Author's Notes

Okay, here's Chapter Twenty Eight. As usual, bold text is used for emphasis. Underlined text indicates any type of electronic communication. Text in italics indicate telepathic conversations. I suppose I should warn some of you - you may be in for a bit of a shock in this chapter. Something will come to light - after being in darkness for a "couple years". As well as other things.

And in response to certain persons...yes, I've decided to write in Dazzler and Stacy X into the story. They both make their debut in this chapter. Whilst they have been merely introduced here, they shall play a bigger part later on. And I should also add that I have been giving serious thought to the fan feedback begging for Alex Summers. Yes, he may very well be written in sometime in the near future. But he will most likely be...straight. One gay Summers sibling is enough. I just have always been a rooter for Alex and Lorna Dane, lol. Even though she has shown she can be mentally unstable. Yeah, I like my women crazy (^_^)

Well, that's it for the pre-read...basically. You can go read now - I know many people don't bother with this anyway. They usually think it's just disclaimers, (^_^) Ooh! Speaking of which! This is important - The Lyrics for 'Ice Queen' belong to the group "Within Temptation". I just borrowed them and am not making any money. NOW you can go read.

X-men Story
Chapter Twenty-Eight

"Dazzler"

It had been quite a while and there was still no word from Jean and the others. Bobby and I were in the middle of enjoying a live performance by some band called "Dazzler" to pay much attention to that fact then and there. We were walking towards the escalator when Bobby caught sight of this odd looking group of people setting up some drums and running wires. Since it seemed like it was something out of the ordinary, he called me back. There were five band members from what I could tell. Four were guys and there was one girl who I realized was their lead singer. None looked to be over twenty five or thereabouts.

Bobby: "Dazzler? I never heard of them before."

"Me neither. They obviously must be a new local band or something. I wonder how they sing."

Bobby: "Looks like we're about to find out."

The girl introduced herself as 'Alison Blaire' and the other band members waved to the now gathering crowd. With no further wastage of precious time, she announced that they were going to perform a live promotional gig. Their first song would be a little number called 'Ice Queen'.

Oooh, I'm sure you'll enjoy it, Bobby. It sounds like a dedication.

Bobby: That's not funny. Take care about what you say, or I just might have to discipline you later on.

Oh, now you're just encouraging me.

The intro-music to the song struck up and pretty soon, so did the lyrics. They weren't bad, not bad at all - they were GREAT! What was more, they must have rigged up some sort of fancy visual tech somewhere. Dancing above them were glittering, star shaped sparkles. They moved in tune with the beat of the song - almost like one of those visualizations in a computer based media player. Frickin' class if you ask me. And they did such an excellent job of hiding the projectors because I looked above and to the side and couldn't make out squat.

Alison:

"When she embraces, your heart turns to stone, She comes at night when you're all alone, And when she whispers your blood shall run cold, You better hide before she finds you."

I found myself smirking wickedly at the lyrics. Glancing to my right I saw that Bobby was not much better off.

Bobby: I can so relate to that song.

I bet. Ex-girlfriend?

When the song ended, the crowd was pretty much cheering like crazy and flocking the nearby booth for their copy of the CD album. Since it was a promotional stunt, they were going cheap. Many were even running up to have their copy signed by the band members. It made sense. With their kind of talent - they would be going places. They could end up rich and famous and their autographed album could be worth big bucks later on.

Bobby: "Let's go grab a copy quick! Before they're all gone."

"Yeah, maybe we could get it signed."

We rushed up to the sales booth ourselves and pushed right along with everyone until we each had a copy of the album. As we were waiting in line to have ours signed by the band members - it just HAD to happen. Our curse. No matter when or where we go out - we always seem to get mixed up into some kind of trouble. Even when we minded our own damned business. I should have known that our recent incident free visit to that self-same mall was not the start of a new phase in our lives. It was too good to last.

>From somewhere on high, an angry male voice shouted out,

Angry Male Voice: "Die, you filthy bitch! Die!"

Naturally, that dispersed the crowd and almost everyone dashed for cover. Most ran clear out of the area and towards nearby stores for safety. At first nothing seemed to be happening. Looking above, I saw a figure, clad all in black, mask included, perched on one of the suspended ceiling lights, fumbling with what looked like a gun. I nudged Bobby and pointed. He acknowledged that he had seen.

Band Member: "Are you two crazy?! Stop staring and get behind here!"

We joined the cowering band members underneath the counter of their booth. Not a moment too soon either. Gunshots rattled through the air. Less than a minute later an announcement came over the mall's PA system. Basically, it announced that we were all not to panic and should find ourself somewhere safe and stay there. That was always the first piece of advice given in a crisis it seemed. Also, the police were already on their way to deal with the issue. In addition, there was a warning for the lone gunman to give himself up to mall security and make it easier on himself. There was no way to escape - the exits had all been sealed pending the arrival of the police.

Several other bystanders were there with us, huddling for safety with band members behind their booth. Risking a glance from the gap left where the booth met the floor, I realized that mall security (as macho as they seemed) had not yet arrived on the scene to rescue us. When I tried to sense if Jean or one of the other telepaths could be contacted, the overwhelming fear of the people around was too much to break through. Cursing mildly, I pulled out my cellphone and tried to reach my mom. There was no response and I got the voicemail. The same thing happened when I tried to contact Amara, Jubilee and Jean. They must have switched off their phones or something.

Bobby: "Too busy looking for Emma, I bet."

"Maybe we should call Ray and Jake?"

Bobby: "The mall's sealed. They'd have to break and enter and I know that would lead to even more trouble."

The gunshots had stopped by then. One semi-brave girl poked her head up and took a peak. She quickly ducked under and started babbling off in a panicked rant. Poor dear...

Panicked Girl: "He's on the ground! He used some sort of rope thing and he's on the fucking ground now! He's walking over here...he coming to kill us...to kill us all!"

She collapsed into a crying heap and two band members had to try and console her. Bobby stealthily pointed towards the lead singer, Alison. I looked across and saw what he was getting at. Amidst all the panic around her, the girl seemed to be rather calm. How odd. I decided that it would be best to deal with that later on. Right then and there, we had an angry gunman approaching the booth.

Angry Gunman: "Thought you could 'ho around on me and get away with it? Didn't you slut?"

Guy: "Who is he talking to? Wait, are any of you girls cheating on your man? Oh God, that's it - he's coming to kill his cheating girlfriend and the guy she's been cheating with! Confess now!"

Girls: "SHUT UP!"

Angry Gunman: "Come on out Alison, baby! Don't make me have to come in there for ya!"

Alison...the lead singer. All eyes turned expectantly towards her and she visibly cringed.

Alison: "You've got to be joking! I am NOT going on out there - the man wants me dead!"

I didn't blame her. If they expected me to sacrifice my life like that - then HELL NO! Next to me, I could feel Bobby just twitching to do something. I could relate. The heroic juices were starting to churn inside me too.

We have to be subtle. First thing's first, we've got to get that gun away from him.

He was so close, those bullets might have had a very good chance of piercing the booth's exterior wall and injuring someone. I could have tried to telekinetically tear away the gun from him. But his hands were on the trigger and the gun could have very well have gone off in the process. I'd have to secretly put up a shield around the booth whilst Bobby froze the gun and made it too cold to handle. I communicated the idea to Bobby and he nodded. Closing my eyes and pretending that I was cringing in terror like everyone else, I focused a shield around us. The way everyone else was cowering - I doubt they even noticed the shimmering blue glow.

Angry Gunman: "Another one of your mutant tricks, bitch?!"

Everyone in the booth gasped. So Alison was a mutant! Another salvo of bullets was fired, but they collided with the shield and did no harm. Three seconds later we all heard a shout of pain and a metallic clanking as the gun fell to the floor, useless. I faded out the shield and everyone in the booth took a glance. The man was standing holding his right hand. It appeared to have suffered severe cold damage. He started reaching into his jacket, but under my influence, it was torn off his body and flung far away from him. With a glance, he was thrown backwards into a wall with such force that he went unconscious.

Everyone was buzzing with the revelation that Alison was a mutant by then. Naturally, they all took her to be the cause of their salvation. Absolute silence reigned for all but thirty seconds - then the cheers started. The nervous look on Alison's face faded and gave way to one of pure relief. People came timidly out of the stores they were hiding in and someone saw to restraining the black clad man.

Bobby: This Alison sure doesn't have a problem with accepting credit for something other people did.

Just then the mall security finally made an appearance. The action was a bit too much for everyone. The band was evidently going to call it a night, as was everyone else. The exits were reopened - the police still had not turned up - and everyone on hurried out. The band stayed a while to pack their things. As did Bobby and I. As X-men, we felt compelled to go over there and say something - nothing to give away our identity of course. But we couldn't think of anything. Nevertheless, we walked on over. In the end we decided to play it by ear.

Bobby: "Uh, Ms. Blaire - "

Alison: "Alison. Alison is just fine, kid."

Bobby: "Alison...are you really a mutant?"

The band members all sighed in annoyance. So did Alison for that matter.

Alison: "Look, I am so NOT in the mood for a war of words with any bigots right now!"

Bobby: "Oh, no. I'm not sayin' that's a bad thing."

Band Member: "Oh?"

"Yeah, it isn't. If you don't mind us asking...who was that guy?"

She was loathe to give us any information. At that, Bobby became a tad bit assertive.

Bobby: "We just had our lives put in danger. I think we deserve some answers."

Alison: "Oh, he's just an ex."

I raised an eyebrow.

"Most ex's don't go about trying to murder their ex lovers."

Alison: "Well, he's not like most ex's. He doesn't take rejection well. As a matter of fact - I doubt that this is the last we'll see of him."

Bobby: "What?! But there are a shitload of witnesses who saw. The cops will slam his sorry ass in jail. And - "

She informed us that he was rich enough to evade the law...eventually. He'd get out of jail relatively quickly. That much she was certain of. He must have tried to kill her personally for the added satisfaction.

Alison: "Well, at least he'll be outta my hair for a while. But even if he doesn't try to off me himself in the future - he can still hire people to come after me."

"So if the law can't help you...then who will?"

Alison: "Kid, I can take care of myself."

Bobby and I eyed her - not too impressed.

Bobby: "Oh, really. You sure as heck couldn't do a damned thing just now. We had to -"

"Bobby!"

All five of them now bore us some rather probing looks, realization dawning upon them.

You and that overactive mouth of yours.

Bobby: Sorry.

Male Band Member: "Oh, so you were the ones who did that back there."

Alison: "Nice save, guys. I would have dealt with him myself. But I didn't expect him to crash our performance. We didn't bother with hiring our own security tonight because we thought that the mall's would be adequate."

We all took a glance across at the security guards and laughed. Yeah, right...

Bobby: "So you're just going to go on like that - knowing that he's after you?"

She muttered sadly,

Alison: "There isn't anything else we can do. I'll have to settle him myself if the courts won't."

She and her team finished packing, signed our CDs and gave us a some free passes to several of her group's upcoming performances. Like we'd ever be lucky enough to go to them. I couldn't help but feel that there was more to that whole story than she was telling us. Why would she divulge it all to a couple of teenaged strangers anyway? We wished her and her crew the best and they left.

Bobby: "She's a nice girl. I hope it works out for her okay."

"Yeah. Let's go get Jamie and get out of here. I don't care what John says about us crashing in on him and Jenny. I think I'd feel better in a larger group."

Bobby: "Yeah. It's getting a little late anyway."

"My Date"

Upon seeing us approaching, John's demeanor grew a bit sour. Jenny wasn't at the table with him. He quickly explained that she went to the bathroom.

John: "What the hell do you guys think you're doing? This is my date here."

Jamie went off on a rant explaining what had happened. Of course, he had heard the announcement that came over on the mall's PA system. So he was very aware of what was going on. He however was not able to come to our aid (as he put it) because he was in the arcade and the manager locked up to keep all the kids in there safe and in one place.

John: "And here I was thinking we were all going to have a fun, trouble free night."

That was rather optimistic of him.

John: "So where are Jake and Ray?"

We filled him in on their plans for the night.

John: "Damn! Well, at least they're enjoying themselves..."

"The White Tigress"

Ray was a bit thrown off. The music was just right, the lighting - seductive, and the girls couldn't get any sexier without being too indecent. The entire crowd was going wild in a frenzy. Bills abounded and lust driven men urged the dancers to up the tempo. Ray couldn't technically get too involved as he was with Jubilee. But he didn't understand why Jake didn't seem to be enjoying himself as much as he should. As a matter of fact, he didn't really seem to be enjoying himself at all. He was single and straight - he was entitled.

Ray: "Let's go up to the front - closer to the poles."

