AN: Here we are, back again with the second episode of Season 2 of X-Men: Standing Guard. This is the first cross-over event this season with the new series Bishop. It's also the back-door pilot for Bishop. There's an interesting timeline going on here, so let me explain it. Immediately following the events of this episode, the series premiere of Bishop takes place. Afterwards, each X-Men episode will take place at the same time (roughly) as the same episode of Bishop. The two series will be synced and this synchronization will make much more sense further down the road. (NOTICE: Because of the lack of reviews, the Bishop story is no longer being published)
Now, this episode of X-Men is huge! We've got several new plotlines starting this episode, one of which will lead to the end the season. I've already written the final scene and know exactly where we end up this season. I'm introducing a new love interest, changing up some old ones, and am revealing something many of you don't seem to have picked up on by now about Rogue's past life. This episode isn't as long as the Season Premiere, only clocking in at 10,000 words, but trust me, it's plenty jam-packed.
I actually wrote almost the entire episode in one day, after I finished writing the Season Premiere. A lot of work goes into this series. I appreciate all of your support, but remember that reviews are the only way for me to know if my series are being enjoyed. Once again, I need fifty reviews by the Season Finale for the series to be renewed for its final season. Now, that seems a long way off, but keep in mind that there will only be thirteen episodes this season. That means roughly three reviews per episode will be needed to get the series renewed, and right now I only have one.
If you have been waiting for Kate Bishop to show up in full vigilante force, and were disappointed this episode, go check out the Series Premiere of Bishop which is live right now! Leave your support on that as well. For sneak peeks at future episodes and updates about progress, check out my profile and follow me on Twitter! Enjoy the episode!
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"Ouch!" Laura exclaimed.
"Suck it in." Rogue replied.
"I do not understand the point of this holiday." Laura replied, sucking in her breath to an impressive degree while Rogue adjusted the strap on her dress.
"It's just for fun." Rogue replied, gritting her teeth and trying to snap the dress onto Laura, but the clone let out a breathless, high-pitched cry and Rogue sighed, standing up. "Some'n didn' buy the right size."
"Sorry!" Amara exclaimed from behind the bathroom door. "She couldn't make up her mind on a costume, so I chose one for her. She was terrified someone would see her trying it on."
Rogue looked at Laura almost disappointed.
"What?" Laura asked.
Rogue sighed exasperated and waved her hands in the air, walking off.
"I still do not understand why I have to go." Laura replied. "My time would be much better spent studying or training here at the Institute."
"Because it's fun." Amara replied, walking out of the bathroom and pulling her hair into a bun while Laura stripped the tight costume off of her body and threw on a T-shirt and jeans. "And because it's a social thing."
"I do not wish to socialize."
"Who knows, X," Amara said deviously. "You might meet a boy."
Laura made a disgusted face and Rogue leaned her head out of the closet.
"I gotta vet him first."
"What? Rogue! She's sixteen!"
"Eight." Rogue corrected.
"Whatever!" Amara exclaimed. "It's not like she can't take care of herself!"
"Ain't the point." Rogue's muffled voice came from inside the closet. She straightened up. "What about Kitty's costume from last year? You said she was a cat?"
"Hell no." Laura said firmly, holding a finger in the air. "I would rather stay here."
"No." Rogue said firmly. "Yo're goin'."
"Rahne is staying here."
"That's diff'nt." Rogue responded, standing up and popping her neck.
"Yeah, she and Roberto are gonna—"
"Amara!" Rogue scolded harshly.
"What?" Amara demanded. "Everyone knows those two have a thing for each other! It's not a big secret!"
"Robbie's datin' Jubes, and Rahne ain't a home-wrecker."
"He's not married to her."
"Hey!" Bobby exclaimed, sticking his head in the door. "Thing starts in ten minutes. Hurry up!" he glanced at Laura. "Why aren't you wearing a costume?"
"The costume was too small." Laura replied. "Apparently I am being forced to attend this ridiculous festival."
"You don't let 'er leave one second early." Rogue ordered Bobby.
"Yes'm." Bobby saluted. He turned to Amara. "You look nice."
"Hnn…" she responded, not even glancing at him as she adjusted her hair in the mirror.
"Oh, come on, Amara!"
"Go away."
"Just look at me!"
"We're not doing this right now!"
"It was one kiss, it was an accident, I swear I won't do it again!"
"Sure," Amara snorted. "You run through girls like a cop runs through donuts."
"That's not fair!"
Laura growled and clutched her head. Bobby shut up and left the room.
"Rogue, Amara, Laura, Lorna, everyone downstairs now." Charles voice spoke into their minds like an echo in the wind.
-
The three girls descended the stairs, Lorna taking a short-cut and floating down into the main area. She was wearing a gypsy outfit, a white and light green shirt tied up under her breasts. Rogue suspected she was wearing a push-up bra. A long, thin, breezy dress of the same fabric covered her legs, parts of it see-through and cut-away to make the outfit that much more sensual. She had curves, no one could deny that. No one was used to seeing her body, as she was normally conservatively dressed. She had green gloves on her hands and a green, see-through mask that she pulled up over her face. Her hair flowed behind her in cascading waves of Greek fire.
Rahne was above, leaning over the railing, staring down at all of the action. She had cut her hair much shorter over the summer. It no longer had a pixie design, but was instead cut in almost a buzz-cut fashion, somehow standing straight up on her head and managing to be a decent length. She was wearing a black leather motorcycle jacket, a red tank-top and tight blue-jeans. She had gotten her ears pierced over the summer and had several ear-rings in each ear. She was definitely going for a more punkish look.
The source of all the commotion was one, tall Caucasian male in the doorway wearing a black suit and trench-coat. A gun was on his hip and a golden eagle on his right shoulder. An eyepatch covered his right eye, clashing sharply with his pale skin. He must have been near fifty, but the scowl on his scarred face showed he was still very dangerous.
"Fury?" Rogue exclaimed, eyeing him suspiciously as she descended the stairs. "The hell're you doin' here?"
"I came to ask a favor." Fury replied. "Of Ms. Pryde."
"Me?" Kitty exclaimed.
"Yo're outta fav'rs." Rogue exclaimed loudly and strongly. "Ever since ya lied 'bout X!" She pointed at the clone.
"Trust me, Ms. Pryde will want to listen to me this time." Fury replied.
Kitty glanced around and rolled her eyes. "Whatever," she waved, and began to follow Fury out of the doorway. This complicated things for Rogue.
