BEGIN PART TWO

-
Xavier Institute
February 15, 17:09 EST
-

Emma wandered around the exterior of the Institute, thinking on her conversation with the Professor earlier. The White Queen often disagreed with the way Professor Xavier did things at the Institute. She thought he was too lenient, too forgiving, and too passive. He, in opposition, thought she was too aggressive and cold, too eager to jump to the easier solution instead of looking for an alternate one that would be much better for all parties involved.

The ground was white, like her clothes, and covered in several inches of snow from Wednesday's storm. The temperature was cold and wet. It felt like it was clinging to Emma's face. She hated the chill and was wrapped up in heavy white winter clothes.

Emma, still fuming, turned a corner and decided to take a path into the small woods surrounding the Institute. The path was covered in snow, but still distinguishable. Emma followed it into the woods, her mind wandering to other things, Scott Summers mostly. Emma had long desired Scott, very lustfully. She thought he was very handsome, a good person, and so ready to do the right thing. She imagined herself as his perfect equal. She thought herself much more beautiful than Jean Grey, she was strong, passionate, and absolutely perfect. When she had arrived at the Institute, however, it had been too late. Jean and Scott were in the early stages of couple-hood. It took a month or so for Emma to realize her feelings for Scott, and by then it was clear that there was no separating Jean from him. It was merely watching a play from that point on. When would they finally admit their feelings and marry each other? When would they have a child? When would they take over Professor Xavier's position?

Emma growled. She was starting to feel the cold and was ready to turn back when she saw Rahne, sitting on a bench, looking at the ground. Professor Xavier was an old man and his time giving her orders was long past. She was much more powerful than him. She'd show him she was the one who knew best, and he was obsolete. She walked over and sat on the bench next to Rahne.

"How are you, Rahne?" she asked.

Rahne didn't reply for a moment, only kicking snow with her boot. She finally muttered "fine".

"Are you making any progress during your sessions with Professor X?" she asked, purposely using the nick-name Rahne had come up with.

"Not really, no." she replied, chin still resting on her hands.

Emma smirked inwardly. "Don't you just wish you could just forget about it all?" she asked.

"Hnn." Rahne replied. Emma couldn't tell if that was yes or no. With Rahne's sense of morals and ethics, Emma couldn't be sure what her response to the offer would be.

"What if you could?" she asked.

Rahne looked at her.

"Forget, I mean. That night in Scotland."

Rahne looked back at her feet, thinking now.

"Face it Rahne. You've been back two months now and done nothing! Don't you want to be a help to your friends again instead of sitting out here useless?"

Rahne continued to stare at the ground for a moment. Finally, she looked at Emma, a small spark in her eyes. "I want to remember my father's death." She said simply.

"You will." Emma assured her with a triumphant smile. "I'm only going to take away the memory of the incident. You'll remember nothing, feel nothing, and in a few minutes, all will be better."

Rahne nodded. She closed her eyes. Emma pulled off her mitts and placed her hands on either side of Rahne's head. She closed her eyes and dug into her mind. Rahne's mind was like that of a green clearing in a green forest. There was high-mountain air. Snow-capped peaks stood impossibly close to what only seemed feet away. Rahne's consciousness was a red fox, dancing about in the clearing around Emma.

"Take me, Rahne." Emma said. "Take me to that night in Scotland."

The fox whimpered and tucked its tail between its legs.

"Rahne, I need your help to do this. This is your mind."

The fox hesitated, then trotted off away from the mountains, into a darker part of the forest Emma hadn't seen before. She followed the fox closely, the forest casting cool shadows on the two. Unlike so many other minds she had been in, Rahne had no dark memories, not really. Emma had been in the mind of killers and people who had done terrible things. Their minds were pitch-black, impossible to traverse. This section of Rahne's mind was merely shady, cool shadows cast by the ever burning bright sun.

The fox lead Emma to a pool. It was muddy water, not like the streams that Emma had seen so far that were fresh mountain water. This one was murky and almost black. The fox wasn't too comfortable with being near the pool, constantly whimpering and dancing back and forth.

"What now?" Rahne asked aloud.