Jake only nodded half-heartedly. But he did allow himself to be led up closer to the front. And just in time too. The hostess came out and announced that the patrons were in for a real treat. A surprise performer was about to hit the floor. Whilst they didn't usually entertain such last minute additions to any of their shows, this newcomer was so exquisitely qualified - they just couldn't say no. Almost all the mouths in the place were watering by then.

Ray: "Damn, we got lucky, eh?"

Jake: "Um, yeah."

The lights, formerly a pulsating, rosy tint - brightened until they seemed to be fiercely white. The holographic displays altered to simulate a background that resembled a forest of some sort. A slow, dangerous, yet erotic beat came across the airwaves. From somewhere unknown, a low, feline sound emanated. It was a mix between a growl and a purr.

Hostess: "Gentlemen, for your viewing pleasure, we present to you - The White Tigress."

Man: "Oooh, here pussy pussy."

That elicited a few raunchy laughs and the crowd drew even closer to center stage. From some concealed niche, a shapely figure emerged onto the scene, crawling lasciviously on all fours...breathtakingly slow. She was clad all in white, save for the black tiger stripes adorning her skin tight get-up and attached tail. Her costume was so tight, it might have been painted on. Her face was concealed behind an ornate, White Tiger mask. Slowly, methodically, this pretty kitty edged her way forward onto the stage as if she were stalking some unseen prey. Open mouthed, the lust-struck men took it all in.

Ray: "Oh...God..."

Man: "She can eat me alive any time she feels like it!"

Jake's attention was completely occupied with the newcomer as well, but for a completely different reason than all the other men in that place. As the men cheered her on, the creature expertly slashed away several portions of her suit with her "claws", exposing flawless skin. Skin that she began to suck and lick - like a cat cleaning herself after gettting very, very dirty. Bills were being thrown onto the stage by then to try and persuade the feline wonder to bare it all. More and more pieces of the suit fell off - but the mask stayed on. Not that the men minded that at all. With a body like that - they didn't care anything about the face.

Man: "The closest thing they ever had to this was Bitch In Heat. That was shitty, this one is actually good!"

Jake: "I-I'll be right back."

Ray: "What? Where are you going?"

Jake pondered the idea of saying that he wanted to go to the men's room. But he thought better of it considering the circumstances.

Jake: "I gotta take a call. I'll be back."

Ray nodded and went back to enjoying the show. Jake hurriedly made his way to somewhere quieter and reached for his cellphone. They were never going to believe what he had just discovered...

"Saving Emma"

We were all just basically angering John by waiting in the diner for Jean and company to call on us to go back home. When Jenny returned, we were shooed off his table and onto another one. Just as we were about to be pestered by the waiter for the umpteenth time to order something else - my cellphone rang. Expecting it to be a return call from either Jean, Mom, Amara or Jubilee (I earlier got all of their voicemails) I picked up pretty quick. I was in a hurry to get home before something else happened that night. Maybe they found Emma and we could go home once they dealt with her... Or maybe they didn't but felt like calling it quits for the time being. It turned out it wasn't any of them. It was Jake.

"Jake?"

Jake: "Rick, you will not believe what's going down in this place!"

Actually, I didn't really care to learn. But I decided to humor Jake as it was obviously very entertaining to him.

"Okay, you expect me to beg to find out. Okay, I'm begging...what dirty, disgusting shit is going on down there?"

Jake: "I found, Emma! She's stripping here!"

I gasped. Jamie and Bobby started badgering me, but I brushed them off for the time being. I was sceptical at first. Emma was a bit...okay, overly flirtatious at times. But stripping? She seemed a little high class for that - even if she was broke and needed the money.

"I don't know. Are you sure?"

He replied that he was. When she crawled on stage (I had to ask him to repeat that part - I didn't get why she was crawling), he immediately sensed her presence. I found a flaw in his explanation. Or so I thought.

"Jake, she would have sensed you."

Jake: "Rick, she was too busy putting on a show to sense either me or Ray. I was the only one in there with a level, non-clouded head."

It sounded plausible. His telepathy was hardly ever wrong. But I had another question.

"Why was she crawling?"

When I heard his explanation - he broke down into wicked laughter several times - I knew that particualar piece of information had to be kept contained. If Emma was truly in such need of money and had to resort to such means to aquire it...it would be pure cruelty to allow her to be caught by Jean and company. They'd never let her live it down. She wasn't doing anything inherently evil in itself (indecent yes). But it wasn't as if she had succumbed to her urges and telepathically convinced men to sign over money to her (like Jean said she was capable of). She was trying honestly - if not indecently - and could very well be in some sort of trouble to be trying so hard.

"Jake, don't say a word to Jean or - "

Jake: "Um...was I NOT supposed to?"

Oh no. He had already made the call.

"You did, didn't you?"

He burst out laughing.

Jake: "It's just some funny shit. They all think she's into something totally criminal and whatnot, when all she's doing is stripping as The White Tigress."

"What did those 'ladies' say?"

Jake: "They're braving the nausea to come in here and see for themselves."

I tried to convince him to warn Emma. But that didn't go down too well. For one thing, he didn't want Emma to know that he was there in the first place as she would definitely realize sooner or later that he was the one who sold her out. And secondly, he had to try and get Ray out of there before Jubilee entered and caught him in the act. At that he hung up.

Bobby: "Rick, what is it?"

Jamie: "Yeah, dude? Something wrong? You look - "

"Guys, I need to tell you both something. And it HAS to remain between the three of us. And you have to just accept what I'm about to tell you - without asking too many questions..."

Bobby nodded gravely, as did Jamie. I could sense that Jamie was sincere in his promise of secrecy. He must have been flattered that he was being considered "adult" enough to be entrusted.

"I'll explain on the way."

Bobby: "We goin' somewhere?"

"Yeah."

Jamie: "Where?"

"Well, Jamie - it looks like you're gonna get your wish after all. You're getting into Strip Central."

His eyes all but popped. With haste he finished off his burger and we headed outside. John watched us go and smiled with satisfaction as he went back to romancing Jenny. We had a sizeable task on our hands. We had to save Emma's reputation from those who were determined to drag it into the mud. From Jean Grey and company no less...

"All For One"

We had few options available to us. Once I explained what was up to Jamie and Bobby - they both demanded to know how I could keep something like that from them. Bobby, for obvious reasons, more vehemently. I was under a promise not to spill the beans until Jean said that it was okay. But given the current circumstances, that promise had to tossed aside somewhat. Jamie was without doubt a major fan of Emma's and immediately agreed to help. He didn't wish to see her go anywhere away from the Mansion anytime soon. Bobby was ready and willing to help as well.

I had explained everything I knew about the suspicions that Emma was in some sort of financial predicament. Everything except that it was primarily Jean's suspicions and how she found out. I didn't want to risk Bobby or Jamie radiating the thought out for Emma to sense. It could put Jean into hot water if Emma found out about her snooping. They did ask me how I knew what I knew but quit when it became obvious that I wasn't going to tell. At least if we found Emma, she'd know we knew about her - but not how we knew. Which was the most important thing.

Bobby: "We could try and stop or delay Jean and the others from entering the place."

That was an idea. But how were we to do that? Nothing we could say or do would be given more attention than what Jake had told Jean. It was a pity that circumstances hadn't been different so that the "Dazzler" drama could have been used as an excuse to stall them. There seemed to be only one way to save the situation. We had to enter the strip joint, pinpoint Emma's location and warn her to get the hell out of there before Jean found her. Of course, it would shame her to high heaven to learn that we knew about her. But not as much as it would if Jean caught her. And maybe finding out that Jean was watching her actions closely would teach her to be more careful in the future.

Jamie: "Will you be able to sense her in there?"

"I doubt it. All I sense from there is the overwhelming lust."

We would have to search manually. But Jamie looked so young... I knew that we couldn't leave him with John. And he'd follow us along anyway, so I was forced to spill the beans to him as well. We couldn't possibly walk through the front doors and bribe the bouncers. Bobby and I could pass...with luck. But there was no way that Jamie would.

Jamie: "So how do we get in?"

We entered a back alley behind the building and (after ascertaining that we were not being watched) I levitated us up onto the roof. From there it was easy enough to get into the top floor. Bobby froze the locks binding the exit door to the roof. With a single punch it shattered and we entered through there, keeping a careful lookout. My telepathy only allowed me to sense when someone was very close to us - but it helped a little as we were able to wander around unseen. The place must have been a strip joint and whore house combined. The top two floors were lined with rooms and strange, skanky noises could be heard from many of them.

Jamie: "So this is what it's like."

We paused in a dark corridor for a minute whilst I called Jake on my cellphone.

"Jake, are you and Ray out yet?"

In the background I could make out some violent, feminine swear words.

Jake: "No! Jubilee is in here arguing with Ray! And Amara looks like she's about ready to pounce on me!"

Oh, that explained the swear words.

"Has Emma been caught?"

Jake: "No. The White Tigress ended her performance minutes before...oh the sights my eyes have seen... Ray doesn't believe that it was Emma stripping there. Jubilee does and she thinks Ray was enjoying it. He says he brought ME there and that I was enjoying it. And that's why Amara is pissed. Jean's gonna look for Emma now and she has help."

"What exactly should I be looking for?"

He mentally sent me an image of Emma in her costume. First the whole untorn version, then the alterations that showed more and more skin.

"Okay! Enough! Sheesh!"

He giggled once more and I ended the call. If we could find Emma before Jean and company did...and get her out of there - they would have no solid proof. It was obvious that regardless of how hard Jean and her other telepaths had tried, they hadn't been able to sense Emma. Jake was lucky as he was so close to her that he managed to pick up her mental signature. So I was guessing that if Jean and the rest got physically close enough to her, they would sense her too. Jake hadn't sensed her again after she ended her performance. So she was probably a fair distance away from them. Which meant that we probably had a little time. I relayed the images to Bobby and Jamie (Jamie's breathing immediately quickened).

"Jamie, can we rely on you to stay hidden?"

Jamie: "Sure."

Bobby: "You're not thinking what -"

I was. We had to physically search for Emma. And Jamie had the distinct advantage over us. He could split into TEN clone versions...safely that is. With that kind of searching power - he'd cover a lot more ground a lot more quickly.

"And besides Bobby, if he's caught by the security, they'd probably just throw him out. I'm more concerned that he stays hidden from Jean and the others."

With Jean and the rest devoting all their mental resources to locating Emma thought patterns, I was willing to bet that we could escape mental detection. They weren't looking for us after all. But we had no protection from visual detection aside from staying hidden.

Jamie: "You can count on me, guys. I'll find Emma."

Bobby: "Just make sure you don't get found. Find her and call us."

With that final warning, he was off, multiplying whenever the corridor branched into mulitple pathways.

Bobby: "Well, I guess it's just you and - "

"You take the floor below this one and I'll take the one below that."

Bobby: "We're splitting up?"

"Yes. What? You aren't...afraid are you?"

He was quick to deny it. It was a strip joint and whore house combo - maybe Bobby was one of those gay men who were totally uncomfortable with the thought of exposed pussy - I mean, nude female genetalia.

"Oh alright, come along then."

"Spoils Of The Hunt"

Emma chuckled lightly to herself as she counted the bills that were thrown her way during her debut performance. She had indeed given the term 'catwalk' a whole new - and lucrative - meaning. She hadn't planned on revisiting her good old college days if it could be avoided, but recent circumstances had warranted it. When she asked Charles for permission to join the X-men and got the required authorization - she was thrilled. Extra income was something to be grateful for. But then to her dismay, Charles decided to relieve her of the majority of her counselor duties so that she could focus on her new ones. She had lost income and had to make it up somewhere.

In sheer desperation, she was forced to draw upon some of her long abandoned talents. She was sceptical about it at first. She originally held the prospect as a last resort. But when she saw how much Jean's stripper was paid for merely dancing...her resolve became adamant. She left the room with a smile adorning her face. There may have been a gender inequality gap in job payment globally. Currently forty-four percent, but there was one field where women had the advantage in pay. Taking inflation into account...things were better far off for exotic dancers in the present than back in her day. Even the men were getting in on the act - straight men too. And that spoke volumes. It was time to tap into that deep financial well once more.

So she went to her closet and got out one of her former get-ups. She didn't have to worry about whether it would fit or not. Emma was as slim and trim as she ever was, without any excess fat on her body whatsoever. It was relatively easy to sneak out of the Mansion too with most of the other X-men away. Not to mention Charles himself. That they were going to a strip joint themselves didn't trouble her. She just needed to avoid Foxy's. Pity though - the payout might have been even better there. But Strip Central was okay. What was more - she had gotten several requests for private performances. With the kind of money those desperate middle aged men were offering...it was more than worth her while. Smiling from ear to ear, Emma left the dressing room and proceeded down the halls towards the room of her first client. The White Tigress was on the prowl once more...puuurrrr!