"Wait!" she exclaimed. "I don' think it's wise for Kitty to go alone."
"Agreed," Charles said. "Rogue will accompany Kitty. I hope this is not a problem, Director?"
Fury glanced at Rogue and shook his head.
"Let's go."
-
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X-Men: Standing Guard
Season 2 Episode Two
"Young Avenger"
-
The S.H.I.E.L.D. Heli-Carrier bridge had changed much since the last time the X-Men had seen it. A hoop was strung on the door that beeped every time a person entered or left. Fury caught Kitty glancing at it.
"It reads a chip inside every member of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s body. If you don't have a chip, you're arrested." Fury explained gruffly.
"Why?" Kitty asked.
"T' protect against HYDRA." Rogue responded.
Kitty glanced at her, took the reason, and continued onto the bridge. Fury waved and dismissed most of the bridge staff, leaving only himself and a few technicians alongside Assistant Director Maria Hill. Fury typed a handful of commands into the computer and the shutters over the large floor-to-ceiling windows of the bridge closed with a click.
"We need you to go to New York City." Fury said.
"Why?" Kitty asked.
Holo-images of a purple hooded woman appeared in the middle of the bridge. She wore a dark purple full-body suit with lighter purple armor plates covering her arms, legs, and chest. She had white highlights throughout her suit. In every picture she was wielding a bow.
"There's a new player we've been tracking." Fury started as the images flickered from one to the next. "Vigilante. She's left dozens of bodies around the city; most of them are drug dealers, gangbangers...the misogynistic criminals would be luckier if she kills them. We've been calling her "Knightress"."
Kitty stared at the images. "And you need me..."
"To discover her identity."
Kitty laughed. "What is it with you people and your need to invade everyone's private life? No."
Kitty turned and started to walk off. Rogue glanced at Fury, knowing he still had something up his sleeve.
"We think she's Kate Bishop." Fury called.
Kitty stopped dead in her tracks and turned around. "Kate?"
"Yes, being the vigilante would require training, money for the equipment…and the people she's targeting may be a psychological response to her rape earlier this year." Fury replied.
"Just because something terrible happened to someone doesn't mean they become a vigilante." Kitty replied, folding her arms over her chest.
"Sure it does," Fury replied. "Iron Man was abducted, Bucky Barnes, Captain America, was abducted by the Soviets and used as a weapon, Black Widow…"
"Alright! Alright!" Kitty exclaimed, holding up her hands. "Jeez, you people...What do you want me to do?"
"Just investigate. See if you can gather some proof that your friend isn't the vigilante. If she is, we'll recruit her as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and offer her S.H.I.E.L.D. resources. If she isn't, we'll leave her alone."
Kitty narrowed her eyes. "Fine."
Fury nodded. "Good, I'll have a S.H.I.E.L.D. team—"
"No." Kitty replied. "No S.H.I.E.L.D., no X-Men."
"What about me?" Rogue asked.
Kitty glanced at her. "Alright, Rogue. At least I know I can trust you…"
Rogue smirked at Fury, folding her arms over her chest. Fury rolled his eyes and turned around, dismissing them with a wave of his hand.
-
"Nice costume, girlfriend!" someone exclaimed, latching themselves onto Lorna's arm.
"Hey, Valorie!" Lorna exclaimed, clutching the other girl's arm.
Valorie "Calorie" Cooper looked like a model. She had a perfect figure, perfect face, perfect hair, perfect eyes…in short she was perfect excepting her attitude. She was rather dim, shallow, and ditsy. She had taken an affection to Lorna and helped her mold to her new life at the school. They weren't really "friends", but all the girls followed Valorie, and Valorie followed Lorna, so it was a nice compromise.
The blonde-haired, blue-eyed teen was dressed in a rather slutty police officer outfit with a top that didn't cover much of her breasts and shorts so short, you could easily tell what color her underwear was from quite a distance away. She had completed the look with a police cap and fingerless gloves on each hand.
"Nice outfit to you, too." Lorna said, eyeing it carefully. "You ever thought of leaving more to the imagination?"
"What's the point of that?" Valorie demanded, tugging on Lorna's arm again. "After all, the guys love to look, so let 'em!"
Lorna sighed and rolled her eyes.
"Hey! Is that the Drake kid?" Valorie asked.
Lorna glanced at Bobby, sitting quietly on a bench eating cotton-candy. She squinted. "Yeah…it…it is." She muttered. "I've never seen him that quiet…or still…"
"You know he did the strangest thing yesterday." Valorie said.
"What'd he do?" Lorna asked, looking at Valorie in concern.
"I offered…" Valorie leaned up and whispered something in Lorna's ear. Lorna looked shocked.'
"Valorie!" she hissed.
The blonde giggled. "Well I did! You know what he said?"
"What?"
"No!"
Lorna glanced at her, then at Bobby, then twice more. "What?"
"I know, right! What guy wouldn't screw me? Besides, we all know how much he loves girls…"
"Yeah…" Lorna replied.
-
Lyla Miller stood next to Amara.
"What about those two?" Amara asked eagerly.
Lyla stared at them. "Guy's broke, but pickpocketed people to pay for his girlfriend's night out. His girlfriend is attracted to another guy, though."
"How do you know all of this?" Amara exclaimed. "You're like Sherlock Holmes or something!"
Lyla smiled. "She is staring at some dude on the other side of the field incessantly, he hasn't bought one thing for himself."
"Well how did you know he was a pickpocket?" Amara asked.
"Oh, he nicked your wallet a few minutes ago."
Amara felt in the folds of her jacket. "What the hell? Hey! You!"
Lyla smirked.
-
Kate Bishop sat upstairs in her bedroom, staring at the blank document on her computer. She was supposed to be writing an English report, but couldn't think of a single thing to write about. She hadn't read the book, The Scarlet Letter, the cliffnotes were in front of her. She didn't have time, not anymore. The walls of her room were pink and purple stripes, the floor a tan carpet, but it wasn't really visible. Medals and trophies cover the wall, a pile of stuffed animals sits in the corner.
"Kate! Someone's knocking for you!" her sister Susan called from downstairs. "Probably that America chick again!"
Kate sat up straight. Hanging with America was a much better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than writing a college paper. Besides, she may have news. Kate darted downstairs, her purple tee loose and having to tug her close-cropped shorts down. Her jet-black hair flowed behind her and her blue eyes sparkled in the city-lights streaming through the large floor-to-ceiling window in the living room. Kate rushed to the door of her apartment, noting to her sister they need a butler.