"Now I go for a swim." Emma replied. "I need to find the specific memory of the murder and take it away. Just like pulling a fish from a tank."

Rahne acknowledged this, though her consciousness wasn't too pleased with it. Emma took a deep breath and plunged into the water. It was easy to see in, despite its muddy appearance. Emma felt as if she were surrounded in a bubble of air. Fish swam before Emma, showing her that fateful night. Jean and Rahne fleeing the burning house, it collapsed, her father's body, represented by a magnificent rainbow trout, flashed in front of Emma's eyes. Then came the red fish, the one of Rahne's anger and lust for blood. Emma grabbed it and watched the scene play out. Rahne ripped the man's throat out.

In the real world, Rahne whimpered like a wolf and squirmed in Emma's grasp, but Emma held her firmly.

Emma grasped the fish and squeezed it tightly, letting it dissolve into nothingness. She smiled.

"All through,"

Emma started to head back to the surface, but then saw something intriguing. A flash of fire. Emma turned and looked at the fish. It was rude to pry into memories like this, but something about the fish called it to her. She picked it up and watched.

Jean's body burst into flames, the image of a bird forming around her. She disintegrated one villager, flew up in the air, then swooped down on them, turning several more to ash.

Emma gasped and pulled herself out of Rahne's mind.

They both gasped heavily, leaning on the bench for support. Rahne dropped her head back, her eyes closed. She opened them and looked at Emma. "What happened? We were in a forest, then—nothing."

"I-I'm sorry, Rahne." Emma stammered, standing up on shaky legs.

"I asked you to remove a memory…but I can't remember what memory…" She looked at Emma. "I think it worked! Thanks!"

Emma smiled weakly. "You're welcome." She stumbled off towards the Institute.

-
New York City
February 15, 19:09 EST
-

The city was growing darker. The sun was setting and the city's lights were flickering on up and down the streets. Civilized people and those who valued their lives were already indoors, or headed there. Evil loves darkness, and New York City was definitely no exception. The streets in the Bronx were wet and dirty pieces of paper blew all over the place. Someone screamed in the distance.

A number of ratty old vehicles were parked outside of a dimly lit alleyway. They were parked in a semi-circle so no one could drive by and see what illegal activity they were up to, not that anyone in this area of New York would willingly be a rat.

Rogue and Kitty moved along the top of one of the buildings overlooking the alley. They peered into the darkness below. Three men were standing at one end of the alley, two at the other end. One man in a suit was standing with a briefcase and his bodyguard next to him. The man across from him had a large duffel. The two exchanged words. The second man opened the duffel and pulled out a white brick, showing it to the first man before replacing it in his duffel. The first man, in response, opened his briefcase, showing a stack of bills that looked very impressive.

"That, kids, is a drug deal." Rogue whispered. Kitty looked at her.

"So which one are we after?" Kitty asked.

"Far end of the alley, gang-banger, red plaid pants." Rogue replied.

"The one with his pants at his ankles?" Kitty asked.

Rogue looked at her. "All of their pants are at their ankles."

Rogue stood up and leapt into the alleyway, Kitty right behind her.

Rogue jumped on top of one man, right next to the two men making the deal. They both froze before shouting orders at their men to "kill the bitch". Rogue grinned and leapt up, kicking both of them in the face, turning, grabbing the first man's bodyguard's pistol and shooting him in the shoulder with it

Kitty was taking care of the men in suits while Rogue ran towards the gangbangers. They tried to fire, but she disarmed them and slammed two of them together at the head; they collapsed to the ground. Rogue turned to the third man and grabbed him, climbing back onto the roof, Kitty behind her. Rogue grabbed the man, who tried to fight, punched him, and dragged him by his ankle to the edge of the roof, picking him up and hanging him over the void. He screamed in terror.

"Hey!" Kitty exclaimed. Rogue held up her other hand and gestured for Kitty to be quiet.

"Dumb crazy bit—ahh!" Rogue wiggled him over the drop. "What you want? What you want?"

"I want t' know where yo'r fellow homies are." Rogue replied.

