CHAPTER NINTY-EIGHT:

The Cookie Monster!

AN: Okay guys, so I did A LOT of research on satellites and how they work and most of it boggled my mind. (all that research and only one paragraph on it…jeez ;-_-) So I pretty much just did the best I could. This information may not be COMPLETELY accurate, so please forgive that.

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This is just to help you keep track of who's where right now, it's not part of the story)

XAVIERS SCHOOL FOR GIFTED YOUNGSTERS:

Logan, Rogue, Cassie, Jonesy, Roddy, Clarisse, Beast/Hank, Storm/Ororo, Professor Xavier, The Avengers, other students

ON A BUS

A very scared Bus Driver, Sabretooth/ Victor

AT NICK FURYS INFINITY LAB:

Nick Fury, Steve Aswell, Lab workers

UNKNOWN SAFE HOUSE:

Cerise Darkholm, Lewis Evans

NOW TO THE STORY:: ONWARD!

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NICK FURYS INFINITY LAB:

NICK FURY / STEVE ASWELL

In 1957, Russian Scientists launched the first satellite, 'Sputnick' into space. The space machine wasn't able to do much except send signals to Earth telling where it was and how it was doing. Technology, ever, had come very far and the technology Nick Fury and Steve Aswell were privy to was more than most of America even knew existed.

In this instance, security cameras, video feed and 'Big Brother' sent videos and pictures of what was happening around the world up to satellites which then 'bounced' that great mass of information down to what were called 'gateway stations' which was-in this case-Steve Aswells VERY high-tech phone. This was how Nick Fury and Steve Aswell were currently viewing thousands of video-screens searching for one 'Bobby Drake'…..It was like looking for a needle in a haystack.

"He can't have gotten too far….." Steve Aswell muttered almost to himself as he typed in a few more commands on his phone. "…..so let's keep the videos narrowed down to New York."

"That's still too many!" Nick Fury growled

"Patience….." Steve commented, unperturbed. "…..well, well, well, here's our feline friend." The super-spy enlarged one screen to show an extremely angry Sabretooth running on all fours towards a bus. "I think it would be safe to say that Mr. Drake is in that bus, wouldn't you agree?"

Fury tapped on his ear-piece, eyes glued to the screen showing the hunting feral. "I want three units immediately at this location—" he rattled off the coordinates on the screen "—target is one Bobby Drake-"

"—I wouldn't be so hasty," Steve interrupted, watching as some of the bus windows became covered in a sheet of ice; proof that Bobby Drake was indeed on that bus.

There were a few moments where nothing happened until the bus slammed to a stop. Soon afterwards they watched as a bus seat went flying through the windshield.

"Definitely a feline temper tantrum." Steve commented. They watched the bus speed up.

Nick Fury gritted his teeth. "WHAT ON EARTH IS GOING ON IN THERE!?"

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XAVIERS SCHOOL FOR GIFTED YOUNGSTERS

THE MED LAB

THE AVENGERS / STORM/ BEAST

Back in the med-lab being overseen by Hank McCoy (Beast) and Bruce Banner (the Hulk) the rest of the Avengers were slowly but surely coming around.

Steve Rogers, aka Captain America, gave out a soft groan from his hospital bed. "Ohhh, my head."

"Yes, well, that is what generally happens when you are hit in the head with your own shield." Hank said calmly, walking over to the American hero to take his pulse.

"Did we ever even stand a chance?" Natasha/The Black Widow asked from her own cot.

Hank shrugged. "Perhaps if you had some of those 'feral tasers' Mr. Stark seems to have come up with."

"Remind me to ask Tony why he didn't use one of those in battle." Clint Barton/Hawkeye groaned, swinging his legs over the side of the bed.

Hank turned to glare at the archer. "I suggest you get right back in that bed, Mr. Barton, you're in no condition to be moving around."

"So where is Sabretooth anyway?" Clint asked, ignoring the blue-furred doctor.

"I believe he went to catch Mr. Bobby Drake." Bruce said.