"Sure, maybe a BatCave while we're at it." Susan muttered.
Kate stopped for a moment, but waved it off, and opened the door.
"Kitty?" she asked. "What are you doing here?"
Kitty embraced the dark-haired girl. "I was in the neighborhood and though I'd stop by. How are you?"
"I'm fine," Kate replied. "Give or take an English report."
Kitty laughed.
"We're not cooling the entire apartment complex!" Susan called from the kitchen.
Kate rolled her eyes. "Grumpy-ass sister." She muttered.
Kitty giggled and Kate gestured for her to come inside.
"So, we aren't going to spend the day working on an English report are we?" Kitty asked loudly.
"I don't have a choice!" Kate replied loudly.
"Oh shut up! No one believes you!" Susan shouted from the kitchen.
The two girls giggled and darted up the modern, metallic stairs to Kate's bedroom.
-
Rogue shut off the ear-comm, biting and clenching back tears so hard her palm and lips bled. She twirled in the alleyway trying her hardest not to cry. She gasped for air and broke, tears streaming from her eyes and sobs racking her body. She slammed her fist into the wall, blood dripping from her palm and now from her knuckles. She took a loud, deep, shaky breath and twirled, pushing her skull against the white brick wall.
She couldn't stand it sometimes. The pain from what she had done, the guilt of the things she had done, the fear of what she would have to do, the pressure from her current job, the responsibility placed on her shoulders. She slouched beneath it all. She couldn't take it. She needed to hit something. She gasped, standing up, and saw the wall. She turned and hit it.
Kitty.
She swung her right fist, clenching her white teeth.
McKenna.
Rogue kicked the wall so hard she was sure she broke a toe.
Laura.
Rogue growled and hit the wall again, blood spraying from her fist onto the white wall.
Fury.
She felt her knuckle break beneath the strength of her throw and the stiffness and unmovable power of the wall.
Secrets.
Rogue slammed her left fist, still cringing when she moved her right fist.
Lies.
Left fist again. Someone at the end of the alleyway stopped and stared at her. Rogue glared at them, breathing heavily, specks of blood on her face, blowing a strand of the white streak in her hair to the side. The civilian ran.
Deceit.
Rogue slammed her right fist into the wall again and her anger continued to build. The wall turned red in her vision and in reality as more blood sprayed from her onto the wall.
Can't touch…
Rogue yelled and slammed her head into the wall, stumbling back. She gasped and grasped the cut with her bloody right hand. She kicked the wall over and over. It wasn't fair she couldn't touch. She deserved it, she knew, but God why did it have to be her?
Gambit.
He had tried to stand by her, but after a few more incidents of draining, she had sent him away. She couldn't be around the man she loved most in the world. Why her?
Why?
She hit the wall with both fists and pulled back, cringing in pain.
Why?
Rogue slammed her left fist into the wall, then her wounded right one. Left, right, left right, like pistons on an assembly line she slammed the wall over and over again. There was a large spew of blood on the white bricks of the alley wall, and a pool dripping from her hands onto the dark pavement.
Why her?
Rogue knew the answer and increased the frequency of her punches.
Can't love.
Rogue cried out in both physical and mental pain as she hit a delicate nerve in both her mind and body. She gasped as she sobbed more. She glanced up at the fire escape. Fifteen stories? Should do the job…
Rogue grabbed the floor of the fire escape and flipped up onto the landing.
Can't touch.
Rogue climbed, breathing hard as she did so, one foot on a ladder rung, then the next. Higher and higher she climbed.
Can't love.
She was five stories up, blood continuing to drip from her hands. Some was flowing over her cracked lips and down to her chin, dripping onto her shirt.
Can't touch.
Higher.
Can't love.
Rogue gasped in pain as a stitch opened up in her side, fire igniting within her.
Can't touch.
Rogue hauled herself onto the roof and stumbled across the gravel, slipping and falling, scraping her exposed skin and getting dirt in the cut on her forehead. She bit the cut on her lip to conquer one pain by giving it another one to focus on.
Can't love.
Rogue hauled herself to the edge of the roof, breathing heavily. She clenched her broken fist to the stitch on her side. Dirt, gravel, grime, blood flowed down her face. Her yellow and green suit was dirty from the gravel, small specks of blood on it.
Can't touch.
Rogue eyed the ground at least eighty feet away. One step, kersplat! The world was rid of a problem.
Can't—
"Can't love." She gasped and sat down on the roof, sobbing, crying; the tears flowing from her eyes over her cuts onto her suit and body. She sobbed uncontrollably. She cried for a good thirty minutes before taking a deep, shaky breath and rubbing her eyes clean. She climbed the fire-escape down again, slower this time. She made her way to her car and pulled some wipes from the glove compartment. She rubbed them over her face and suit, cleaning herself. She patched up the cut on her forehead; that would be hard to explain. Rogue put a bandage on it and pulled the hair over her forehead, hiding it as best she could. She wrapped her fists in some bandages and covered the knuckles with black tape, sliding her gloves on with a cringe and sighed, eyeing herself in the mirror. No one would notice.
-
"Who's that?"
"Oh, I'd stay away from her if I were you man."
"Why?"
"Haven't you heard the stories of the tiger lady?"
"Who?"
"Laura Kinney, that girl you got the hots for? Every guy who's tried to get close to her has ended up with dislocated shoulders, broken fingers…she doesn't like guys, despite how much the guys like her."
"Laura Kinney? That's a nice name."
"Don't you dare."
"I think I'll give it a try."
"Dumb-ass."
The boy laughed, brushed his long dark hair behind his ear and walked towards the dark-haired girl in a T-shirt.
"Hi," he greeted.
Laura turned around from watching a hay-ride.
"Hello." She returned politely, but coldly, and turned back to watching the hay-ride.
He paused. This wasn't the reaction he'd been expecting. "Laura, right?"
Laura turned and stared at him intently, as if trying to scan his brain for anomalies.
"I'm Julian. Julian Keller." He greeted. His green eyes twinkled as he extended a hand.
Laura stared at his hand, trying to decide whether to remove it or not, then shook it.
"Nice to meet you."
"So do you have a date to this fun-fest or could you give this charming young man the honor of escorting you around?"
Laura smiled softly, distracted for a moment, then closed her eyes and looked down. "Sorry, I am not looking for companionship."