"Down there! Down there!" The man exclaimed. "You beat the shit out'f em!"

"Not those homies," Rogue said. "The homies you were with the other night. The ones you raped Kate Bishop with."

The man shivered, keeping silent. Rogue let go of his ankle and grabbed his shoe. He screamed, both in terror and in pain.

"Better hope you tie yo'r shoes better'n you do yo'r pants." Rogue said. "'cause the next bullshit answer you give me, I'm droppin' yo'r sorry ass."

"Rogue!" Kitty exclaimed again.

The man laughed as Rogue gestured for Kitty to shut up. "Oh I see! I see how it is! You ain't gonna drop me, 'cause yo'r friend won't let ya! I ain't tellin' you nuthin' you dumb, red-headed, bitc—aahhhhhh!"

Rogue dropped him.

Kitty leapt, grabbing him and phasing down into the alleyway.

"Holy shit!" he yelled. "Are you out of your fucking mind, bitch?"

Rogue kicked him in the chest.

"Call me that one more time!" she exclaimed. "Call me that one more damn time!"

"Rogue!"

"Shut up!" Rogue exclaimed.

"You can't just torture a man like this!"

"Watch me." Rogue replied, picking him up by his throat.

"I'll tell ya! Damn it! I'll tell ya!" He choked out.

"Did you rape Kate Bishop?"

The man gagged.

"DID YOU?!"

"Yeah! Yeah!" he gasped out.

"Where's the rest of the men who did it? Don't lie to me either!"

"Down west! I swear!"

Rogue leaned her head back and forth as if trying to make up her mind before punching him right between the eyes and dropping him on the ground. She rounded on Kitty.

"Don't you ever do that again!"

"What?" Kitty asked, shocked.

"I was interrogatin' some'n' and you almost ruined it!"

"I wasn't going to let you drop a man off of the building!"

"I wasn't!" Rogue exclaimed. "But he needed to believe it or he wasn't going to talk!"

"I don't see why you can't just absorb his memories." Kitty pointed out.

"I've seen a lot of bad things in m' time, Kitty, but that is somethin' I don't ever wanna see." Then quitter, "not again…"

Kitty kept silent. "So what do we do now?" she asked after a moment.

"We find the men, beat the living shit out of 'em, and turn 'em over to the cops. Sound good t' you?"

Kitty nodded.

"Good, it wasn't up fir discussion."

-
Xavier Institute
February 15, 19:23 EST
-

"Yes, Kitty," Charles replied. "It's fine if you stay the night. I completely understand."

"Thanks Professor!" Kitty's voice came over the telephone.

"You're welcome, Kitty." Charles said. He hung up the phone and turned back to the computer screen. He tapped a few commands into the computer and Nick Fury's image popped up on screen.

"Professor Xavier," he greeted.

"Director Fury," Charles said, rather harshly.

"Am I in trouble?" Fury asked.

"Very much so," Charles replied.

Fury raised an eyebrow.

"I am well aware that the Weapon X program attempted to create twenty-two clones of Wolverine after he escaped the program." Charles said, getting straight to the point.

The smile slid from Fury's face.

"I am also aware that they were successful in creating a female clone on their twenty-third attempt."

"How do you know this?" Fury demanded, a look of concern on his face.

"I did research. Cerebro does more than locate mutant signatures, Director. It also has the ability to hack into any computer system in the world…including S.H.I.E.L.D.'s."

Now Fury was angry and concerned. How much did Charles know?

"What put you on the trail?" he asked, his voice low and serious.

"When she stumbled into the Institute a few weeks ago, bloodied and beaten. I hope that wasn't your doing."

"Absolutely not." Fury replied. "The last I heard, which was yesterday, she was at the Sentinel Project with Bolivar Trask." This was a lie. Fury knew exactly where X-23 was. He had always known. He was never concerned. Not with her protector nearby…

"Well Rogue is here as well, so perhaps you should check in on our Secretary of Defense."

Fury nodded.