"The Huntress Becomes The Prey"

Jean was experiencing mixed emotions. She was thrilled that, finally, a chance to thoroughly embarrass Emma had come her way. God bless Jacob Spencer. It was a pity that Emma wasn't doing something worse. That would have made the night perfect. When she relayed Jacob's news to the rest of her Sisters, they all broke down laughing hysterically. All except Julie that is. Emma finally got to her, thought Jean. Nevertheless, Julie agreed to accompany them to Strip Central. Getting in was a little more problematic than she first thought. The bouncer was seemingly determined to keep the mysteries of men sacrosanct and free from any feminine contamination whatsoever.

The bouncer's first thought was that they were coming in looking for jobs. He informed them that there were no more openings at the time. When they indignantly communicated to him that they were not wanna be strippers, his attitude changed. He absolutely refused to let them in. Apparently, he once had to deal with a group of women out searching for their wayward husbands. He let them in and a serious series of fights started that had cost the club much goodwill. As a matter of fact, he'd almost lost what passed for a job. Seeing Ororo's white hair, he assumed that she was an old bat - albeit with a very effective facial mask and well preserved body - out searching for her errant man.

Thankfully, Rogue came up with an effective plan. Basically, rather than emphasizing differences - they could play on similarities.

Bouncer: "Oh, so you're all lesbians?"

Rogue: "Yes, sugah. We all like what you like."

Amara and Jubilee were close enough together to be considered a couple. As were Jean and Ororo as well as Julie and Betsy. The bouncer looked at Rogue hardest of all.

Bouncer: "What about you? Don't you got someone?"

Rogue winked mischievously.

Rogue: "Not right now, hun. I'm out looking and havin' a good ol' time. Why d'you think I wanna get in?"

For a split second, Jean was worried that it wouldn't work. But then, after the bouncer made a phone call to his superiors, they were let in. And almost immediately they ran into Jacob and Ray trying to sneak out through an exit. It was all that Jean could do to keep Jubilee from making a scene. She basically pulled Ray into a corner out of earshot and started cussing him out.

Jean: "Jubilee, if you want to get kicked out - then by all means do. Don't take the rest of us down with you."

Betsy: "We've been waiting far too long for a chance like this."

Ray: "What...are you all doing here?"

Jake: "I...called them."

Ray: "You?! What the hell is up with that?!"

Jubilee: "He didn't call to rat you out. That just happened on the side!"

Jean: "We have reason to believe that Emma is in here somewhere."

Ray: "Doing what?"

Betsy: "Don't act dumb. We think she's a counselor by day - and a stripper by night."

Ray gasped in disbelief.

Jubilee: "You were probably enjoying that bitch's performance, weren't you?"

Ray: "I wasn't. I really brought Jake here and...are you sure it was Emma?"

Julie: "Jake here thought he sensed her."

Ray: "Oh really."

Jake: "Yeah. I think she mighta been The White Tigress."

Hearing that particular moniker, all the women folk laughed scandalously - even Jubilee. Jake relayed the image to them for their benefit.

Betsy: "Hmm...blonde."

Jean: "Well, I'm going to go have a look around. Just wait 'til I catch her. Jubilee, lend me your camera phone."

And so it was that the huntress became the prey...

"Realization"

Emma was temporarily clueless. One minute, she was walking down the corridor with her purse stuffed with bills...and the next she found herself back in the dressing room - flat out broke. At first she was too upset at the supposed 'misplacement' of her money to notice the vaguely familiar dizziness that came after a heavy telepathic assault. Of what exact kind of telepathic assault, she could not say. But once she realized what had happened to her - she got downright pissed. With a sneer she once more left the dressing room, but on a different kind of hunt...

"You Don't Know What It's Like"

Hallways upon hallways and still no Emma. Just countless locked doors and rooms from which blatant sexual sounds emanated. Bobby and I had been searching the halls for Emma for close to an hour. We covered several floors with no luck. Since Jamie hadn't called us it was safe to assume that he had found nothing of importance either. I didn't like to think that Emma could be behind one of those doors - being forced to do God alone knew what for the sake of money.

Bobby: "Rick, that door is opening!"

Just in time we dove behind a bend in the hallway and peeked out. An arm could be seen on the handle, but the person had yet to step out of the room. Wicked feminine laughter could be heard resonating from within. But immediately we could tell that it wasn't Emma's at all. Aside from the "voice", the laughter wasn't classy enough. Just as we were about to go about our business the person with the arm on the door stepped out.

Bobby: "Oh God!"

Too late did he realize that he had verbalized his shock audibly enough for the man to hear him. Less than half a second later, we had to deal with the scary glare of the red eyed Remmy. What was more, he was heading on over to our position. Running didn't seem like a good idea right about then - he'd already seen our faces after all. If he wanted to confront us he'd do it there or at the Mansion.

"Bobby! That's twice tonight you've gotten us into trouble!"

Bobby: "He's cheating on Rogue!"

As Remmy drew closer, we both fell silent. The look on his face seemed demonic. For all but three minutes he simply stared at us. Then he opened his mouth to talk. Even I could make out that he was forcibly keeping his emotions in check.

Remmy: "What are you boys doin' here at dis time of night?"

Bobby: "Catching you two-timin' Rogue! That's what."

Remmy's expression morphed into one of anger for a fleeting second. Bobby seemed unphased.

Remmy: "I don't know what you boys thought you saw, but - "

Well, we didn't exactly see anything per se. We just heard female laughter - minus the owner - and saw Remmy step out of the room from which it came.

Bobby: "Well if you don't know, I'll enlighten you. We saw you come out of a room, that until you exited, sex sounds were coming out from."

Yeah well, that too.

Just as Bobby finished, the door opened once more and a skimpily clad young woman emerged, heading straight for us...or Remmy rather. Bobby and I looked at her in disgust, then quickly shifted that disgust onto Remmy. The unknown woman couldn't be older than about twenty three. And all she was wearing was some rather skanky lingerie. She walked up to Remmy, draped herself elaborately upon him and handed him something.

Woman: "You forgot your wallet, darlin'."

She next turned our attention towards us and introduced herself as Stacy.

Bobby ignored her and turned once more to Remmy.

Bobby: "I'm surprised they don't call her Candy or Bambie or something."

Or any other ho name for that matter. Or so he thought...

Stacy: "Actually, around here - they call me 'Exstacy'. But Remmy here and I go back a couple years - we're on a first name basis."

A couple years! Remmy was cheating on Rogue for a couple years? Having felt the sting of infidelity myself, I got as mad as Bobby seemed to be. It wasn't a first time thing after all. Remmy looked visibly upset with Stacy and said that he'd catch up with her some other time. She seemed to realize that something was wrong and bade us all adieu. She was probably so into the ho lifestyle that she didn't even bother to ask if we were two underaged boys and if so, what we were doing in the place. Bobby called after her wickedly,

Bobby: "Homewrecker!"

Remmy: "Okay, I was hopin' it didn't hafta come to dis. But we're all guys here - we all do crazy shit on occasion. And -"

"She said that you two go back a couple years. A couple years...this doesn't sound like 'occasional' to me."

Remmy: "Yes...well..."

Bobby: "You've been cheating on Rogue for years with a ho. You'd better go get yourself checked for STDs."

He added thoughtfully,

Bobby: "At least Rogue wasn't at risk."

Remmy: "None of you know what it's like. I'm not a boy - I'm a man. And a man has needs."

He went off on a rant. Stacy meant nothing to him beyond a sexual outlet. As a matter of fact - it was because of Stacy that he and Rogue were still together, he said. If he hadn't found a sexual outlet, he might have left Rogue already and found someone else. He loved Rogue but was just using Stacy. And Stacy knew what her role was. She wasn't getting hurt because of it. He was merely satisfying his emotional needs with Rogue and his sexual needs with Stacy.

"This still doesn't seem right."

Bobby: "Yeah. Um, one man - one woman."

Remmy lost his cool.

Remmy: "You don't know what it's like - so don't preach to me! I can't even touch her - not unless I find a man-sized condom and wrap myself in it! Even then I might still die - except it'll be from suffocation."

Several seconds passed by whilst we all tried to visualize such a concept. The break was enough to calm Remmy's anger somewhat. His tone altered and he changed the subject abruptly.

Remmy: "What are you two doin' in here? This place isn't even supposed to be your thing, Rick."

Bobby: "We're..."

"We're looking for Ray and Jake. They came in here and it's time to go back home -"

Remmy: "Did you boys sneak outta the Mansion?"

Bobby: "No we got permission. What's more...Rogue and the other X-women came out with us."

Remmy started to cold sweat.

Remmy: "You two better not say a word about this. Stay outta what doesn't concern you!"

And with that he hurried off down the hallway, leaving me and Bobby shaken and angry...

Meanwhile In The Mysterious Locale Known As Genosha...

Erik Lensherr a.k.a. Magneto was sitting in conversation with his chief advisor, Brainchild as well as his latest informant, Dominic Petros. Otherwise known as Lance a.k.a. Avalanche. The ever scheming Mystique had taken her plots into previously uncharted territory. To go so far as plotting his demise...

Erik: "A psychic attack on Charles Xavier took place, Brainchild. It expelled his mind into some unknown realm. That was what caused his disappearance on Cerebra's psychic radar."

Branchild regarded him in shock. Erik could understand his reaction perfectly. He had since come to terms with it. Charles Xavier was the most powerful telepath alive - on Earth at least. Who on Earth could have been able to psionically displace his mind? If the attack was a surprise one, there was a possibility of forcing Charles onto the Astral Plane temporarily. But that would not have caused his mental signal to vanish without a trace. No, according to the X-men psychics, Charles' mind was banished into some other plane of existance. An unknown realm. One in which mental power could not penetrate.

Brainchild: "In light of recent events, this is most disturbing, sir."

Erik: "And do you believe they actually accused me of hiring an assassin to eliminate him?"

Lance: "Now why would they think that? The nerve of them to accuse you!"

Lance chuckled lightly.

Brainchild: "That is not funny."

Erik: "Indeed it is not, Lance."

Seeing Erik frowning in annoyance, Lance quickly brought an end to his joking.

Brainchild: "And you believe that Mystique could be somehow linked to Charles' incident?"

She was certainly capable of high end scheming. In the past she had always used her scheming skills for the benefit of The Brotherhood. But since the evidence that she was planning a hit on Magneto's life was conclusive - why not Xavier's as well? If she were to assume leadership of The Brotherhood, the responsibility of dealing with Charles Xavier would then be hers. The attack on Charles could have been akin to a preemptive strike. What was even more intriguing, was the notion that the proposed assassin could be the same one she intended to unleash upon Magneto himself.

Erik: "If that is the case - then I'd probably have to deal with an extremely powerful psychic."

Brainchild: "Someone powerful enough to displace Charles could be very useful to our cause."

Lance: "But that...Nathaniel guy Mystique was talking to said that her assassin might not last indefinitely."

Erik: "Which is why we must keep a careful eye on Mystique and when the moment is right - we act. Once we trace the location of her accomplice we can strike and claim this weapon as our own. Then we'll have to act quickly and make use of him or her while we can - after dealing with Mystique of course."

Brainchild: "Of course..."

"Vengeance"

Emma was confused. After realizing that she was the victim of a telepathic assault and theft as well, she immediately started scanning for any telepaths in the vicinity. And to her displeasure, she sensed not one, not two, not even three, but eight. Five very familiar telepathic signatures as well as three unknown ones were radiating from within the building. She thanked the high heavens that she had the foresight to equip her mask with a telepathic cloaking device, allowing her to have some protection from psychic scans whilst still allowing her to probe at the same time. It would not have been well if the psychic women sensed her departure from the Mansion. Summers may have seen her via the cameras, but he wasn't as suspicious of her as Grey was.

Emma distinctly sensed the mental signatures of Jean, Betsy, Julia, Jacob and Rick. What were they doing at Strip Central? Unless...it had somehow gotten out that she was there? But how? Another thought crossed her mind. It could all be a coincidence. Jean and company would never break their code of ethics - so she was very sure that she wasn't found and surprise attacked by one of them as a joke. Her attack must have been due to the owners of the three unknown mental signatures, she reasoned. What if something had gone wrong, as it always seemed to, and Summers sent them out to investigate?

What if something shady was taking place at Strip Central - like telepaths mind controlling men for money? Jean and company's presence at Strip Central need not be anything beyond duty. Although it could be argued that Jean Grey saw it as her duty to make her life as difficult as possible. She pondered further. Emma was certain that she had made the most money for the night. If those three telepaths were thieving whores, then it was logical that they would try to steal it from her.

Emma: "Lucky bitches. They caught me by surprise."

