Alex hung up the phone and put it back into his pocket. The meeting was arranged and now he only had to reach the place.

Tex's lounge was near the area he was in,so getting there would be quick.

He ran a hand through his hair as he turned around the corner. Alex wasn't sure what to expect the Underground to be. When Charles had established the network he had choosen John Proudstar to be the leader. Alex hadn't minded that decision, so he had nodded, expressing his approval.

Thunderbird was a good person and he had leader capabilities. Charles had choosen one more leader thought, but Alex didn't know the name. He had sent Evangeline to try and recruit the mysterious mutant.

Charles hadn't been sure if she would accept. The Professor hadn't told the X-men about it for some reason or other. Maybe he had wanted the girl to keep her identity a secret.

It was exactly 17:00 p.m. when Alex entered the bar. He looked around and saw a man with dark hair at the end of the room. He raised his hand from the table and it glowed with bright light. Alex moved to his direction with a sharp nod and sat down in the chair against him.

"So, how did you get the number?" Marcos asked leaning back in his seat.

"A friend of mine gave it to me" Alex said hesitating for a second. He was there to help them, but would he do it as an X-man. Would they ask a lot of questions, which he isn't ready to answer? Alex thought for a second. He was still an X-man. He was one his whole life and didn't intend to stop being one, even if the team was gone.

"Professor X did, I believe you have heard of him." He said at last.

Marcos's eyes widened in surprise. Of course, he had heard of the Professor. The man who established the X-men and the one, who originally founded the Underground.

"So you want to join us, I guess?" Marcos asked.

Alex nodded and looked the man in the eye. Was he one of the leaders of the Underground? He only had remembered Thunderbird being assigned to it and the Professor talking about a woman that he wanted to recruit being the second leader.

After all 3 years had passed since the Underground had been established, leadership changed, as everything else in life did. Another leader shouldn't surprise him, it was stupid.

"I believe I can help you save mutants, to fight back" Alex said. He knew that with the development of the "Hound" program things were going to be tough in the near future, they could use help in their fight.

Alex didn't want to admit that maybe he needed them more that they him. After the X-men disbanded, Alex needed to find a way to fight for the cause that started all those years ago. He was part of the first class, he couldn't just let it all to end.

"We have a standard procedure regarding people joining. They will have to check on your past, to be sure we can trust you and you are not lying. The Underground is built on trust." Marcos explained.

Alex could see how hesitant the man in front of him was. Good. He didn't trust people easily and these days, that was a good quality.

"My name is Alexander Summers or Havok" Alex said bluntly. "You can check on whatever you want." He shrugging.

"Marcos Diaz" The man said, finally deciding to introduce himself. Not that Alex really cared if Marcos would tell him his name, making friends wasn't a priority. "Then we have a deal" He stood up giving his hand for a shake.

Alex stood up as well, shaking Marcos's hand. "I expected a full integration" He smirked.

"That number is pretty hard to get" Marcos said

"Then how do mutants in trouble reach you?" Alex asked rising a brow. Curiosity overhelmed him, even if we knew that staying at one place for too long might be dangerous.

"Most of the times we find the mutants in trouble, but we have two networks for connection. The first number is easier to find by mutant refugees and such and the second one is more is more of a private line. We haven't used it until now." The man explained and Alex nodded.

"Good, I was staring to worry that you are too trusting with so little questions" Alex said his tone cold. Again, making friends wasn't a priority, but that was probably going to be a problem. As Marcos said, the Underground was built on trust, they were probably something like a family.

Alex did not intend to get close to these people and then lose them. That is what it happened, every damn time. It happened with his parents, with his childhood best friend, his brother, two times, and the X-men, who were like a family to him.

He thought of a new rule for himself. Don't try to be friendly with all of them, just the usual business talk. Don't let your guard down, even for a second. Keep the cold exterior on your face and keep it there.

Alex was sure that this will do the work. Of course he didn't want them to hate him, but he wanted them to know, that he wasn't the type to talk much. Not that he usually was.

If Sean was here and knew what Alex was thinking, he would probably roll his eyes and make sure Alex had noticed. He would say something about how Alex needed new friends, to distract him and make him feel welcomed.

Alex could almost hear his friend's voice in his head, talking and talking. For the first time in forever he felt like laughing. Sean was one of a kind.

The good feeling he had experienced drowned two seconds later, when Alex realized that Sean was probably dead. His stomach rolled up into a ball.

"We are not naive" Marcos said rather defensively.

Alex had forgotten that he had said something. "Never said that" He replied shrugging. "Are we going?"

"Yes, we are." Marcos said and the men left the lounge.