"Director, I am deeply disappointed that you have allowed this event to take place, that you did not inform us, but instead sent her to become a killer, and that you have failed to even attempt to help her in the slightest. X-23 will remain here at the Institute with me for as long as she pleases. If you attempt to bully, threaten, or intimidate me into turning her over to you, if you attempt to take her by force, well, I feel sorry for the man who marches through those doors in an attempt to control us. I will not attempt to reign any of my students back and you know very well all of their capabilities."

Fury nodded. "She can stay with you." He replied, as if giving permission to Xavier, although the old man needed none. "We will not try to take her or control her."

"Good," Xavier replied. "I expect you to inform Logan of the entire truth. Do not attempt to lie to either of us, Director, for I will know."

Fury nodded grimly. "Anything else?" he asked.

"Yes, actually," Charles said. "As of right now, the X-Men are severing all ties with S.H.I.E.L.D. You will need to find someone else to do your dirty work for you."

Fury could only nod.

"Good night, Director Fury."

X flexed her fist again and extended her claws. One hand was still coated in metal, the other a bone formation. X had tested it, the bone claws were still very sharp and strong, but not as strong as her adamantium claws; and the bone claws could be destroyed. That was only a small problem, however, as they grew back after a minute or so.

X had felt a feeling in the middle of her fist earlier and was trying to figure out what it was. She extended her claws with a 'snikt' again, only the two claws on each hand, one between her first and middle finger, one between her ring and pinky.

"You're making me nervous." Amara said from the other side of the room.

The Brazilian was lying on her stomach on her bed, doing something on her laptop. She kept glancing at X every time the 'snikt' noise was made.

"Sorry," X replied. "I keep feeling as if something is there, I just can not get it to come out."

"Like a third claw?" Amara asked, suddenly interested.

"Maybe…" X replied. "I am not sure."

"Well what did it feel like when you grew your first two claws?" Amara asked.

"I…do not remember."

"You don't remember?" Amara asked disbelieveingly.

"My mind, up to the point of one year and a half ago, is a blank. I do not remember anything of my life before the Sent—before I began working with Rogue."

Rogue had been very clear: no mentioning the Sentinel Project.

"Well that's too bad. I wonder what caused it."

X shrugged. "I do not know. It is a mystery and I have learned not to investigate it. It only hurts my head."

Amara shrugged as well. "Well if you did have three claws, you'd be just like Wolverine." She looked up. "Except, smaller…and younger…and…feminine…"

X glanced at her. "Who is Wolverine?"

"Some S.H.I.E.L.D. wacko." Amara replied. "He's got same abilities you do: claws, ability to heal, loving personality."

X raised an eyebrow. She sat and thought for a moment.

"Do you think that he…could be my father?"

Amara mused. "Perhaps. It's rare that any mutant possess the exact same set of powers, and it is even rarer for the powers to be passed generation to generation."

"There are three telepaths in the Xavier Institute." X pointed out. "It does not seem so rare to me."

"Well there's differences:" Amara said, closing her laptop. "Jean is both telepathic and telekinetic, which is extremely rare in itself, Emma can turn her body into a living diamond, and Professor Xavier can freeze people's bodies with his mind."

"I see your point." X replied, extending her claws again with another 'snikt'.

"Although…" Amara mused. "It is funny both of you have the same memory problem…"

X looked at her.

-
New York City
February 15, 20:23 EST
-

Another dark alleyway, another group of dark thugs performing illegal activities. Rogue and Kitty launched into them. There were almost a dozen and a half in this alleyway. Rogue made the first move, leaping down and landing on one gang-banger's shoulders so hard they caved inwards. The rest turned to look at her as Kitty slid down the fire-escape. Rogue didn't waste time with a one-liner or to make a pose, she leapt at the left side of the alley, the one containing a dozen of the dozen and a half, and went to work.

Kitty phased as the gang members opened fire at her. She ran up and threw her hand through one's weapon, shorting it out. He panicked. She made her body solid just long enough to knock him out. She phased again, running down the line and shorting out all of the men's weapons before disappearing. She had turned invisible. She slid behind the gangbangers and took them out with a single punch to the throat. She finished up her men and glanced at Rogue.