Scanning once more, she determined that the unknown persons had moved position upwards. Hurrying along, Emma dashed into the elevator swearing that she would have her vengeance.

"It's Not What You Think!"

Jake did say that Jean had help in her search. And as luck would have it, my mother entered the floor Bobby and I were on via the elevator just as we were about to enter it. Pity that we lingered on that floor so long...damn that two-timing Remmy! My mother had the kind of steel blue eyes that could make the machoest of men cringe when subjected to their cold stare. Bobby couldn't even make eye contact. I put up a brave front for ten seconds and presently succumbed myself. Once it was established that we were in her power, she began her rant. What on Earth were we doing in a place the like of Strip Central?

Julia: "I just don't understand it, Rick. Aren't you gay? Or are you having second thoughts?"

Definitely not that. I quickly shook my head and denied it. I was grateful that she didn't make the suggestion in an optimistic manner. Then her interrogatory gaze turned itself upon Bobby.

Julie: "And you - did you drag my son in here?"

Bobby grew wide eyed at the accusatory tone she was using with him.

Bobby: "No - I didn't. We - "

Poor Bobby was not even allowed to fully articulate his sentence. Mom jumped to a conclusion - hanging around dad for all those years must have been to blame.

Julie: "Oh my God! You're trying to turn Rick straight. What sort of a friend are you? Friends accept the idiosyncrasies of - "

"Mom, he didn't drag me here. It was actually my idea. And Bobby isn't trying to turn me straight."

Like THAT would ever happen! She shifted her gaze between us and nervously apologized for her outburst. It was the shock of seeing her son and someone she thought should know better in Strip Central. So she claimed. Her tone altered.

Julie: "So what are you doing here?"

Bobby was about to answer. No doubt he was about to try lying blatantly. I knew that my mother would see right through it.

"We're looking for Miss Frost, mom."

Julie: "Oh really. You've come to lend Jean a helping hand?"

Bobby: "Um, yeah."

Surprisingly, my mother frowned.

Julie: "I would have expected better from you, Rick."

"Oh..."

Julia: "I thought that you were becoming quite a fan of Emma's. And now you want to help Jean bring her down for something that's nowhere near evil?"

Bobby: "But don't you hate Emma, Mrs McKenzie?"

Julia: "Hate is such a strong word. No, I do not hate Emma. I don't like some of her ways...true. But even I must admit that she seems to have changed for the better, regardless of what Jean says. Stripping doesn't count as evil in my book. Why she's doing it is beyond me - maybe it gets her off. But it's not evil per se."

So Jean hadn't yet shared her suspicions that Emma was broke with her Sisters. Mom went on to say that she felt a little bit indebted to Emma for her talk with me.

Julie: "Which is why I think you boys should get out of here this instant and don't join the bitch hunt."

Bobby looked at her inquisitively.

Bobby: "If you aren't out bitch hunting, then what are you doing here?"

Mom nervously shifted her gaze.

Julie: "Jean would strangle me if she knew."

Bobby: "I don't understand."

Julie: "I...was hoping that if I saw Emma first, I'd give her a heads up on Jean's plan. I do owe her that much at the least. Now you boys leave here before I throw you out myself - this place is...ugh."

Bobby grinned and asked,

Bobby: "Should you tell her or should I?"

Julie: "What are you two yammering on about?"

"Uh, we actually didn't come here to bust Emma. We sorta came here to warn her...like you."

Julie: "Oh really?"

Bobby: "Yeah, I'm a really big fan of Emma myself."

Mom giggled in her girlish fashion.

Julie: "I do so wonder why. Teen boys..."

"And Emma has really helped me out a lot. That's why we came here."

She regarded us for a minute or so, letting it all soak in for her innate lie detector to analyse. Presently she gave in,

Julie: "Oh alright. I suppose two more pairs of eyes couldn't hurt. Just try your hardest to avoid Jean catching you."

Bobby: "We will."

"Betsy's Discovery"

Betsy: Jean, I -

Jean: Betsy, we decided to use cellphones to communicate for a reason. We do not know if Emma could be listening in!

Betsy swore a mild oath and closed the mental link.

Jean: "Did you locate Emma?"

Betsy: "No. But I have some disturbing news."

Jean groaned. Somethin just HAD to come up.

Jean: "Problem with the juniors?"

Betsy responded in the negative.

Betsy: "I was searching the area for telepathic minds. I sensed three telepaths on the roof of the building."

Jean frowned. So, there were other telepaths on the grounds - big deal. Among the various psychic powers, telepathy was one of the most common.

Jean: "So?"

Betsy: "They seem to be in some sort of trouble. I detected anger, some fear and a strong streak of violence."

As an X-man, Jean dutifully called off her search for Emma for the time being. Cursing to herself, she headed for the elevator putting out a distress call via cellphone to every X-man in the building. If there was a problem, more X-men would mean that it would be solved quicker. And then the search for Emma could resume unimpeded.

"On The Roof"

Jamie: "Guys I've found Emma!"

It was about damned time. I had a hunch that if anyone was going to find her - it would be Jamie. Emma seemed to be an expert in blocking telepathic searches directed towards her direction. If she could evade the probes of Jean, mom and Betsy simultaneously - she was even more skilled than I had originally thought.

"Did she see you?"

Jamie: "Yeah. But she was still in the catsuit. I pretended not to know it was her. But then - "

I heard a loud crash in the background and jumped in surprise. The crash was followed by a very painful sounding scream - I recognized it as belonging to Emma.

Bobby: "What is it?"

"Jamie, where are you? What's going on?"

Jamie: "On the roof! You guys better get here fast! Emma's facing off against three mutant bitches and I can't help her."

I relayed the information to Bobby and we hurriedly ran to the elevator.

"Jamie, why can't you help her?"

Jamie: "I'm sorta tied up. You'll see when you get here! So just get here fast!"

Another crash and yell of pain.

Bobby: "This fucked up elevator. I wonder if it's stuck?"

"Never mind."

We went to a window in the hall, opened it, and jumped out. I quickly levitated us up to the roof and we dropped down onto the floor. I began scanning for Jamie and managed to locate him. As we headed to our far left, we could hear swear words and loud shouts of, "Take It Bitch!". Presently, we found a bound Jamie stuggling with some glowing tendrils that were holding his legs and midsection. He was trying in vain to free himself from the bonds.

Jamie: "About damned time you got here! Get me outta these!"

I tried to tear them apart with telekinesis. They didn't budge. Bobby tried to freeze them but they held tight. Suddenly, I realized why. I'd seen glowing tendrils like those before. Fantasia used them to hold people in place too. They were psychic in nature. I was able to tear Fantasia's tendrils. But Jamie's were far stronger. Which meant that the psychic or psychics who created them had to be far more powerful than Fantasia. And Emma was facing such a danger alone. I quickly explained it Bobby and Jamie. Since Jamie wasn't in any immediate danger and Emma was - we left him and went running across the roof on our search for her.

It did take us long to locate her. The shouts and angry swear words were sufficient guides. I could make out three shadowy figures around the White Tigress. Bobby and I quickly jumped out of the shadows to use the element of surprise on them. The element of surprise worked on Emma. She was shocked alright. Whilst we couldn't make out her face because of the mask - she noticeably jumped. Sad to say, all three of her attackers seemed to sense us before we could overpower them. They jumped out of the way.

Since we were all in the light and close, we could make them out better. They were all women dressed in black leather from head to foot. They had bitch boots on that Lola "Livewire" Lovelace would have died for. I personally loved leather - but they seemed to have taken it to an all too extreme level with the masks and spiked bracelets and piercings. All three of them were glowing a hue of crimson. I found that to be a bad sign. When psychic mutants' auras glow in the visible region of the spectrum, it's a sign that their channeling considerable energy. All of the three were wielding weapons that seemed to formed of psionic energy. They all appeared to be heavily into the sadistic scene. One wielded a glowing whip. Another wielded a glowing pair of shackles. The third seemed to hold in her hands a glowing leash of some sort. All three were scowling.

I risked a quick glance at Emma. Her suit was torn in several places and she was breathing heavily. Bobby and I sidled closer to Emma.

"Are you okay, Emma?"

Emma: "Oh...I... They're all sadistic lesbians and they stunned me outside the mall...and then then I woke up and found myself dressed like this...and then they made me do all sorts of horrible things before I escaped...and then..."

Poor Emma...

Bobby: "We know the truth, Emma. Are you alright?"

Emma: "A-aside from some weals...yes, dear."

The three were closing in.

Bobby: "Back the fuck off!"

Three icebolts were pelted their way. All three gracefully evaded them.

Woman#1: "How dare you interrupt the Sadistic Sisters?!"

Woman#2: "Now we get to have some real fun!"

Woman#3: "Yes, two more slaves. Breaking these in should be a thrill - young and rebellious ones are my faves."

"Who the hell are you people?"

Whip: "Whip."

Shackle: "Shackle."

Leash: "Leash."

Oh, how original.

Emma: "Careful boys. Whip specializes in pain attacks. Shackle can immobilize you. Leash is the worst - she can control you, your powers, thoughts anything about you. They have to make contact with your mind via those weapons they're wielding. So avoid the weapons!"

No sooner had Emma given us those warnings did the three strike. Quickly, we all split up and dove out of the way. Bobby was taking it upon himself to handle Shackle. I found myself pitted one on one against Whip. And Emma felt it her responsibility to deal with the most dangerous of them all - Leash. I readied myself with a shield to meet the full on whiplash of the Sister. To my shock - and extreme pain - the shield was completely ineffective. The psionic whip passed through it as easily as if it were made of air and made contact with my arm. Searing pain shot up my left arm, coursed up and along to my shoulder blades and down my spine.

Whip: "You like the pain, don't you?"

I ignored her taunt and tried to telekinetically wrest the psionic whip from her hand. It was futile and all it meant was that I was subjected to another dose of pain across the chest. Jumping back, I mentally crumbled the concrete beneath her feet. She once more executed a graceful backflip.

Whip: "You're gonna have to do better than that to entertain a girl like me."

Chunks of concrete were sent hurtling towards her. She avoided three and whipped the other three away from her. The whip was headed my way once more and I was forced to damage the roof to create a protective wall. I needed enough time to concentrate and build energy up. But the woman was so damned agile and fast that it was all I could to to avoid her assault. I heard some fast paced footsteps then and the next thing I knew, a glowing Whip flipped over the wall. I leapt into the air but was not fast enough to avoid the whip wrapping around my right leg.

"Awww fuuck!"

Whip: "That's right. Scream for me, baby! Tell me how much you like and want it!"

I was pulled down to the ground and felt a sharp heel of a bitch boot digging into my back. It wasn't the pain in my leg that was making me writhe in agony. The pain the whip inflicted had a way of travelling - through the nervous system I guessed. It travelled up my leg to my crotch and the vital area there. It basically felt like a savage kick to the balls that was being repeated over and over. I was getting a bit dazed with the pain. But I distinctly heard a familiar sounding shout then.

Julie: "Get your filthy heifer heels off my son, bitch!"

I heard Whip scream in pain - I wonder if SHE enjoyed it - and she was sent hurtling away from me. Jumping to my feet I saw mom flying up to me with Jean and company heading on over to Bobby and Emma.

Julie: "Are you okay?"

"No wounds. Good for the pain threshold."

Julie: "Aww, my little soldier."

Whip had by then recovered, rather fast I should think, and snuck a whiplash onto my mother's back. With a yelp she turned around.

"Shields don't work against her, mom."

Julie: "The sisters at the orphanage warned us that there were women like these out there. I didn't believe them as a child - glad I didn't turn out like that."

The whip cracked in my mother's direction once more. With Whip's back turned towards me I was allowed the time to focus and caught her in a telekinetic grasp, immobilizing her and levitating her upwards twelve feet. She struggled to escape but my grasp was firm. Mom had suffered another whiplash, but recovered. With a rather sadistic smile of her own, she proceeded to relentlessly bitch slap Whip with her telekinesis.

Julie: "Haha, it IS better to give than to receive."

With each slap, Whip's glowing aura, screams of pain and swearing grew fainter. Finally I levitated her upwards until she was a nice dizzy height, then brought her down, slamming her into the ground. Mom telepathically made sure that she was unconscious and we headed on over to where the others were. Basically everyone except Jamie, John and Jenny were present. Things weren't looking too good. Bobby, Amara, Ororo and Ray were cringed on the floor, motionless - glowing tendrils were around their wrists and legs. Mom raised her hands, preparing to send Shackle flying. The telepathic bitch sensed it and quickly turned and threw a mental shack on mom. She fell to the floor. Fortunately the diversion it caused was enough to allow Jubilee to sear her backside with a full on photon blast of her "fireworks". Shackle shrieked in pain and the bonds all dematerialized. Ororo muttered something to herself that made the perverted wheels in my head crank,

Ororo: "If only Logan were here to see this..."