"I doubt it, beautiful girl such as yourself, I'm sure you got some lucky guy draped across your arm, doing whatever you want."
Laura blushed, she didn't know why. She hated it. She was exposing her inner emotions. She struggled to collect herself.
"Flattery will not get you anywhere with me." She smirked. Why did she smirk?
"Well, how about a showcase of my skills?" Julian asked. "Let me win you something at a carnival game and we can go from there."
He was very confident, and kind of cute. Laura had to admit it. She opened her mouth to decline his offer, but instead heard herself say "Sure."
Julian grinned and offered her his arm. She had half a mind to extend her claws and cut it clean off, but she found herself taking it. It was like her body was reacting before her mind! She had to get control over herself!
-
"You sure you put the tracker on her?" Rogue asked. "These're awful erratic movements."
"Well if she's a vigilante like Fury thinks, then they make more sense." Kitty replied, leaning over and glancing at the computer read-out.
Rogue brushed a strand of her white hair out of her face and Kitty glanced at it. Rogue cursed herself.
"Rogue! Your forehead!"
"I know," the Belle muttered and tightened her grip on the steering wheel.
"What happened?"
"Tripped and fell." Rogue muttered.
"Are you alright? I mean you might need to get it checked out or—"
"I'm fine." Rogue whispered silently.
The night sky was dark, the moon shining down on the two girls. Rogue's red convertible was parked in an alleyway, hidden by the shadows of the building. She and Kitty were in their X-Men uniforms watching a scanner. The scanner updated every five seconds with another 'bleep!' showing the location of the tracker Kitty had placed on Kate when she had gone to visit her. Kitty had told Rogue she was fairly sure Kate was the vigilante, but didn't want the information getting to Fury's hands. Rogue had nodded silently.
The two girls sat in silence for a minute before Kitty spoke up.
"Are you alright?"
"What?" Rogue asked. "I'm fine, it's just a cut."
"No," Kitty said softly, "not the cut, you."
Rogue raised an eyebrow.
"You seem really depressed recently. Did something happen?"
"Other than not bein' able to touch anyone, no, not really." Rogue replied bitterly, gripping the steering wheel ever-tighter.
"Well maybe not now, but in the past?"
Rogue stared at her. What the hell was she talking about?
"Well, you never talk about your past, which I totally get, it must have been a nightmare working for Trask, forced to hunt down your own kind…"
"So?" Rogue asked.
"So," Kitty said, taking a deep breath. "So, people who've experienced something really horrible often get really depressed every year about the time whatever it was happened." Kitty dipped, trying to look into Rogue's emerald eyes. "Did something happen to you?"
"Not to me…" Rogue muttered. She realized what she had said and straightened up. "She's on the move again."
Kitty sighed and buckled her seat-belt as Rogue cranked up her car and turned, following the signal down the road.
-
The purple-hooded vigilante drove through the large door into the sub-level of a Bishop Publishing warehouse. She got off of her purple motorcycle and picked up her bow, crossing the room and placing it and her quiver in the glass display case. There was a girl at the computers. She was of Hispanic descent, with creamy brown skin, dark hair and dark eyes. She glanced up as the purple-clad girl pulled her hood down and shook her jet-black hair free. She pulled off her sunglasses, exposing the true-blue eyes belonging to Kate Bishop.
"How'd it go?" the girl at the computers asked.
"Fine, I didn't get any more leads tonight." Kate replied. "How'd things go for you, America?"
"Nothing still, sorry." The Hispanic apologized.
Kate sighed and picked up her bow. "I'm gonna do a few rounds and go home, see if I can't get that report done. It's due this week."
America nodded and turned back to the computers. Kate picked up her bow and quiver, walking across the long narrow room and taking up position to fire her bow. She fired off two arrows when her phone rang. She glanced at it. It was Kitty. She forwarded it to her Bluetooth.
"Hey, Kitty!" she greeted, notching another arrow.
"Hey, Kate." The voice replied. "What's up?"
There seemed to be a bit of echo on the line. "Nothing much, what about you?" Kate lied.
"Just watching you shoot bullseyes." Kitty responded.
Kate froze, releasing her arrow on accident, and it impaled itself into the wall. She turned around to see Kitty, in full X-Men uniform, leaning against a pillar.
"Kitty?" Kate exclaimed. America turned and let out a small squeal when she saw Kitty standing there. "What-?"
"I followed you." Kitty replied.
"How'd you get in?" Kate asked.
"Phased," Kitty replied. "I brought a guest, too. Don't worry, you can trust her. Rogue!"
For a moment nothing happened. Then a green leg extended itself from the darkness and Rogue stepped out of the shadows almost guiltily, staring at the floor.
America gasped.
Kate saw the white in her hair and her vision turned red. She snarled and leapt.
"Son of a—bitch!" she exclaimed, pinning Rogue to the wall with her arm around her throat.
"Whoah! Whoah!" Kitty exclaimed. "Kate!"
"She did it!" Kate snarled. "She's the one who abducted me! The girl with the white hair!"
Rogue had remained calmly pinned against the pillar, Kate's arm pressing into her throat. Kitty knew something was up, because Rogue could have easily gotten out of that position if she had wanted.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Kitty demanded.
"In Africa! Before I was knocked out, I saw her! The girl with the white hair! She's the one who abducted me and my mother!" Kate hissed and pressed her arm further into Rogue's neck. "Where my mother died!"
Realization washed over Kate. She turned sharply to Kitty. "What the hell, Kitty! You're the one who brought her here!"
"Whoah! Whoah!" Kitty exclaimed. "I've still got no idea what's going on here. Why don't you get off Rogue and let's see if she can explain."
Kate hesitated, then pushed off of Rogue's throat and stood a short distance away. Rogue adjusted the collar of her jacket and uniform.
"I did do that." Rogue whispered.
Kate went to leap at her again, but America grabbed her arms and held her back.
"I used t' work for the Sentinel Project, a gover'nt division that hunted down mutants."
"I know what it is." Kate spat. "Am I supposed to feel sorry for you?"
"Kate!" Kitty exclaimed.
Rogue waved Kitty down. "They had me do other jobs as well, jobs like abduction." Rogue looked Kate dead in the eyes and showed true remorse. "Jobs like you an' yo'r mother."
Kate growled.
"I didn' know what was gonna happen to y'all. If I had, I woulda done my best t' stop it." Rogue said. "I'm truly sorry."