"Poor kid." Clint commented off-hand like.

Steve Rogers suddenly sat up, panicked and wincing at the pain the sudden movement caused. "Creed wouldn't really hurt this Drake kid, would he? I mean, he's just seventeen! (17)"

"I believe Mr. Creed will do anything it takes to retrieve that serum." Hank said mildly. "Mr. Creed wants that serum for his mate. To ensure her health and longevity, he will do anything. You do not understand the feral mind-set, Mr. Rogers. His mates safety, health and happiness as well as that of his pack are his top priority."

"But isn't this Bobby part of his pack since he's a student here?" Natasha asked.

"When Mr. Drake endangered the alphas mate and the rest of the children here, he immediately became non-pack, an outsider if you will. An enemy." Hank explained.

The Black Widow eyed the 'Beast' shrewdly. "You called him 'the alpha'. You're a feral too, correct?"

"That is generally what the blue fur would suggest." Hank said wryly.

"It's the cookie monster!" a still very drugged Tony Stark babbled from his cot.

Everyone ignored him.

"We need to get to this Bobby kid before Sabretooth does." Steve Rogers said resolutely.

"And how do you plan to do that?" Ororo asked from the cot Hank had placed her in.

Steve looked to the drugged Iron-Man. "Mr. McCoy, how long will that drug you used on Tony work?"

Hank finished his check-up on the Captain America and gave him a suspicious look. "A few more hours at least, all night at most. Why?"

"With Tonys computer know-how, he should be able to find Sabretooth and Bobby quickly, right?" Steve Rogers asked.

They all looked to the babbling Tony.

" No, you CAN'T have my chocolate cookie! Take the caramel one, they mess up my suit, anyway!"

"What is this 'cookie monster' he speaks of?" Thor asked, confused. "From what I understand, a cookie is some sort of sweet food, correct?"

Now they all looked at Thor.

Ororos lips twitched. "It's a character from a childrens show…On TV." She elaborated when Thor still looked confused.

"Ah yes, the box with moving pictures."

"Back on track everyone." Clint said dryly. "So what do we do now?"

"We have to find this Bobby kid." Steve Rogers said adamantly. "And to do that we need transportation and Tonys know how."

They were all quiet for a moment while Tony sang something about loving cookies.

Then Bruce had a brain storm. "What about Fury? I bet he has the gizmos to find Sabretooth."

"Alright," Steve Rogers said. "Who has a phone?"

Hank sighed. "I shall call Mr. Fury provided you all stay right where you are." He glared at him with his golden eyes, even giving a short growl to get his point across.

"Bye bye Cookie Monster." Tony waved.

Hank sighed as he left when he heard Clint Barton say; "Someone needs to get Tony on

camera."

"I believe there is a video camera in that desk." He heard his lovely mate add in her smooth voice.

Hank shook his head as he headed towards his own room where he had left his encrypted cell-phone.

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AN: There should be more up today or tonight. Ja ne!

VOCABULARY:

PRIVY: participating in the knowledge of something private or secret

AN: It can also mean an outhouse (aka a toilet) but this was the original meaning.

UNPERTURBED: Not worried

LONGEVITY: Long-life

SHRWEDLY: astute and penetrating; often in regards to business

AN: In Cassie terms, noticing something other might not.

RESOLUTELY: determined

ELABORATED: to explain further

CITATIONS:

"Who Inventented the First Satellite?." . Ask, n.d. Web. 24 May 2014. question/who-invented-the-first-satellite.

Labrador, Virgil. "Satellite Communication: How Satellites Work." . Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 Dec. 2013. Web. 24 May 2014. EBchecked/topic/524891/satellite-communication/288217/How-satellites-work.

"FCC Satellite Learning Center." . FCC, n.d. Web. . .gov/cgb/kidszone/satellite/kidz/how_sats_ .

"Privy." Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 27 May. 2014. browse/Privy.

"shrewdly." Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition. HarperCollins Publishers. 27 May. 2014. browse/shrewdly.