The sky rumbled and the recovering Shackle was subjected to a lightning bolt that fried her leather and made her metal spiked jewellery glow. She slumped onto the ground unconscious. Just as we all breathed a sigh of temporary relief that two out of the three Sadistic Sisters were out of commission...we heard it. Jean's screams and the wicked laughter of Leash. We couldn't see what had happened...but judging by the sound of Jean's screaming, we didn't doubt that it was bad at all...

"Leashed!"

Jean had been unfortunate enough to be ensnared by Leash's controlling psionic 'weapon'. None of them ever thought that a telekinetic shield of hers could be so easily breached. Jean would have been better off trying to fly away. Emma, Betsy, Rogue and Jake all tried to rush Leash simultaneously to overwhelm her. It failed. Betsy's glowing psychic dagger was stopped before it even made contact. Rogue was held suspended in midair, punch still aimed. Emma was held motionless in diamond form, mask torn off her face for all to see. Not one of Jake's seven pain bolts managed to strike their target. What was more, all four found themselves unable to move, held tight in a telekinetic grasp that was completely irresistible. All four were then sent flying over the roof with telekinetic force.

Jean: "No!"

Leash: "I can sense such power in you...and what's this...you're pregnant? Such untapped potential - only a little training is required. Hahaha, two for one. Yes, you two are so very special indeed."

Jean: "Let me go! So help me - when I get outta this collar I'll - "

Jean tried to focus her telekinesis to attempt breaking free. It was all in vain as her powers seemed to have deserted her. Leash grinned evilly. She went on to explain that the collar was a symbol of ownership. Jean was now the "property" of Leash - and so was everything that formerly belonged to her; powers, memories, thoughts and that "special baby".

Jean: "Shut up!"

Sensing others approaching her position, Leash turned her attention towards the newcomers. And what a large group they were. They were soon joined by the four Leash had thrown over the roof. One of the females was carrying the other three persons. The combined group was rather sizeable. Leash could not sense her Sisters. It could only mean that they had fallen in combat. How fortunate that she had managed to ensnare such a powerhouse as this...Jean seemed to be.

Leash: "Time to see what you can really do, slave!"

Jean: "No! Don't! You don't know what you're dealing with!"

Furiously, Jean struggled mentally once more. And once again her body and mind abandoned her and gave control to leash...

"What You Can Really Do"

Leash: "Time to see what you can really do, slave!"

Jean: "No! Don't! You don't know what you're dealing with!"

Leash: "No holding back. I saw some of what you can do in a few your memories. Now do be good and show Mistress more."

I didn't like the sound of that at all. And the looks on the adults' faces told me that I had every right to be afraid. Bobby and the other juniors had grim expressions on their faces as well. Bad things had happened when Jean was under the Phoenix's control. And now Jean was once more in someone else's thrall. Hearing Leash's threatening words, the adults backed off a bit and warned us all to do the same. Leash took a look at the fear on our faces and smiled. Without any further warning, Jean was commanded to blast us all with a wave of telekinetic energy. It threw us all right backwards across the roof. Jean and Leash were levitating - courtesy of Jean's telekinesis - slowly towards our position.

Ororo: "Juniors! Get off this roof, now!"

Ray: "We can help!"

Ororo: "Don't contradict me. That is an order. Julie, that goes for you too! Get out of the building and try to evacuate it in the process. Go!"

The sky once more rumbled and flashes of lightning could be seen. None of us dared disobeyed her then. That said, we all got up and ran towards the door that led to the building's inside. We met Jamie running towards the action on the way. Since Shackle was knocked unconscious his bonds must have dematerializd too. Ray grabbed him and dragged him along, protesting. Leash must have sensed us trying to escape. The glowing neon sign of the stripping woman was torn down, and the doorway blocked with it.

Julie: "Dammit, that bitch has Jean totally under her control in such a short time."

Mom blasted the sign out of the way and we entered the building. Taking command, mom gave her orders.

Julie: "I'll see about mentally warning people to evacuate. It shouldn't be too hard to convince them with all the noise going on up there."

Ray: "We should be up there fighting. There are only four of them to handle - "

A loud crash interrupted him midsentence and we all paused as we heard Betsy screaming.

Julie: "We have to obey Ororo's orders. You must contact Scott immediately. He'll summon the other X-men and then I'm sure you'll all have your chance. Go."

That said, we hurriedly exited the building...

"Beg For It!"

Ray phoned the Mansion in an attempt to contact Scott. Things were fast deteriorating. The building itself had started to vibrate slightly, as if a mild earthquake was in progress. Judging by the amount of people running out, mom's warnings were being taken very seriously. When we finally made it to the outside the building, we realized that it was raining cats and dogs courtesy of Ororo. Since Jake had determined that Jenny and John were inside the bus, we headed there. No sooner had we stepped in did John's angry outburst begin.

John: "Look at the time! Do you know how long we have been waiting here?! Jean and her stupid plans! And then the bloody rain! And - "

Jake: "John, just shut up! Something's happened."

To save time with explanations, Jake explained everything telepathically in a matter of seconds.

Jenny: "Oh goodness!"

Ray: "Scott wants us in the Mansion, now."

He got behind the driver's seat and started to hotwire the ignition.

"We can't leave without my mom."

His only reply was that Scott was firm and that even he didn't dare disobey an order given in such a tone as Scott had used. The bus rumbled to life. I quickly grabbed my cellphone and dialed mom's number. After a good few rings that had me scared, she answered.

"Mom, Scott wants us in the Mansion. Where are you?"

Mom: "I grew up with Jean, Ororo and Betsy - they're all my family. I have to help them."

"Scott wants us home. You were never even an X-man. You have to come."

Mom: "Screw Scott. If I turned my back now and something happened to any - "

Her voice was cut off by wicked laughter - no doubt Leash's - and all I heard after that was static.

"Mom? Mom?!"

Jubilee: "What is it?"

"Something's happened. Mom was cut off. I have to go back."

Ray: "No! That is an order!"

He reversed quickly and I fell to my feet with the sudden momentum. In seconds we were out of the carpark. Reaching out with my mind, I managed to open the door and fly out.

Ray: "Get the hell in!"

"I'm sure you wouldn't understand, Ray! You never knew your parents."

Before anyone else could get any ideas, Jubilee closed the door and stood guard. They sped off into the night much faster than they should have considering the stormy weather.

Jake: Be careful. Leash is extremely powerful on her own. I tried to invade her mind - it didn't work. And with Jean's powers at her beck and call she won't go down easy.

Can she invade someone's mind like you can?

Jake: I don't think so. She seems to sense some things about a person. But by and large, they all seem to have a specialized form of telepathy that requires them to use those accessories. Watch your back - and don't hold anything back.

The distance between myself and the bus had become too great for me to sense Bobby.

Tell Bobby I said not to worry. I'll be careful.

Jake: I will.

At that, I speedily flew towards the roof. It was all a wreck. Everything was shattered beyond recognition. There were many smoking patches on the floor where Ororo's full strength lightning bolts had made contact. I looked around hurriedly and saw that Betsy and Ororo were all the way across to my right defending against Leash, whilst Rogue, Emma and an okay mom were trying to minimize the damage that was being wrought by Jean's telekinesis. Portions of the building were noticeably moving. As soon as I landed, mom sensed my presence and argued.

Mom: "I thought you were going home!"

"You got cut off and then I heard Leash laughing and then static. I got worried!"

Rogue: "Julie - we need all the help we can get. You can't hold this building together forever."

Was I hearing right?

"What?!"

Emma: "Jean is releasing violently powerful pulses of telekinetic energy. The building itself is buckling from the strain. Your mother's telekinesis is stabilizing the building."

"What can I do?"

Mom: "Watch our backs should Leash direct her or Jean's attentions here. I can't shield AND hold this place together."

I agreed and turned around to watch the battle. Leash seemed to be using Jean's powers to do all the work, whilst she herself casually relaxed and watched on. I could make out that Jean was crying. Shackle and Whip were nowhere to be seen. Maybe the instability of the building had scared them off or something? I didn't really care as long as they were gone - we had enough trouble with Leash around.

Ororo called down yet another lightning bolt, aimed directly at Leash. But a telekinetic shield materialized and withstood it. Leashed laughed and made some comment about the 'lightshow' she was being treated to. Betsy was facing Jean and I could tell that she was trying to break the psychic hold that Leash had on her by mind-linking.

Leash: "When you want to free a slave - you go to the Mistress."

Betsy turned her attentions to Leash and frustratedly frowned. Jake did mention that Leash seemed to be immune to mind invasion.

Leash: "Alright slave, finish this. It's getting late and I'm afraid if I stay outside in this weather I might catch a cold or something."

Jean's trembling arms rose and the floor started shaking violently. Cracks visibly appeared and started spreading across the entire roof. The rubble began to rise and hover. Betsy swore as she rose into the air. As did Ororo.

Rogue: "I'll try to distract Leash, y'all. As soon as I do - hit the bitch with everything you got!"

Rogue flew at Leash with her knuckles aimed at her head. Leash merely snapped her fingers without being bothered too much. Rogue was instantly stopped and made to join Ororo and Betsy. Leash then turned around and ordered Jean to deal with us all in like manner. Emma started to rise, followed by me, followed by mom. Mom stopped trying to stabilize the building. Three jagged shrapnel piles were levitated and hurled towards Leash instead. They all stopped in midair and were hurled right back. Mom and I simultaneously formed a shield and blocked them from impacting. Leash started hovering towards us. The floor was no good for walking on by then due to the cracks. Without mom's stabilizing influence, the building's shaking had intensified.

Leash: "Don't you wish you'd just let us get away with your money? Eh, White Tigress?"

Julie: "What is she talking about, Emma?"

Emma: "I - I have no idea!"

Julie: "You aren't going to get away with this, you bitch! Jean will break free and then she'll - "

Leash: "She's in no position to help herself, believe me on that. You were keeping this building from falling apart just now. I wonder what you can do..."

She started approaching my mother, already forming a psionic leash in her hand.

Leash: "What's this? Yet another cow breeding a future calf? I don't know what good deed I did to deserve this run of luck!"

Mom's eyes widened with fear and she went speechless.

Leash: "I have have a mind to enslave all of you in mental bondage. I've never come across such a combination of powerful mutants before. With you all serving me...goodness knows what I can accomplish!"

Leash started hovering towards my mother. Mom didn't just have herself to worry about, but her unborn child too. Wave after wave of mom's telekinetic energy frantically smashed against Leash - all in vain. Jean's shield around her protected her fully.

"Get the fuck away from my mother!"

Leash: "Shut up you brat! This takes concentration - she's a telepath! They're a lot harder to control!"

Emma: "Keep shouting, Rick! Don't let her focus!"

Leash: "I said shut up! If something goes wrong, her mind can fry...and I'm sure you wouldn't want that. She'll be my slave or a vegetable for the rest of her life - take your pick. Now shut your yaps, both your turns will come soon enough!"

She turned her back on me once more and started to reform her psionic leash. Mom started screaming incoherently. It mingled with Leash's laughter. The sound of her laughing joyfully laughing while my mother was screaming for dear life enraged me like nothing ever had before. I never felt as angry as I did right then. Not when I was faced with the bullies back home. Or when I thought Bobby had killed Jake. Or when I saw Bobby impaled by those two Morlock bitches. Not even when my father's homophobic tendencies entered the realm of public knowledge.

"I SAID LEAVE MY MOTHER ALONE, YOU FUCKING HEIFER!"

Leash turned around in a rage.

Leash: "What did you call me?!"

"You're deaf?! You might as well be a heifer with alla the leather you've got on your fat, beefy body!"

Her faced morphed into that of a raging a demoness.

Leash: "No one speaks to ME like that! And no one tells me what I can and cannot do!"

The bitch grabbed my mother by the throat and started squeezing. Mom was completely exhausted from her earlier exertions. Her trying to blast Leash away shortly before must have used up the last of her energy. She couldn't fight back or even put up a shield for protection.

Leash: "It's either life as my slave or no life at all! I'll make her beg for it!"

Emma started struggling furiously to move her limbs and sweared such dirty words at Leash - I knew then with one hundred percent certainty that whatever anyone else said of her body and mind, she was pure of heart. I focussed and directed flames towards Leash along with electrical discharges. She withstood them all and kept squeezing. I frantically reasoned - a human could survive loss of air for several minutes at the most. Time seemed to slow and I couldn't tell how much of it had gone by. Mom struggles were growing weaker and finally she went limp.

Emma: "Julie?! Julie?! You fucking whore!"

