that Lance and Pietro would know what was going on. They were probably nowhere near New York. Still...
"You know, I'm just going to give him a call. Do you mind?"
"Mi phone es su phone," Tabby replied easily, and Amara quietly corrected her Spanglish.
Kitty hit Pietro's number, which was still in a NY area code, and she waited. It rang four times. No answer. And the answering machine message was automated. It didn't even give his name, just the number. She shifted in her stance at the sound of the beep and spoke as calmly as possible, "Pietro, it's Kitty. Yesterday we ran into some armed men in Brooklyn," she didn't want to give too much away, what if he just turned around and told Fury about this? "If you guys are in town and S.H.I.E.L.D. is involved in any way, we will find out so... it's your best interest to come clean." Talk about 'vague'. Kitty didn't know how to finish the message, and after an awkward heartbeat she added, "That's all I had to say." Should she say something about Lance? Forget it. "Bye." Kitty hung up.
She forced a smile in Tabby's direction, and handed her the cell phone. The blonde shoved it into her pocket, wriggling the phone into the back of her jeans. "I'll let you know if he says anything, but I wouldn't bet on it, Kit," she said.
Me either. "It was worth a shot. Thanks anyway." Kitty left the rec room and halfway down the wall, she could still hear those classic notes – dun-dun, dun-dun, dun-dun – from the movie soundtrack. Now what? She was so focused on S.H.I.E.L.D. and getting answers from Lance, she wasn't sure where to go from here. Maybe it was better to leave things up to the Professor...