Rogue grabbed one man's wrists, snapped them, and threw him into his partner. She turned and delivered a kick to a third gang-banger's face, turned, punched two more in the chest simultaneously and downed them. She ran at a sixth member of the gang, leapt off of the wall and body-slammed him into the ground. She rolled, came up, stabbed two more in the legs and turned back around, slamming the man she had body-slammed in the throat to keep him down.

Rogue looked at her handy-work, made sure Kitty was okay, then walked over to the man she was looking for and grabbed him by the collar.

"Stay down here this time." Rogue ordered Kitty and then climbed up to the rooftop. Kitty sighed and took a seat on a nearby trash-bin.

Rogue dropped the man on the roof, the gravel scratching his face. He scrambled away from her, clutching his bleeding leg.

"Please! Don't hurt me!" he exclaimed.

"This oughta be easy." Rogue said, grabbing him again and picking him up by the collar. "You answer my questions, I'll let ya live. Got it?"

The man nodded frantically.

"Good," Rogue smiled. "Questi'n Number One: Did you rape Kate Bishop?"

The man hesitated. Rogue sighed, dragging him to the edge of the roof. She hoisted him up and hung him over the edge. He screamed, grabbing at her arm, his legs squirming beneath him. This was the alley on the other side of the building so Kitty didn't protest.

"Care t' answer now?" Rogue asked.

"I can't!" he exclaimed, looking down. "They'll kill me!"

"What do you think I'm gonna do?" Rogue demanded.

The man whimpered.

"Last chance: did you rape Kate Bishop?"

"What?" he asked.

Rogue let go of him with one hand and he screamed.

"Did you rape Kate Bishop?"

The man gasped for more air. "What?"

Rogue dropped him and grabbed his wrist at the last second, twisting it sharply. He let out a fresh batch of yells.

"Say what again! Say what again! I dare ya, I double dare ya, mother fucker, say what one more damn time!"*

He stammered out his next word in a high-pitch tone: "Yes!"

"Did you do it alone?"

"No!"

"Where are the men who helped ya?"

"What?"

Rogue sighed and dropped him. He screamed as he fell, faster and faster towards the pavement. Rogue pulled out a grappling gun and fired it at his foot, snatching him out of the air and his leg out of its socket. He yelled in pain as she slowly hauled him up again.

"Where are your friends?"

"Stan St and Lee Ave!"** he yelled in a higher pitch. Rogue had dislodged something else between his legs. "Old Pizza shack! Can't miss it!"

Rogue smiled sweetly. "See, that wasn't so hard, now was it?"

The man whimpered. "Are you going to kill me?"

"To kill ya now would be a mercy." Rogue replied. "You can't die 'til you have known the despair, pain, an' loss that you have made others feel."

Rogue leaned in close. "An' you will—"

"I promise."

Rogue dropped him onto the roof, handcuffed to a pole. She left a voice-recorder, playing his confession over and over again next to him.

-
Xavier Institute
February 15, 18:00 EST
-

Emma had sat in her room for almost an hour, thinking on what to do. Should she tell Xavier? How would she explain how she discovered this information? Besides, he'd probably just reprimand Jean. Should she confront Jean? That probably wasn't the best idea. Jean would just vaporize her on spot and then she'd have no competition with Scott…

Scott.

Emma grinned wickedly and opened the door, heading upstairs. She walked down the second story hallway and knocked on Jean and Scott's room. Jean opened the door.

"Emma." She greeted. Jean, unlike Scott, had been completely oblivious to Emma's fascination with her fiance and was still good friends with the blonde.

"Can I come in?" Emma asked kindly.

"Sure!" Jean replied, opening the door.

Emma walked in. Jean was folding clothes on the deluxe master bed. Emma glanced around. "Is Scott here?"

"No," Jean replied. "Why?"

"I think you'd want to talk about this in private."

Jean glanced at her. "Talk about what?" she asked, picking up a dress and moving to the closet to hang it up.

"About Scotland."

Jean dropped the dress onto the floor.

"I saw what you did, Jean." Emma said, taking bold steps forward. "I saw what you did to those villagers. You turned them into ash."

Jean stared at her in horror. "Emma, I can explain." She started, holding up her hands.