"That's why you didn't want to see her in the hospital." Kitty said.
Rogue nodded.
Kate was breathing heavily in anger, but America felt confident she could let her go.
"So what are you doing here, Kitty?" Kate asked, making sure to exclude Rogue from the picture. The belle sighed and leaned against the pillar.
"S.H.I.E.L.D.'s catching on to you," Kitty replied. "They sent me here to see if you were the vigilante or not, then tell them."
"But you aren't going to." Kate said. "Otherwise why would you be telling me this?"
Kitty smiled. "We need to make it impossible for you to be the vigilante."
"Well how do we do that?" America asked.
Silence, then Rogue spoke up.
"Have'm in the same place at the same time."
The girls stared at her.
-
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An Exclusive Look at next week's episode of X-Men: Standing Guard, the first in a two-part game changing event!
-
Ms. Marvel arrival
Don't Miss the Series Premiere of Bishop, live now!
-
"You realize that these games are rigged?" Laura asked Julian as he led her to a stand.
Julian grinned and winked. It made Laura feel warm inside for some reason. She smiled at him.
"So what do you want?" he asked.
"Pardon?" Laura replied. It was something she had picked up from Rogue.
"Prize!" Julian pointed to a row of stuffed animals. "Which one do you want?"
Laura glanced at them. She had no clue which one to choose. It took her approzimately ten seconds, but she finally chose a large purple teddy bear that was the size of her torso.
"Good luck," the stall owner chuckled. Julian tossed the man a five dollar bill and he moved to the side, still chuckling. He was large and wearing a white shirt with jeans. He was grossly obese, and practically bald except for a few white hairs that popped out of his thin beard and even thinner hair.
Julian picked up a baseball and threw it. He missed the can by a fraction of an inch. He picked up the second ball and threw it, this time it shook the can, but didn't knock it over. Laura glanced at him eagerly and Julian at her. He tossed the third ball and it pinged off of the can.
"Hey! Cheat!" Julian exclaimed.
The stall owner cackled. "Guess you aren't as strong as you think, kid."
The stall owner bent over to pick up Jullian's balls and Julian turned to Laura with a devilish look in his eye. He winked at her again and Laura tilted her head, an amused smile on her face. What was he up to?
Julian leaned over the counter and yanked something. The can tipped over. The stall owner stood straight up, but by then Julian was back to leaning on the counter, an amused and triumphant smile on his face.
"Hey! What the hell, kid?"
"You said knock the can over. I did." Julian said.
"You can't knock the can over, moron. It only tips over if—" the owner stopped himself. Julian raised an eyebrow. The stall owner fumed, snatched the purple bear off of the shelf and told them to scram. The two darted away, laughing.
"See? Told you." Julian said.
Laura smiled. "You knew he was cheating you!"
"Of course!" Julian replied. "They all cheat. It doesn't hurt for them to lose one teddy bear." He handed it to Laura. "A token of my affection."
Laura smiled and accepted it with a blush.
"So?" Julian asked after a few seconds of silence.
Laura glanced at him, still cuddling her bear.
"You want some cotton candy?"
-
"Kate Bishop was originally going to play sick tonight and have the Knightress come in and confront Ian Quinn." Kate said. "But if Kate is at the ball when the vigilante is there…"
"Do you know how annoying it is when you refer to yourself in the third person?" America asked.
Kate smirked.
"Now, here's a question:" America said. "Who the hell plays Knightress?"
Kate glanced at Kitty who shook her head. "Sorry, no can do. I doubt I could pick up the bow properly."
Kate glanced at America, who shook her head as well. "Nope, nope, and nope."
Silence filled the Factory for a moment, then Kitty spoke up. "You might not like it, but Rogue is the best person to fill your boots…literally."
"No." Kate said flatly.
"Kate, she's about your height, your build, and has some bad-ass skills. I've seen them myself."
"I can handle a bow." Rogue confirmed.
"We'll see." Kate replied.
Rogue turned, walked across the room, picked up Kate's bow, notched an arrow, and let it fly. She knocked the pen out of America's hand and pinned it to the wall.
"Holy shit!" America exclaimed. "Holy shit! Holy shit! Holy shit!"
Kate glared and finally rolled her eyes. "Fine, you can shoot."
"Kate, I know you don't like it, but it's the only way." Kitty replied. "Trust her. I do."
Kate stared at Kitty for a moment, studying her. She finally sighed. "Fine."
Rogue nodded and placed the bow back up when she froze. "Who am I going after again?"
"Ian Quinn. He deals in pretty much everything that's illegal." America summarized.
"Shit." Rogue cursed.
"What?" Kate asked.
"I-I've, umm, I've heard of him. He's dangerous."
"What? You can only go after little girls and their mothers?" Kate demanded.
"Kate!" Kitty scolded.
"No, I-I-Kitty, I want you to stay here."
"What?" Kitty asked. She had never seen Rogue like this before.
"I'll see if I can explain later, but promise me you won't go tonight."
Kitty stared at her dumbfounded. "Uh, sure, I guess?"
Rogue nodded. "Alright, I've got to make a phone call."
Rogue stepped outside and Kate turned to Kitty.
"You're totally coming."
"Aw hell yeah."
Rogue paced outside, holding the phone up to her ear.
"Come on, come on, pick up, McKenna, pick up!"
"I'm sorry, the number you have dialed does not have a voice mail box set up. Please leave—"
Rogue cursed.
-
"It's beautiful, I'n' it?" Rahne asked, leaning against the railing of Roberto's balcony.
"Yes," he whispered, his eyes only on her. "Very,"
Rahne glanced at him and blushed, looking at the ground. "I was talkin' 'bout the moon ye fool."
"And I was talking about you," Roberto replied, brushing his hand against her cheek. She closed her eyes and leaned into it. He cupped it, placing a finger under her chin and leading her mouth to his…
"No," she replied. "No, ye're datin' Jubilee, an' ye shouldn' cheat on 'er."
"You're the one I care for." He whispered, not removing his hand from her soft face.
Rahne took a deep breath. "Go separate y'self from Jubes, then come back up here and I'll give ye a big wet 'un."
Roberto eyed her. "Consider it done."
-
Rogue tugged at the purple fabric and pushed a few of the lighter purple arm-plates around. She scratched her hair through her hood, a white-streak falling into her eyes.
"Fuckin' worthless piece uh crap." She muttered.
"I think you look good in it." A new voice replied.