To my horror mom wasn't moving. Leash's fingers had bruised her neck badly. I didn't know if mom was dead or if she was just suffering from oxygen deprivation.

"I'll kill you for that! And if I don't, when my father finds you he'll make sure there isn't enough of you left to bury!"

Leash turned and was about to make some comment but the look on face changed from wicked to mildly fearful. Emma shifted her gaze from mom towards me and her eyes widened too. Leash backed off slightly. I don't know what they saw, and I didn't care about it. My mother wasn't moving. That was what mattered most. If I had my hands on Leash then, I didn't have any doubt that I would have killed her.

The sound of something shattering drew my attention momentarily towards the roof beneath us all. Bricks were being pulled out by the dozen. They were melting into a molten lava-like state and exploding beneath us - hence the shatering. The majority of the roof was smoking and melting, resembling a volcano crater rather than a wrecked roof. There was a massive crash then and the roof gave way, molten concrete ran down the sides of the building.

I raised my arm, pointed to Leash and swore that if my mother died, I'd bury her in the rubble. The act made me realize that I could somehow fully control my motions again. Leash was as shocked as I was. I glanced at Jean. Her tears had ceased and the look of determination in her eyes made realize that she was doing her utmost to fight Leash's domination. I could almost see her telling me to let the bitch have it. What the hell was taking Scott and the others so long? Leash quickly recovered her arrogant attitude.

Leash: "Well, if she was that pathetically weak - she wasn't worthy to be my slave anyway. I'm so sorry about your future brother or sister. It just gets me right in the ticker."

That was enough to push me over the edge. My anger rapidly rose, and the temperature did with it.

"I'll send you straight to hell!"

Emma: "Show the whore no mercy!"

I didn't plan on it.

"Arrival At Last"

Scott cursed himself for granting Jean and the others permission to go out searching for Emma. But then, if he had been vigilant enough to notice Emma sneaking off into the night - they wouldn't be in the middle of yet another Jean Grey crisis. To make matters worse, Michael was being stubborn. He saw the situation as an ample opportunity to prove his loyalty and worth. Thankfully, Professor Xavier didn't allow him to board the Blackbird with the other members of the team. But he did something almost as unnerving. He had Beast restore Michael's powers and left him in charge of the juniors in the defence of the school. The sensation of landing withdrew Scott's attention from his musings. As did Kurt's gasp.

Looking outside the window, one could see the smouldering mass of rubble that stood next to the Bayville Mall. Hopefully no one was trapped inside. News vans and helicopters surrounded the area, despite the time being close to two-thirty in the morning. Xavier performed a mental scan and ordered them to follow his lead. Slipping on their masks, they all hurriedly.

Xavier: "If Jean is being controlled by another, the consequences could be dire."

Ordinarily, Jean had to be exceedingly careful regarding the amount of energy she expended. If ever she extended her powers too far, she risked awakening the Phoenix Force. She had shown herself to possess remarkable self-control. But if that control was taken from her and given to another, the new wielder of her powers might not be as careful as Jean herself was. If Jean was being forced to over-exert herself, they very well could have to deal with another Dark Phoenix episode. And Jean and her baby would be in peril along with the rest of the planet.

As they walked right past the newscasters - unnoticed thanks to the influence of Xavier's telepathy - they could not help but wonder if perhaps they were already too late.

Scott/Cyclops: "Professor, where are we going?"

Xavier: "I can sense massive mutant energy expenditure beyond."

Beyond lay the sprawling grounds of the West Bayville Park. As they approached the outskirts, the sounds of crashes could be heard distinctly. Every now and then the ground itself rocked beneath their feet. It couldn't be a good sign...

"The Competition"

Jean had managed to regain control of her telepathy. That much she and I were thankful for. Since Leash was immune to telepathic mind invasion, Jean couldn't use it to attack her. But she did use it communicate with me. Leash had by then decided that Jean's recovery of her telepathic powers was no big deal. Apparently, telekinesis was a power she had long wished to possess. She crumbled the building to shambles and knocked the other levitating X-men into unconsciousness, to stop their swearing. It was getting on her last nerves, she said. Then she tried to cut and run for it, taking them in tow, my mother included.

I considered, if my mother were dead Leash would have probably left her behind. But she took her along too. There had to be a reasonable chance that she was alive. I followed Leash across the street, dodging an assortment of cars, mailboxes and bent traffic lights along the way. Jean could fly fast - even towing others along with her didn't burden her any.

Leash: "This is exclusively a ladies' affair - be gone!"

She lost her patience when we entered the park.

Leash: "Tell you what. Let's have a little competition. Last ten minutes with me and - "

"Let me guess - if I win, you'll release them?"

She laughed scandalously and informed me that she'd never let Jean go.

Leash: "I'll release Mommy dearest. Now aren't I a real sport?"

I had no choice but to agree to her proposition. I had no idea that Jean could fly as fast I'd seen. It was an effort for me to keep up. Scott was taking forever to arrive. I had to try and at least slow Leash down. Mom could be in dire need of medical attention.

Leash: "Yes or no?"

I answered with a fireball aimed at her face. A shield absorbed it. She tossed the unconscious women aside for fear her 'toys' would get damaged before she got them home. Jean's trembling arms raised once more and the ground began shaking. The metal water pipelines that were underground erupted beneath my feet, caging me in.

Leash: "Well, we're done here."

"Not quite."

I enjoyed the look on her face when I melted the pipes into liquid slag. She didn't budge when I began channelling the molten metal over her shield. She laughed amusedly instead as it sluiced over her telekinetic orb. I intensified the heat of the metal and kept it fluid over the shield, thoroughly encasing her.

Jean: Good. Let's see how long she can hold her breath.

Three minutes wore on, and then Leash violently expanded the shield, bursting the bubble of molten metal so she could breathe. Before she could order Jean to reform it, I seized my chance and lunged at her with an Earth powered smash punch. It knocked the wind out of her and sent her skating backwards.

Jean: Quickly, while she's off balance!

I sallied in with another salvo of blows, charging my fists with electricity. All the spiky metal jewellery on her body made for excellent conduction. Jean's plan was that I keep her too off balance to focus - the same strategy that Whip favored. As long as I could do that, she wouldn't be able to build massive energy up and Jean would be able to fight her way free more effectively. That said, I aimed another punch at her chest. Leash caught my fist, twisted and managed to get me in an armlock.

Leash: "I'm an excellent hand to hand fighter. Prepared for anything!"

"Prepared for this?"

I set my body flaming and she screamed in agony and leapt off. Whilst she was patting out a flaming patch of leather, I got a telekinetic grasp on her leg and threw her towards a garbage can. She levitated up and sent the can flying towards me. It collided with my Earth form and did no damage. My next few blows were too slow to make contact with her. She seemed to be gaining back her balance. With a kick, no doubt charged with telekinetic energy, I was sent flying into the park's pond. It was a temporary situation as I charged out of the pond and focussed a beam of water towards her.

Leash: "Protect me slave!"

To my surprise, no shield appeared and the water washed Leash across the park and into a lamppost.

Jean: Yes, while you distracted her I was able to regain control of my shielding!

Can you move things?

Jean: Not of my own will. But now she has no shields. I'll protect you so you can focus. Don't hold back. Just let her have it - we have to render her unconscious. It's the only way. She's immune to telepathic assault.

Leash got up and her glowing aura swiftly returned. She levitated upwards.

Leash: "You'll pay for your insubordination, Slave. Just as soon as I deal with this runt."

Every park bench, lamppost, garbage can, rock - every loose object started hovering in response to her anger. Two seconds later they were flung at me. Jean's telekinetic shield instantly formed a wall that they shattered against. Rising into the air, I started agitating the surrounding air into a swirling vortex. Leash rose higher, determined to fight me to the last. The ground shattered beneath her and shards of rock were sent hurtling towards me. Once again Jean's shield materialized. As the vortex intensified, Leash began to struggle to prevent being swept away. Her hold on Jean's telekinesis was weakening, at least for the moment.

Jean: Give it up, Leash! I am more powerful than you. Let it all go, Rick!

I complied and raised the gales until the branches of the surrounding trees snapped right off and became a swirling blur of greens and browns. Leash couldn't withstand it in her weakened state and was swept right along with them. I could hear her shrieks reverberating - she just refused to pass out and make it any easier on herself!

Leash didn't continue spinning indefinitely as she managed to get a telekinetic grasp on a tree trunk and pulled herself down to ground level. I relinquished my hold on the gale and landed. She got to her feet and avoided the rock spikes that I erupted from the ground. I melted them and directed the molten wave towards her. It slowed and dammed up before it could surround her. She rose once more into the air.

"Surrender, Leash! Jean's regained both her telepathy and shields - you will lose against her!"

Leash: "Never!"

She opened her mouth but wasn't allowed to complete her statement as a beam of energy approached her position. It didn't make contact due to being deflected right back towards the source. I heard Scott shout but didn't risk turning my back on Leash. Whilst she was distracted, I rose once more and unleashed bolt after bolt of electricity towards her. Another came streaking towards her courtesy of my father along with Remmy's kinetically charged cards. Leash deflected them all with similar ease.

Xavier: "Release Jean now or suffer the consequences!"

He closed his eyes and began concentrating. Seconds later his eyebrows shot up in surprise. He no doubt sensed Leash's special telepathic immunity.

"Get to mom! See if she's okay!"

Leash: "I've never felt such raw power...I'm never giving this up!"

Kurt: "You fiend!"

And that was where things took a turn for the worse. He teleported next to Leash in mid-air.

"Kurt no!"

Before he could aim his punch, she had formed another psionic leash. With a grin, she slipped it onto Kurt with little trouble. Calling Jean to her, holding Kurt with her right hand and Jean with her left, she treated us to a sadistic smile as she, Jean and Kurt teleported away from sight...

"Will She Be Okay?"

All of us gathered in the Med-Bay, even Michael. Everyone except mom had regained consciousness. She was alive. Hank said we had to be grateful for that at the least. She had went without oxygen for a considerable amount of time. Her pulse was weak and Hank said that there was a remote possiblity of brain damage. Thankfully, the embryo hadn't been damaged. At least according to Hank's scans. Jake was called in and he went to work to determine what could be done to help the situation.

Joshua: "Will she be okay? Can you help her?"

Jake: "I don't know."

Joshua: "What do you mean? You're a healer."

Jake went on to explain how his powers worked. He linked to the minds of the people he attempted to heal. But if mom's brain had suffered damage in a few critical regions, then she would be on her own. She'd have to fight her way to consciousness on her own power. The Professor then called us all in for a meeting in the War Room, leaving Jake with mom. As soon as we were all seated, the bickering began.

Betsy: "Why do I get the notion that Emma knows more than she's letting on?"

Emma: "Are you suggesting that I am to blame?!"

Professor Xavier: "Stop that right there! Julie is fighting to regain consciousness. Kurt and Jean have been abducted! This is no time for petty disagreements."

Betsy: "Professor, this Leash woman has telepathic defences the like of which I've never come across before."

Professor Xavier nodded in understanding and assured Betsy that she was in no way to blame for not stopping Leash. Emma probably tried to do the same and failed as well.

"What do we do now?"

Professor Xavier: "We have no time to lose. I shall begin scanning for Jean and Kurt immediately."

Scott: "That woman was able to deflect all of our attacks with ease."

Ororo confirmed that she seemed to have Jean's powers completely under her sway. I begged to differ and explained what had happened during our fight in the park. Jean had regained both her telepathy and shielding.

"I was only able to focus on weakening Leash because Jean shielded me while I was building up energy."

Professor Xavier: "The telepathy and shielding are of minimal importance. The majority of Jean's telekinetic power is under that sleazy woman's control. I fear that if we do not put a stop to her abuse, she may push Jean beyond her ability to control her own power. It could mean that we'll have to deal with the Phoenix."

A hand went up, Michael's.

Michael: "What's the Phoenix?"

I remembered when Jean and Scott explained it to me on Muir Island. The juniors couldn't remember the true story after being mindwiped by Phoenix. They were about nine when Jean was possessed by the good Phoenix - the ones who were around at the time. The Phoenix had possessed Jean so that it could have a body to defend the galaxy from the threat of the mad Shiar emperor, D'Ken. After this was done, it wiped the majority of the world population's memories. Including the juniors.

They remembered nothing about the alien race or the danger they were in. The juniors also didn't remember Jean's possession. Phoenix thought that it was for the best as it believed that Jean's relationship with them might suffer because of fear. After a period of five years, Phoenix turned to darkness. When they were fourteen they helped defend the school against Dark Phoenix. The juniors all thought that Jean was having alter ego problems. But the seniors all knew better. Even after the Dark Phoenix was suppressed, they were never told the the truth.

Professor Xavier: "Allow me to link to your mind and I will explain all."