"Oh, I'm sure you can." Emma replied with a sinister smile. "But you're not going to."

Jean looked at her curiously.

"You're going to pack up and leave right now. No note, nothing. You're going to leave the Institute, leave Scott, go somewhere far away where no one will ever find you and stay there."

Jean put her hands on her hips. "Why the hell would I do that?"

"Because if you don't, I'll tell Scott, Xavier, everyone."

Jean jumped slightly. "Professor Xavier knows." She said, then lying she added "So does Scott."

"No he doesn't." Emma smirked.

Jean glared at her. "I was going to tell him!"

"Sure." Emma smirked. "It doesn't matter now, anyway. You're going to leave and Scott will finally be mine!"

Jean's hair stirred in a non-existent wind. Emma looked at it nervously. Jean glanced at it as well and grinned, fire coming into her eyes, the irises glowing orange.

"You will take nothing from me!" Jean exclaimed. "I am the Phoenix! You have no power over me! You can do nothing to me!"

Emma was backing up frantically now, looking for the door. It had seemingly disappeared.

"You thought you could come and take Scott, my family, my friends, and my home away from me without a fight?"

Emma screamed as loud as she could.

"FIGHT THIS!"

Jean swooped down and grabbed Emma by the throat and squeezed, hard. Emma clutched at her throat. Why was no one coming? Had no one heard her scream?

Jean grinned, her hair picking up pace and flowing wildly in the air, her eyes turning orange-on-black. She squeezed ever harder and Emma disappeared in a cloud of smoke, not ash.

Jean was lifted into the air. She closed her eyes and tried to quell the Phoenix. She couldn't.

"Apologies, Jean Grey." The Phoenix said, it's voice speaking with no mouth. "No one can know of me. It has proven too much of a struggle already."

"Wait!" Jean gasped.

"I will purge all memories of me and then nothing will stand in our way!"

"Wait!" Jean cried again.

The Phoenix created a ball of orange energy and scattered it, targeting memories of the Phoenix. It wiped the Institute clean. Charles Xavier clutched his head in his office, Rahne stumbled in the forest. Even in New York, Rogue stumbled.

Jean collapsed onto the bed, asleep.

-
New York City
February 15, 21:12 EST
-

Two streets converged on a dimly lit corner. Trash and graffiti covered the wall of the location given by thugs across the city. This is where Kitty and Rogue would find their final victims. Were they truly victims though? These men had done horrible things, things no decent human being would have ever done. Did they deserve to live? Did they deserve to die? Was death too sweet for them? These thoughts flickered through the minds of the two girls standing outside, though mostly just Rogue's.

Kitty and Rogue looked at the semi-circular building. It was only a single-story tall and had a large, single window going all of the way around the building. The walls were dirty and yellow, but had been white one time. The sign had fallen into ruin and was completely dark. The doors were boarded up. There were no lights on inside. The men were inside though, of this both girls were certain.

There would be no talking, no forcing a confession. They would inform the men why they were there, then commence with their mission. Rogue kicked the doors open with one foot.

The inside of the building was small, probably twenty square feet. A small counter was on the far left side from the doorway. Three booths were against the left walls, the right ones led to two bathrooms. There was a single round table in the middle of the floor, lit with a dim lamp in the middle. Three men had been playing poker. They leapt to their feet when Rogue and Kitty walked in.

"Marcus Tayte, Hugh Yuji, and Harold Guviy, you have failed this city!" Rogue exclaimed.

Kitty glared at the man with sandy-brown hair. She recognized him.

"You!" she exclaimed. "You were in the bar that night! You went after Kate Bishop!"

He looked clueless.

Kitty leapt at him. He pulled out a gun and fired, but she phased through the bullets and planted her fist in his face, dislocating his nose and causing him to stumble back. The other two men pulled out guns as well and aimed them at Kitty, but Rogue blew out both of their knees and they collapsed to the ground. She walked up and kicked one of them in the face, the other in the chest. She planted a firm boot in that spot and handcuffed them as they groaned in pain.