"McKenna!" Rogue hissed, pushing up her hood to get a better glimpse at the brunette.
The two friends were crouched on the roof of the Moira McTaggert Memorial Ballroom. The large oval room was roughly thirty feet below them and covered in a rich gold and red carpet. The walls were a creamy tan color with ornate paintings and decorations populating the area. Some were paintings, others were portraits, a few were photographs. The ceiling was a glass oval dome with three chandeliers hanging from them. Rogue and McKenna were crouched to the side, hidden in the shadows were no one could see them.
There were a little over a hundred people in the ballroom. Most were women, with groups of men spotted throughout. The men wore tuxes and the women wore such a wide variety of dress styles and colors that Rogue knew there would be no problem losing a target in the room.
There she went again, referring to people as "targets".
"So what are you doing up here in that sexy piece of purple?" McKenna asked, running a finger down Rogue's purple arm. She shivered slightly, chill-bumps running up and down her spine.
"See the black-haired girl in the white dress with purple outlines?" Rogue asked.
"Yep."
"That's Kate Bishop. She's supposed t' be wearing this tonight, but S.H.I.E.L.D. suspects her, so she hopes to disprove 'em tonight by having me drop in an' kick some ass."
"Ah," McKenna smiled. "One fine ass kicking another."
"Stop it already!" Rogue exclaimed.
"Stop what?" McKenna asked innocently.
"Stop flirtin'!"
"Who, me?" McKenna asked sweetly. "I'm not flirt—" she turned to Rogue harshly and quickly. "What the hell, Rogue?"
"What?" Rogue asked.
McKenna grabbed her head and directed it to the party below, pointing to a brown-haired girl in a golden, strapless dress.
"What the hell is my sister doing here?"
Rogue growled and pulled out her phone. "Never listens, stubborn li'l ass…" Below Kitty answered her phone. "Kitty! What the hell!"
"What?" Kitty asked innocently.
"Oh don't you pull 'at bullshit! I told ya t' stay at the Factory!"
"Well Kate invited me and I didn't see the harm."
Rogue growled and hung up. "Kate's her friend." She explained to McKenna. "When I heard we were comin' here tonight, I told her to stay there. Shoulda known she wouldn' listen!"
McKenna cursed. "Well tonight's my last chance to confront Quinn. The second I'm done with this mission, I've got to go to Latveria."
Rogue sighed. "Well what're we gonna do?"
McKenna thought for a minute, then she grinned. "I am supposed to intimidate Quinn…"
"Battle Royale?" Rogue asked with a grin.
"Just like Hong Kong." McKenna replied.
"Well, not exactly…"
McKenna laughed, clear and loud, sharp and crisp. Rogue missed it. "How long will it take ya t' change?"
"Give me five." McKenna replied. She stood up and moved away a few feet, opening her purse. She dropped her dress to the ground, leaving her in a bra and panties. Rogue stared at her as she undressed, then zipped her tight leather pants up, fastened her leather top on, attached her hood, pulled her mask up, and retrieved her bow.
"Now that's more like Hong Kong." McKenna grinned.
"You look good, too." Rogue complimented her, rather dryly however.
McKenna smiled. "Thank you."
Quinn had dimmed the lights and moved on-stage, the spotlight shining down on him. Rogue and McKenna moved to a better position for battle. The billionaire was dressed in a tan suit, with a loose dress shirt underneath. He seemed casual. He was handsome, wealthy, and as he spoke, Rogue discovered he was charming. He was also a human trafficker, arms dealer, terrorist, and funder of international chaos.
"After you." Rogue smirked. McKenna grinned, kicked out a skylight and dropped in. Everyone looked up in shock as McKenna dropped in, her hood low and her mask high. Her eyes were barely visible. Kate and Kitty were in the back of the room, so there was no way Kitty would recognize her sister. McKenna took out security first, kicking one guard in the stomach and driving arrows into two other's shoulders. She turned and punched the fourth guard. She approached Quinn, who was backing up desperately.
"Mr. Quinn!" McKenna shouted. The microphone picked up her voice and carried it around the room. "Mr. Quinn!"
Rogue took this opportunity and jumped in as well. She stood up and aimed an arrow at Quinn. "You have failed this city!" She turned the arrow at McKenna and fired. The assassin darted to the side and fired her own arrows. Rogue moved to the side and the arrow struck an elderly woman in the shoulder. Rogue cursed and ran up on stage, firing arrows to keep McKenna busy. She had forgotten how good McKenna truly was, though. McKenna returned fire, nicking one of her armor plates.
"Rogue!" Kitty exclaimed through her ear-piece. Rogue tapped her ear and leapt up the stairs, kicking off the wall, landing on the lectern and jumping straight up, firing three arrows at once. One hit McKenna's hood and nearly took it off. McKenna spun away from the crowd, though, and fixed it. Rogue was already on her however, throwing soft punches and gentle kicks.
"Hurt me." McKenna whispered. "Harder!"
Rogue threw real punches, unleashing her true martial arts and powerful body upon McKenna. McKenna had trained Rogue though, and knew all of her moves. McKenna blocked them, jabbing in counter-strikes. Rogue moved her body as if it were liquid, avoiding the blows McKenna threw at her. McKenna had been her teacher and Rogue knew all of her moves.
"Do you see the way they're fighting?" Kate asked Kitty. "It's like they know each other's moves!"
"That's impossible." Kitty replied. "Rogue worked with the government, not assassins. The girl must be a mutant."
"With what, anti-Rogue powers? No, they've trained before. Trust me, I know."
Rogue ducked behind the stage, pulling the lectern down and nearly hitting McKenna. The assassin stumbled back and Rogue leapt, swinging her bow. The two girls dueled, slapping bow-sticks with each other. McKenna grinned beneath her mask and Rogue did as well. McKenna was near a wall. She jumped, kicked upwards off the wall and landed behind Rogue, hitting her in the back. Rogue cringed and turned, swiping at McKenna's legs. The assassin jumped over it and the two clashed bows, pushing as hard as they could until their weapons were at the breaking point.
"Grand finale?" McKenna asked.
Rogue grinned, kicking McKenna away. The assassin stumbled, fell backwards, and tumbled a little longer than she should have, standing up. Rogue already had an arrow notched at her.
"Surrender!" she shouted, the voice changer making her voice deeper.
McKenna smirked and notched her own arrow. She blinked once, twice, three times…
The two girls let their arrows fly and they cut the other arrows in half.