After a period of several seconds, a look of understanding expressed itself on Michael's face. His eyebrows shot up and he glanced a little at the juniors. So I was pretty sure that Professor Xavier had told him the whole truth.

Michael: "And that's what we're dealing with?"

Professor Xavier: "Not yet, thankfully. Let's hope it doesn't come to that."

Scott: "I should have made her stay home."

Rogue: "It ain't your fault, Scott."

Rogue turned her gaze towards Emma.

Rogue: "Emma, you said that you were the first one up on the roof. Explain what you were doing there - dressed like a whore to boot."

Emma opened her mouth to speak. Several pairs of eyes turned accusingly towards her.

"Emma was one of their victims."

Betsy: "Oh."

Emma: "Huh - oh, yes. I was attacked right outside the mall."

Remmy: "It makes sense. Emma is a powerful telepath and whatnot. A prize catch."

Emma: "Exactly. They were also after money. They - uh - took my purse."

Someone scoffed.

Rogue: "Jake said that he saw you stripping at Strip Central."

Emma: "I was forced to do it. They even made me do private floor shows! They took all the proceeds from those too."

Betsy then asked another question. How on earth did Emma manage to escape their grasp?

Jamie: "Bobby, Rick and I saw them dragging Emma down a hallway."

Everyone gasped.

Rogue: "What were YOU doing at strip central, Jamie? You're so young."

Betsy: "Rick, aren't you gay?"

Bobby and I noticed the way Remmy was nervously shifting about. But we knew better than to raise Remmy's infidelity considering the circumstances.

"We heard from Jake that you were looking for Emma. So we decided to help."

Bobby: "Yeah. Besides, Jamie and I always wanted to get inside that place. Them hookers are smokin' hot."

Ray eyed Bobby curiously but didn't say anything.

Jamie: "Yeah, so anyway...we confronted them. Those three bitches ran to the roof and we followed. I got downed in the fight."

Bobby: "We surprised Leash and she lost her hold on Emma."

Emma: "Then each of us three chose an adversary...and that's when you all came along."

Silence reigned supreme for all of three minutes as Betsy, Rogue, Ororo, Jubilee and Amara flitted their gazes from Jamie, to me, to Bobby to Emma. Eventually, they grudgingly accepted what we were telling them as the truth.

Professor Xavier: "Thank heavens you're safe, Emma."

"Professor, something just occurred to me."

He nodded to let me know I had his attention.

"Leash said that she saw some of what Jean was capable of in a few of her memories. What if she sees the memories of Jean or Kurt that deal with the X-men? Our identities - the school could be at risk."

Emma: "Leash is very greedy...for money and power. She said that she never felt raw power before. She might try to seize the school or something if she learns too much. The students may seem like the perfect slaves for her too...apparently young and rebellious ones are her favorites..."

This new development served to make everyone even more uneasy.

Professor Xavier: "All the more reason to locate them as quickly as possible."

Ray: "Professor, you aren't going to leave us out of this are you?"

Jubilee: "If this woman has Jean under her sway - you'll need all the help you can get."

Hank, silent for some time, now spoke.

Hank: "Professor, there were newscasters all around the ruined building. The damage will hit the channels soon, conspiracy theorists will have a field day. And the surge of Jean's telekinetic energy won't go unnoticed by highly trained psychic minds either. I'm worried what would happen if Magneto were to learn of this situation. He has many powerful psychics under his command. Surely they will sense it. He somehow knew that something was wrong with you."

I didn't see Leash as the type to be taking orders from anybody. She was a self-proclaimed Mistress. She most likely wouldn't join The Brotherhood. She'd be more likely to try and use Jean's powers to fight Magneto if he came to investigate the disturbance. Professor Xavier agreed, considering her obsession with domination. And the extra strain on Jean's powers would make things worse. It could mean a showdown between Magneto and Jean - with catastrophic repercussions.

Professor Xavier: "I'm heading to Cerebro. Betsy, you must begin an aerial scan on the Blackbird. Use one of the portable Cerebro headsets. Emma, you shall go on the Hawk and scan for them in the same manner as well. The rest of you - wait for my commands and do nothing rash. Like taking off without consulting with me."

Professor Xavier dismissed us and advised us to get some rest for the time being...

"She's Going To Be Fine"

I woke up to Bobby's voice informing me to get to Med-Bay. Jake had some good news. When I got there, Logan and dad were already present.

Logan: "How is she?"

Jake: "She'll be fine. I've healed the bruises and the damage to her throat that the choking caused. The lack of oxygen - she'll take a little while to recover from that. But she will."

He then informed us that she needed to rest for the time being. Her pulse, while still weak, was stable. It was one of the few times I ever saw my father cry. He and Logan were in the Med-Bay with Jake and mom. I stood at the doorway, but I could hear everything that was being said. My father couldn't stop thanking Jake enough. Logan saw me and motioned me over.

Joshua: "She's going to be fine."

"I heard. Jake has a real gift."

Jake nodded and glanced uneasily at both dad's face and mine.

Joshua: "It was brave of you to stand up to that sick woman."

"Thanks."

Joshua: "I'm glad that you disobeyed Scott and went after your mother. It's...it's something I would have done."

I smiled a little weakly.

"You better not let Scott hear you encouraging insubordination."

Logan: "Like father, like son - eh Wildfire?"

Wildfire?

"What's - "

Joshua: "When my powers first activated...fire was the only element I could control. Because of that and my wild streak - it was Logan's nickname."

Logan had a way of giving people nicknames. I knew mom was Blondie. Jean was Red. Betsy was Brownie. Scott was Shades. And Ororo was Oreo.

Logan: "All I need is for Xavier to say the word. I'll teach that bondage bitch a thing or two about discipline."

Joshua: "So will I."

Logan: "I dunno if Scott will - "

Joshua: "I'd like to see him try and stop me."

Just then...

Professor Xavier: X-men, report to the War Room...immediately.

"City Hall"

It was on every major news channel. According to the reports, three mutant terrorists had entered the Bayville City Hall unbidden. The guards had attempted to stop them. Fifty of them were currently hospitalized having sustained massive internal injuries. The mayor and all the councillors were in session. Emphasis on 'were'. A statement had been released by one of the terrorists demanding ransom money for the safe return of the mayor and councillors. The National Guard had been dispatched and had the Hall surrounded.

Logan: "Those are a frickin' lot of tanks."

Reporter: "The president has released a statement urging the public to remain calm in the face of this act of mutant terrorism. The situation is under control."

Professor Xavier: "This is worse than I thought. She has to be insane. They will not negotiate. They will stall for time until they have the opportunity to take them down with a clear shot."

Scott: "She can instantly escape thanks to Kurt's power."

Professor Xavier: "Only if she's touching him. And if she wants to take Jean along with her, she'll have to be touching her too."

Jamie: "This is hopeless. There's no way we can win. From the moment she knows we're coming, she'll either kill the hostages or run away."

Silence...

Hank: "There is...one possibility."

We were all ears.

Hank: "She won't be able to sense us if we wear psionically shielded suits."

"But when she sees us, she can still raise hell or escape."

Hank: "Hence the next part of my idea. We take Leech along with us. He may - "

Ray: "No! You can't be serious!"

Of course, Leech. His mutant abilities allow him to sense mutant powers AND suppress them. He could suppress powers over a fair distance too. If he supressed Leash's powers, her hold on Jean and Kurt would crumble to nothing. And best of all, Leech was immune to detection by telepathy. Leech vs Leash.

Ray: "He could get hurt. He has no training. A loud noise scares him silly!"

Jubilee: "Rogue, couldn't you absorb his powers?"

Rogue: "It would probably wear off by the time we got to Leash. I could extend the time by absorbing more energy from him...but it could seriously hurt the little guy."

Professor Xavier: "It has to be his choice."

Ray: "He's not old enough to be making choices like that."

That was true. Leash was mentally the equivalent of a kid around nine for the most part.

Michael: "Um...I could go along and keep him safe."

Everyone looked from him to Ray.

Ray: "I'll...have to talk with him first."

Professor Xavier: "Of course. But make it quick."

Ray left the room. Professor Xavier went on with the meeting.

Professor Xavier: "I've recalled Emma and Betsy. They're on their way. Now, let it be known that not all of us shall be going to Bayville City Hall. For several reasons."

First off was the National Guard. The sight of a too large gathering of mutants would not go down too good with them. They might even get it into their heads that the rest of the mutant 'terrorists' had come to join the party. Maybe even to fight them off.

Professor Xavier: "We will go as two teams. One will infiltrate the building to seek Leash out. This team will escort and protect Leech."

He named the members who would form the escort team; Xavier, Michael, Logan, Peter, Ray.

It would be best to have Ray along to keep Leech calm. Michael and the Professor would be able to shield Leech for protection. Logan and Peter would be there to provide the crushing power, and Ray could attack from a distance.

"What about the other team?"

Professor Xavier: "I'm certain that there will be snipers and assassins skulking around the building. The second team will be in charge of dealing with them."

"You want to attack the National Guard - but the X-men will be branded as terrorists and outlawed."

Professor Xavier: "Which is why we will not be dressed in uniform and will be anonymous. I can only hope the damage done to human-mutant relations is not too extensive."

Scott: "Who will form the second team?"

Professor Xavier: "We will probably require psychics to determine the location of these assassins. But I expect psionically shielded soldiers might be present. In any case - Jake and Betsy will go. They can both attack from range. So will Remmy - his stealth will be an asset. Warren may be able to locate some by aerial spying. Scott, you shall command them."

Ororo: "And what of the rest of us."

Professor Xavier: "The rest of you shall remain at the school. If Leash has learned who we are and where we're located...she may use Kurt's power to teleport here to seize control before the rest of us can return. We need you to guard this school."

The door then opened and Ray entered with a shy Leech.

Ray: "He said he'd do it. But I want to be there."

Professor Xavier: "Granted. I myself shall accompany you. Let's suit up, shall we?"

Meanwhile In Genosha...

Magneto and Brainchild were watching the live news feed with rapt attention. Hours ago, Brainchild had alerted him that Cerebra had detected a massive burst of psychic energy in the Bayville area. Now, hours later every news channel was carrying the story of the mutant attack on Bayville City Hall live. The two events could not be completely isolated and unrelated to each. The National Guard had surrounded the compound after the entire contingent of the hall's guards was somehow disabled.

Magneto: "Powerful psychic energy..."

Brainchild: "In the same geographical area as the Xavier Institute..."

Magneto: "You don't think the person generating this energy could be Charles' attacker? Mystique's future assassin?"

Both he and Brainchild were convinced that a powerful psychic was responsible for the expulsion of Charles' mind.

Brainchild: "Such a surge of activity right after Charles' recovery is a bit too convenient to be chance, I should think. Perhaps this person wants Charles dead so badly they're trying to draw him out. We both know Charles won't sit still while this is going on."

Magneto nodded. He would certainly accompany his X-men to deal with such a psychic threat himself. But in this case, it would mean going against the National Guard.

Magneto: "I must learn who is this person capable of generating such energy. Has Gateway returned from his pilgrimage?"

Brainchild: "Yesterday."

Magneto: "Have him open a portal to Bayville."

"They Know What They're Doing"

Ororo had run of the Mansion with the Professor away. Whilst she had everyone else stationed at their posts, she insisted that I join my father in Med-Bay. In the hours following Jake's healing, mom had regained consciousness. She was bodily okay, but said that she had a splitting migraine from over exerting her telekinetic powers the night before. Dad had Hank route a signal into the Med-Bay so that we could view the live broadcast of the action going down at Bayville City Hall.

Julie: "All this trouble from one night out...I know it used to happen to us too. But nothing like this."

I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at that statement.

Joshua: "I wanted to go along to deal with that bitch myself but - "

Julie: "Haha, Scott?"

Joshua: "It wasn't him, it was Xavier. You know Scott couldn't stop me from doing what I wanted to."

Julie: "I rather have you here. I don't want to run the risk of that heifer putting a leash on you."

Joshua: "I know - you're the only one with that privilege."

Julie: "Don't you ever forget that."

They both giggled a tad bit too lasciviously for my taste. I had to clear my throat to make them stop. We all directed our attention to the monitor once more. Things looked pretty quiet although we were certain that Professor Xavier and his group were inside the building. I supposed the quietness was a good sign that Jean was being given a break from her powers.

"Well, since the tanks aren't advancing, it's safe to say that no one's been discovered."

Mom: "Good. I don't like the looks of those tanks."

Joshua: "I'm sure they know what their doing."

I was sure they did. But so did Leash. I kept my fingers crossed and my eyes glued to the screen...