Kitty was on top of the other guy now. Despite her smaller size, she had him begging for mercy. Rogue placed a firm grip on her shoulders and pulled her off. Kitty gasped in air.

"Say you did it!" she yelled. "Say you raped Kate Bishop!"

"I did! I did!" he exclaimed, hands over his face. "Please don't hurt me!"

Police sirens wailed outside. The bullets had attracted the attention of the authorities.

"Say it again." Rogue ordered.

The man repeated his confession. Rogue dropped the pen playing the confession and rushed Kitty out of the back of the store as police swarmed in, flashlights shining across the restaurant and guns at the ready. Police Captain George Stacy walked in, his blonde hair askew and red tie loose around his neck. He looked at the three men and the pen. He picked it up, listening to it.

"Well, well, well." He said, looking at the men on the ground. "What have we here?"

-
New York General Hospital
February 16, 07:09 EST
-

Kitty walked into the hospital room. Rogue was waiting at the elevators. She had stuck with her (frankly unbelievable) story about not liking hospitals. Kitty had decided to let her ride with it. It wasn't important, not right now.

The guards had let her in without question. They remembered her. She walked in to the hospital room, white tile floor and light blue walls. The television was on some gossip show, playing a story about Dazzler. Kitty glanced at it, then around the room. Two chairs, both were empty. Rachel had probably left to get water, food, or take a restroom break. Someone else had been in here too, a blue jacket laying over one arm. Kitty glanced at it, then at Kate in the bed. They had wires running into her mouth to feed her and her nose to help her breathe. For a woman in a near-comatose stage, Kate looked very tired; dark circles had formed under her eyes, her face was bruised, her black hair was spread out messily on the pillow.

Kitty looked at her sadly and leaned down, kissing her forehead.

"We got 'em, Kate." She whispered. "We got the bastards who did it to you."

No response, but it made Kitty feel better, like her friend understood.

The door opened and two people walked in, Rachel and another girl. This girl was Hispanic, with dark hair and eyes. She was much shorter than Rachel, at her shoulders. Her figure was slim. She was wearing a shirt decorated like the American flag and red skinny jeans. She glanced at Kitty and then at Rachel.

"This is Kitty Pryde. She's a…friend of Kate's." Rachel introduced. "Kitty, this is America Chavez. If Kitty and I are sisters, then this is her best friend for life."

Kitty smiled and hugged America.

-
Xavier Institute
February 16, 09:09 EST
-

Rogue drove up in her car, parking it in the underground garage attached to the Xavier Institute. She got out and closed the door, Kitty right behind her. Kitty sighed, a smile on her face. Rogue was a little more disturbed. Simply getting revenge for Kate Bishop didn't fix the wrongs Rogue had been forced to do.

Xavier wheeled out to greet them.

"Did you enjoy your stay, Kitty?" Charles asked.

"Yeah," Kitty replied. "The doctors said that Kate was doing much better. I got to meet a few of her friends."

"No…extracurricular activities?" Xavier asked.

"What? No! We were at the hospital all night!" Kitty replied rather nervously.

"Well then I'm sure you had no idea until now that the police captured the men who attacked Ms. Bishop with full confessions from all of them."

"Really?" Kitty asked. "That's cool!"

"Aren't you curious how they got the confessions?" Xavier asked.

"Guilty conscious?"

"Strangely enough, two vigilantes, both with extraordinary abilities abducted and interrogated the men rather brutally." At this Charles looked at Rogue.

"Yeah, well, they deserved it." Rogue replied.

Kitty glanced at her nervously.

Charles eyed her before dismissing it. "Very well. I'm glad to hear Ms. Bishop is doing better."

"Yeah, I'm going to go upstairs and get some sleep." Kitty said.

"Actually, you're heading down to the Dark Room to assist in search efforts."

"Search efforts?" Rogue asked.

"Yes, we seem to have lost Emma. She just vanished without a trace. We believe there was a psychological attack because all of our heads, including mine and Jean's, are…cloudy regarding the incident."

Kitty nodded and ran inside. Charles looked at Rogue.

"I can not believe you took her on one of your revenge missions!" Charles said harshly. "She is an innocent young girl—"

"Not from her file." Rogue replied.