"Whoah." Kate whispered.
"You have your warning." McKenna growled at Quinn, pulled an arrow out of her quiver, and fired it at the roof, grappling out. Rogue turned to Quinn.
"Are you alright?"
"Yes, yes I think so." Quinn replied.
"Good, then this will hurt a little bit worse." Rogue notched an arrow and shot it through his shoulder before following McKenna's example and retreating to the roof. Police screeched up outside and a white-haired captain ran through the room.
"NYPD Captain George Stacy! Where's the vigilante?"
Most of the guests pointed to the roof. Stacy cursed.
"This is Delta Charlie Fifty-two to central, we need paramedics, we have wounded." He shouted into his shoulder radio.
-
Fright Night was pretty much over. Most of the kids had gone home, the stalls were closing up, and the lights were flickering off. Laura and Julian were walking away, bumping shoulders and elbows. Laura had maintained a tight grip on her large purple teddy bear and was still eating the remainder of her third box of pink cotton candy. Julian had a bag of popcorn, mostly devoured, in his right hand, his left he kept near Laura, brushing his fingers against the back of her palm.
The two walked to the edge of the camp, far away from the entrance where none of the other mutants would see them, and stood staring at each other.
"It was nice to meet you, Laura." Julian said.
"It was nice to meet you as well, Julian Keller." Laura replied with a kind, soft, gentle smile. "Thank you for the candy and teddy bear."
Julian smiled. "No problem."
The two stared at each other. Julian rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Well, it's kind of late. I'm sure you have to get home…I have to get home too…"
Laura nodded, suddenly it was hard to breathe, hard to swallow. The cotton candy stuck to the roof of her mouth and her hands felt sweaty. "I will…see you at school?"
"Yeah," Julian replied. "Yeah, sure."
Laura smiled and nodded, brushing a strand of her brown hair behind her and beginning to walk off. She had gotten about ten feet when Julian called "Laura!" The clone stopped and turned. Julian ran up to her with a pen. He opened her palm and jotted seven digits down. "That's my number. Call me maybe?"
Somewhere, one of Amara's songs popped into Laura's head.
"Yeah, sure." Laura breathed. She felt like she was hyperventilating, but in a good way. She liked it. She smiled and nodded at Julian. Julian turned and ran off. Laura took a deep breath, smiled widely, closed her fist around the teddy bear, and skipped towards the main gate.
No one noticed her cheery mood, fortunately. They were all too busy with their own lives. Lyla and Amara were giggling over a roll of ones that Laura suspected were other people's. Bobby trudged along and Lorna glanced after him worringly.
Laura calmed down and returned to her normal, brooding self, but it took some effort.
-
"That fight wasn't real." That was the sentence Kate opened with when the four girls returned to the Factory.
"Maybe you just don't know what a real fight is." Rogue returned, her potty mouth reacting before her brain thought it through.
Kate glared. "My uniform. Now."
Rogue tossed her the purple pack of clothing. "Here. It's itchy."
Kate rolled her eyes and turned to Kitty. "Thanks for coming tonight, and thanks for warning me about S.H.I.E.L.D."
"Thanks," Kitty replied. "But Rogue was the one who risked getting caught for you."
"One good deed doesn't erase what you did to me and my mother." Kate said lowly, glaring at Rogue.
The red-head nodded. "I understand."
"No, Rogue! Kate! Apologize!"
"No, Kitty," Rogue responded. "She doesn't have to."
"Yo, Kate!" America exclaimed. "That new drug we've been tracking? A wall-street broker just arranged a meeting with some thugs to buy some. Get dressed."
"Sorry, Kitty, but it seems I'm late for a business meeting."
Kitty smiled. "Good night, Kate Bishop."
"See you around, Kitty Pryde."
Kitty and Rogue left.
"You know, you could've been nicer." America said, turning in her chair. Kate didn't see her eyes on her bare back.
"Would you be nice to the man who killed your family?"
"That's different!" America exclaimed.
"What if it isn't?" Kate asked, pulling the uniform top over her head.
-
"You know, I think there was something off tonight." Kitty said as she and Rogue crossed the street to Rogue's car.
Rogue raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
"Yeah," Kitty replied. "That assassin…"
Rogue stumbled a little, caught off-guard. "What about 'er?"
"I don't know. For some reason, she seemed familiar." Kitty replied, distantly.
Rogue paused. She had to be very careful here. "Like…an old enemy?"
"No, not like that…" Kitty replied. She thought for a minute as she and Rogue climbed into the car. "Ah well, it's not important."
Rogue nodded and cranked the car. Kitty sighed and leaned her seat back. "Well, I'll text Fury from the Dark Room tonight and tell him he can rest assured Kate Bishop is not the Knightress."
Rogue nodded. She wanted to talk more with Kitty, but her words were stuck in her throat. She was terrified if she opened her mouth again, secrets would spew forth.
-
"What the hell?" Jubilee exclaimed, throwing a punch at her now ex-boyfriend. Roberto dodged to the side and raised his hands in surrender.
"Just listen, Jubes!"
"Just listen?" she exclaimed. "Just listen?" Jubilee shot a wave of light energy at Roberto and hit him dead in the stomach, throwing him across the room. She stared at her hands in amazement, then turned back to Roberto, determined to test the limits of her newfound power.
"Whoa! Whoa!" Roberto exclaimed. "Just hold on!"
Jubilee swung wildly at his face, charging her swings with her new power. Roberto was having trouble avoiding his ex-girlfriend's violent and erratic swings. She may have been angry and not thinking straight, but she was still dangerous.
"What's going on?" Bobby asked, walking up and glancing in the Danger Room.
"Jubes and Roberto are breaking up." Lorna replied.
"She catch him cheating?" Bobby asked.
"Takes one to know one." Amara scowled. Bobby glared at her.
"No, he broke up with her. At least, that's what I can gather." Lorna replied. "We really shouldn't be watching…"
"Ah, screw it." Bobby replied, leaning forward. "Anyone wanna place bets?"
Lyla tossed a ten to Bobby. "Ten on Jubes."
"Shouldn't gamble." Amara replied, but tossed in a ten and repeated what Lyla said.
Lorna watched carefully.
"What? Not going to bet, Esmeralda?" Bobby asked teasingly.
"Five bucks says someone comes in and breaks it up in the next thirty seconds."
"Yeah right!" Amara exclaimed. Lyla agreed. Bobby raised an eyebrow at Lorna. She knew something.