Charles glared at her. "She has no place in your world, Rogue. You know that."

"It was her friend."

"You needed an excuse!"

"It's complicated!"

"Explain it!"

"I killed her mother!"

Charles stopped and looked at her.

"I—When I was with the Sentinel Project, I was given a mission: track down human traffikers and abduct them for interrogation. I did."

"The fact they were women did not make you suspicious?" Charles asked harshly.

"I know women. They're much more evil than men." Rogue replied. "Besides, they had just been to a party with Ian Quinn, a known intelligence terrorist and weapons manufacturer. It seemed to make sense."

"What did the Bishop's backstories do to make you believe they'd be suspicious?"

"I didn't ask." Rogue replied. "'sides, I didn't know it was the Bishops 'til I saw Kate in the hospital this mornin'."

Rogue looked at her feet bitterly. "It seems that no matter what I do, I bring pain to the Prydes."

"Rogue—"

"Emma needs our help."

Rogue walked off angrily.

-
Triskelion; S.H.I.E.L.D. HQ
Washington, D.C.
February 17, 01:17 EST
-

Fury sat at his desk. He glanced through a few more files that Secretary Stryker had given him. More mutant criminals. He had just finished a briefing with the World Security Council and then one with Assistant Director Hill. Before that, he'd had a not-so-friendly chat with the President about the Sentinels. Fury was exhausted, but there was one thing left he needed to do.

"Computer, seal room and turn off all tracking devices. Priority code 4-3-Alpha-Gamma, Authorization Director Fury, Nicholas J."

The computer beeped to confirm his order and Fury typed on his keyboard, an audio wave coming on screen.

"Authorization?" a female voice asked from the other end of the line.

"Director Fury, Nicholas J." Fury repeated. "I've got my eye on you."

"Now yours." He ordered.

"There has t' be evil so good can prove it's purity above it."

Fury nodded. "Authorized. What have you to report?"

"Emma Frost disappeared the other day."

"Yes, we detected high levels of telepathic energy coming from the Institute."

"You didn't investigate?"

"Charles Xavier has banned us from the Institute after learning the truth about X-23." Fury replied, hands clasped behind his back. "He called me the other night to inform me that he knew, was cutting off all contact with S.H.I.E.L.D. and threatened to unleash the masses upon me should I ever march on the Institute."

"You know I have things covered here." The agent responded. "There's no need t' do any marchin'."

Fury nodded. "I understand." He replied. "I would appreciate an explanation as to how he learned of X-23's abilities."

"She stumbled in. I had t' tell him. I'm very good with my cover. Sometimes it's necessary to sacrifice small pieces of information t' keep the much more important ones from suspicion."

"You have a point." Fury responded.

"'sides, I got ya the Hand file, didn't I? Got it off of Xavier's computer."

"Good work, work we appreciate. Good job."

The agent nodded on the other side of the audio line.

"What of our primary objective?" Fury asked, flipping open a file on his desk with one hand, looking at a picture of X-23.

"She's secure. Xavier had me tell 'er 'bout Wolverine, but I only told 'er what he knew, which, as you know, isn't very much."

"Has it compromised her?"

"No," The agent responded firmly. "She seems perfectly fine. Then again, she seems perfectly fine with everything…"

"Keep an eye on her. I put you in that position to keep her subdued, safe, and off of the path of her past."

"I understand, and I've done pretty well so far." The agent replied.

"Yes, you have. We have other problems. I was forced to inform Agent Wolverine about X-23. He's moved to another division of S.H.I.E.L.D."

"Which division?"

"S.T.R.I.K.E."

"I'm surprised he didn't come t' find his "daughter"."

"Yes, well, as you know, the Wolverine is not very fatherly."

"Agreed."

"Anything else to report?"

"No, sir."

"Good."

Fury moved to cut the transmission.

"Night Director Fury."

"Good Night Agent Rogue."

Fury cut the transmission.

X-Men: Standing Guard will Return Shortly

*The path of the righteous man… hee hee hee

**Stan St. and Lee Ave. If you don't get this one…