"Twenty to agree with Lorna." He said.
At that precise moment, Wolverine and Storm darted into the Danger Room and broke up the fight. Most of the X-Men booed. Lorna turned around with a smirk. "Pay the lady!"
-
Rogue pulled up to the gate and waited for the camera to scan her face. The gates swung open and the two girls drove into the Xavier Institute.
"Is this what you were sulky about in the car, Rogue?" Kitty asked suddenly. The two girls hadn't spoken a word on the way home, and Kitty had been building up the nerve to ask.
Rogue didn't reply for a moment. She just sat there, driving slowly towards the mansion. "No," she replied. "No, that ain't it."
Kitty looked at her softly, compassionately. "Then what is it?"
Rogue wanted so much to explain everything to Kitty right then and there. S.H.I.E.L.D., McKenna, Kate, Laura, all of it. There was so much to explain, so little time, and both Fury and McKenna would be pissed with her, so Rogue kept quiet.
"It's nothin'." She whispered.
Before Kitty could respond, the door to the garage opened up and Rogue drove her car inside, the door closing behind them. Rogue just sat, her hands on the steering wheel for a moment. After two minutes of sitting in silence, she finally turned to Kitty. "There is so much I want to tell you, and most of it I can't. I promise I will be as truthful as I can with you, Kitty, but you have to trust that everything I do is for your safety and the safety of everyone here."
Kitty stared at her as if she had grown a third eyeball. What the hell was she talking about?
Kitty nodded. "Yeah, sure."
-
Laura had thrown away the cotton candy on the way home, washed her hands, and cleaned up quickly. Amara always let Laura clean up first because she knew Laura liked quick, cold showers and was very strict. Laura exited the bathroom in a bath-robe. She had a hand-towel in her hand, drying her hair with that. Amara glanced up at her from behind the magazine she was reading, and hopped off of her bed, grabbing a towel and a pair of clothes on her way to the bathroom.
"Nice bear, by the way." She called as she passed Laura on the way to the bathroom. "Where'd you get it?"
Laura froze up for a moment before calmly and coolly replying "Carnival Game."
Amara nodded and closed the bathroom door behind her. Laura walked over to her bed and got dressed quickly, sliding on a pair of panties and green close-cropped shorts. As she pulled the black tank-top over her head she wondered what Julian was wearing tonight. She had no idea why the idea popped in her head, but it did. She imagined him taking his shirt off…he had to look spectacular under-neath…
Laura shook her head. She shouldn't think about that right now. It was time for sleep.
Sleep.
Laura had been rubbing the teddy bear while thinking of Julian. She looked at it and took a deep sniff. Through all of the other smells, the cotton, the plastic, the chemicals, and even herself, she could still smell him. He smelled sweet, like candy, sweat, and a little bit of soap.
Laura placed the bear on the ground partially under her bed. She knew when she went to sleep she would dream. She knew when she dreamed she would wake up with her claws out. She didn't want to shred Jullian's teddy bear.
The number Julian had written on her hand had washed off, but Laura had already memorized it. She would have to stop by a store on the way to school tomorrow and pick up a cell-phone.
Laura slid her legs beneath the blankets, flicked off her light, and lay her head on her soft pillow. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
-
She wasn't in the maze anymore. She had already proven she was a killer, that she could handle herself. Several more sessions like the previous one and she was no longer weak. Now she was moving to stealth tactics. Several HYDRA soldiers were on break in the bio-room. She had been shown three to kill. She had to do it without anyone noticing. Failure meant punishment.
Since the Weapon X facility was located underground, HYDRA soldiers couldn't go above ground to relax, so there were large rooms with plants and trees spotted throughout the facility for the soldiers to take breaks. The light on the ceiling even imitated the sun's position at that time during the day.
X-23 crawled through the trees. The leaves barely whispered as she slid from limb to limb like a snake, silent as a cat, dangerous as Damocles' sword.
The assassin spotted her first target. He was sitting on a bench in the corner reading a newspaper. He was the first HYDRA agent X-23 had seen without his mask on. He had short brown hair and brown eyes. He had a square jaw and a sharp nose. He seemed very interested in one article, scanning it with his eyes acutely. Laura moved above him and glanced around. No one was looking, no one was nearby. This would be easy…
"Laura!"
The clone woke up suddenly, feeling someone shaking her. Her claws were out.
"Whoa! It's just me!" Amara exclaimed.
"What?" Laura asked. "What is it?"
"Easy there, tiger." Amara replied. Her face was grim, even if she was trying to crack jokes with the clone. "The Professor's called us all downstairs. Priority One. Didn't you hear the telepathic message?"
Laura touched her head. "No…no I did not."
"Well get dressed and come on."
-
The room was dark, the only light coming from the moon shining through the thin white curtains hanging over the windows looking out into the backyard of the Xavier Institute. The windows were closed, but a cool breeze still washed over the two lovers. The sheets were tangled through legs and bodies, Rahne held close to Roberto with his strong arm.
'Everyone downstairs now.' Charles ordered telepathically. The telepathic message woke everyone. Rahne blinked sleepily. Charles sent the message a second time and the two moved, dressing quickly. Rahne slid on her jeans and tee again. Roberto slid on boxers, a tee-shirt, and some shorts. He opened the door for Rahne, still trying to wake himself up. The couple joined the others zombie-walking down the stairs to the main living room where Charles sat, still in his turtle-neck and sports coat.
"Walk of shame." Amara snickered quietly to those around her. Lyla snickered as well and Lorna raised an eyebrow. Laura seemed interested in something going on inside of that strange little head of hers.
"What'd you call us down here for, Prof.?" Bobby asked, rubbing his eyes. "If this is an emergency Danger Room session, I'm leaving first thing in the morning."
"No, Bobby, I'm afraid that this is not a drill." Charles said. "Is everyone here?"
Distant confirmations came from sleepy mouths.
"Good. I've been doing some looking over our computer systems the last two weeks. Someone has been sending encrypted messages through Cerebro."
That woke everyone up.
"The culprit was very good, and I just discovered where the transmission was going tonight:"
"Genosha"
Shock rippled through the X-Men.
"Wait, Professor, what are you saying?" Amara asked.
"I'm saying, my dear X-Men." Charles replied gravely. "We have a traitor among us."
-
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X-Men: Standing Guard will Return Shortly
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The new series Bishop picks up right after X-Men leaves off! The pilot is live now, go check it out!
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