"Jean Gives Guidance"

Logan sniffed and motioned for the other members of the escort team. Xavier didn't trust his telepathy one hundred percent as he suspected the soldiers to be wearing psionically shielded armor. The door to main chamber lay ahead. It was closed and most certainly locked. They'd have to find another way to get in without attracting the attention of Leash.

Jean: The balcony...

Xavier: What? Jean?

The media balcony. There's a door down the hall to your right...hurry.

Xavier: "Follow me."

Logan: "Where?"

Xavier: "Jean herself just directed me. There's a balcony used by the media. It overlooks the chamber. From there Leech can be safe while suppressing Leash's powers. Hurry."

"Unleashed"

Leash angrily spoke to the negotiator on the other side of the telephone connection. They were being stubborn, even more stubborn than she expected. Honestly, how hard was five million dollars to come by? Surely the lives of thirty councillors were worth it? They were lucky that she wasn't asking for ten million. And she even left out the bit about a plane at the airport to take her to Mexico. She had brought along her own transport.

Leash: "That's it - one of them dies every five minutes. Starting from now. And to prove it - I'll be sending out the bodies!"

Scanning through the crowed, Leash picked out a woman who looked to be in her late fifties. The old hag had been eyeing her in a superior fashion ever since the hostage taking had begun. Quite frankly, Leash found her quite annoying. She pointed to the old crone and ordered her favorite slave to single her out and float her over to the window where all the army spies could see her. To her annoyance, nothing happened.

Leash: "Lift the bitch!"

When that had no effect, she turned around and saw Jean with her arms folded, neck free of any controlling collar. She glanced at her next, blue furred slave and saw that he was similarly without his collar.

Leash: "Oh dear..."

Kurt: "You are all free. Get out of here!"

At that signal, every councillor present rushed out through the now open doors.

Leash: "Look, guys....haven't I been a good mistress to you..."

Jean: "Should you or should I?"

Kurt: "You know my distaste for striking women."

At that Jean mentally seized the now struggling and trembling Leash whilst Professor Xavier and the rest hovered down from the balcony.

Logan: "Jean, are you okay?"

Jean: "Thankfully, yes. But this bitch won't be once I'm through with her."

So saying, Jean liquified the metal jewellery on Leash's body as well as all the metal fittings in sight, created a chain and bound Leash tightly with it. She glanced closely behind Ray and saw a familiar figure huddling.

Jean: "Looks like we've got ourselves a new member."

Peter: "This is all very heartwarming my friends...but I really think we should get out of here."

As if on cue,

Soldier: This is the National Guard! Come out with your hands up! We have you surrounded!

Professor Xavier: "Kurt?"

Kurt: "I can't remember the layout of this place. This is a big building..."

Michael: "Gather close everyone. I'm bustin' us outta here."

Logan didn't really like the sound of that. But considering their limited options he had no choice but to comply...

"Now!"

Watching from the Med-Bay, we saw a crowd rush out madly from City Hall where they were greeted by the National Guard. Next, we heard the spokesman for the Guard demanding that any and all mutants inside give themselves up. The tanks however began pulling back. They claimed that the place was surrounded. So why were they pulling their tanks back?

Julie: "Do you think they're okay?"

Two seconds later, the west wall of the building broke asunder and a blue orb of telekinetic energy emerged. As soon as this happened we all heard the same spokesman from the National Guard shout out "Now!".

"Now?"

Julie: "What does that mean?"

"The Robot Thingies!"

No sooner had Michael's orb burst through the walls of the building did the true plan of the National Guard manifest itself. The screeching sound from above attracted the attention of all present. The clouds obscured vision at first. It couldn't be a supersonic plane since the area over the city was a no fly zone. Xavier quickly ordered Kurt to take Leech as far away as possible from the grounds and stand guard over him. Jean made him wait, knocked Leash unconscious and made sure her bonds would hold. Then she made Kurt take them both off the grounds. Not a moment too soon either. As the screeching drew nearer the constructs emanating the sounds became visible through the clouds - to the dismay of every mutant present.

Xavier: "Dear God."

Michael: "The robot thingies!"

Jean: "Sentinels!"

Michael: "Um, yeah - those."

Logan: "Leave it to the fuckin' government. I suppose this is what the president meant by sayin' everything was under control."

Xavier: "Spread out!"

"Bring Our People Home"

Ororo: "They're outnumbered! We have to get down there and bring our people home."

Both the Blackbird and the Hawk had been holographically disguised. Scott had taken the Hawk and Logan the Blackbird. Hence, our transportation problem. After seeing Sentinel after Sentinel descending from the blue on national television, I made a promise to myself never to trust the government again. Scott said that the government had disarmed their batch of Sentinels when the program was scrapped.

Jubilee: "We can't use the roads cuz they're all blocked for miles around."

Bobby: "I can slide some of us along."

Rogue: "I suppose I could carry a few along with me."

Ororo: "If you can stand it - we can ride the winds. But it may be a very rough ride."

"If you provide the power to get us there Storm, I can steady us without trying too hard."

The door to the War Room opened and dad rushed in wearing one of the training uniforms. Ororo insisted that we wear nothing with an X-logo and masks were mandatory. Under no circumstances whatsoever was anyone to learn that the X-men were standing against the state.

Joshua: "I'm coming with you!"

Ororo: "Ordinarily, I'd say no. But this isn't anything near ordinary."

Ororo insisted that David, Jamie and John remain at the Mansion. Their powers weren't anything much more than defensive against the might of the Sentinels. It meant that among the adults, Ororo, Hank, Rogue, Emma and dad were going. Me, Bobby, Jubilee, Roberto and Amara were to join them.

Ororo: "Let's not waste anymore time."

"The Sentinel Swarm"

It was with a slight sense of nausea that Ororo set us all down onto the blackened grounds of City Hall. The National Guard had pulled back. But there were at least seven Sentinels in sight and the screeching from above meant that more had to be on the way.

Ororo: "Fan out!"

We complied and split apart, forcing the Sentinels to do the same. Amara transformed into her Magma form and melted the ground beneath the closest Sentinel into a molten state. It lost its footing and fell to its knees. As it did so it fired a burst of laser towards Roberto who was running towards it. I deflected the blast with a shield. Roberto, in his super strong fiery form, quickly rushed up its body and began battering away at the head. Its flailing arms almost managed to catch hold once or twice, but he kept up the assault until he could tear the head off. Without the controlling unit, the Sentinel began the twitch uncontrollably. It easily succumbed to Ororo's lightning bolt.

Ororo: "Quickly, to the other side of the building! We have to locate the others. We're here in a defensive role - not offensive."

We all obeyed. There was no way in which we could take out all the Sentinels. We had to find the others, assist them, then get the hell out of there. That said, Amara raised a wall of solid rock from the ground with dad's help. Bobby coated it with a thick layer of ice to bolster it and we all headed towards the western side of the building. I was pretty sure we were on the right track due to the fact that the flashes of Scott's optic blasts could be seen. Sure enough when we turned the corner, we saw Scott and the members of his team backed up against a wall.

Scott: "About time you got here!'

Amara threw a fireball in the Sentinels' direction to get their attention. Jubilee did the same with her photon blasts. The two of them started advancing. As soon as the closest one turned its back, Remmy went to work. He ran up to its left leg unnoticed and charged it with kinetic energy, then he jumped off. Seconds later the leg exploded, landing the Sentinel on its knees. Several compartments opened from its torso and familiar looking, mobile spider mines crawled out.

Bobby: "Uh oh, I remember those."

Yeah, the portable bombs that me and Ray had fallen out over on our first Sentinel exercise in the Danger Room. I levitated them upwards into the air where they exploded harmlessly. The second Sentinel was at the moment dueling with both Rogue and Hank. They each had an arm and at a signal pulled. With a deafening CRACK both arms came off. The eyes of their Sentinel glowed crimson and released a burst of laser that hit Rogue full on. She fell dazed. Hank seized the opportunity to batter the droid with its own arm. After a cascade of blows it fell.

Remmy: "Rogue!"

Jake: "On it!'

Scott had by that time blasted the other prone Sentinel into scrap metal.

Emma: "I'm sensing Charles and the others. They're to the south east of the building."

Scott: "We better - "

Male Voice: "Stay where you are!"

When the smoke from the burning Sentinel bodies cleared we saw that it was the National Guard. With their tanks. Tanks well within firing range with a legion of soldiers, all aiming their weapons right towards us.

Male Voice: "On the ground!"

None of us made any movement except to back off slightly.

Male Voice: "Last warning. On the ground."

The guns all clicked as the safety devices on them were turned off.

Emma: "Thank goodness I'm bullet proof."

Emma blew a sigh of relief whilst Betsy snorted angrily.

Betsy: "Are you rocket proof? I guess we'll find out if those tanks fire, eh?"

Male Voice: "Fire!"

I instinctively formed a shield around us. Bullets ricocheted helter skelter. The sky darkened as Ororo rained lightning bolts among the soldiers, dispersing them. Then the tanks fired full scale rockets. There was no way that I could possibly shield against that. We all knew it and cringed. When nothing happened, we risked a glance and saw the rockets had frozen in midair. Another salvo was fired. The same thing once again happened.

Joshua: "Rick..."

"It isn't me."

The rockets turned around and pointed towards the tanks that had fired them. Seeing this, men in the tanks quickly bolted out and ran for dear life. The rockets then flew towards the tanks, reducing them to dented, burnt out versions of their former selves.

Betsy: "I don't sense anyone else in the nearby vicinity."

Jake: "Neither do I."

Scott: "We'll think about it later. Let's get the rest to the jets and get out of here!"

Several more screeches were heard as five more of the Sentinel swarm touched down...

"Don't Just Stand There, You Fools!"

Logan was holding onto the back of a Sentinel for dear life, riding it like he was in a rodeo. With continuous rakes of his claws, he had managed to slice the skull right off. Against his better judgement, he slashed at the electronic brain of the droid and received the electric shock of his life. With a wild yell, he was thrown off the body of the Sentinel by the sheer force of the electric current. As he fell, his body's descent slowed as Jean lowered him into Peter's arms.

Jean: "Logan!"

Logan: "Just need a minute...or maybe two."

Jean turned her attention towards the droid. Wave after wave of telekinetic force collided with the Sentinel's superstructure. The slashes Logan's claws had inflicted widened along the body until the metallic skin began fluttering and peeling off.

Logan: "Don't push yourself too - "

Jean: "I know what I'm doing, Logan."

Three micromissiles were launched against her. Under her influence, their course altered as they executed a 180 degree turn, right back at the Sentinel. It fell to its knees, emitting a pulse of laser at the same time. Jean instantly blocked it with a telekinetic shield. Logan had by then recovered and returned to his feet.

Logan: "Jean, I really think - "

Jean: "I damned well know what I'm doing!"

Jean's irritation seemed to fuel her powers as layer after layer of metal peeled off the Sentinel like wet paper, reducing it to little more than an array of sparking wires. With the armor worn away, it was a small matter for Jean to compress the wiry debris into a spherical mass of metal. Looking at it, no one would ever believe that it was the remains of a Sentinel. Just as Logan breathed a sigh of relief, four more Sentinels touched down, blocking their escape route to the jets.

Jean: "Okay, now I'm getting frickin' pissed!"

Michael was finding the Sentinels to be more problematic than they were in the Danger Room simulations. For one thing, their armor seemed extremely difficult to crack with telekinesis alone. Even Xavier had to use other objects to dent and chip away at it first. And as luck would have it, there wasn't so much as a rock nearby. The Sentinel came down on him with an extra heavy lunge punch. Michael concentrated until the arm's motion slowed then stopped.

Michael: "Some help here!"

Peter came rushing over in his metallic form, focussing a punch. Thankfully it pierced the right leg. Peter immediately went to work and started tearing the hole open. Michael was kept occupied as he deflected blast after blast of laser fire from Peter. Once the hole was big enough, Peter leapt out of the way as Ray approached and electrified the struggling Sentinel's insides.

Ray: "It's gonna blow!"

All three dashed out of the way just as the explosion rocked the ground.

Xavier: "Three more?! I was beginning to think we were through."

All six X-men were exhausted and could only back away as the latest arrivals approached their position. Inexplicably, their rate of advance slowed until all three stopped.

Michael: "What are they waitin' for?"

Seconds later, full power optic blasts from Scott's visor pierced through the legs of one Sentinel. It fell helplessly, taking the others down with it like a stack of dominoes. Xavier glanced across the field of battle and breathed a sigh of relief as Scott and the others advanced, with Ororo and company trailing behind. All present waited for the fallen Sentinels to make a move. They didn't so much as budge and seemed utterly lifeless.

Magneto: "Well don't just stand there you fools!"

Xavier: "Erik?!"

There was no response...

Ororo: "Well, that explains what happened with the rockets."

Xavier: "Everyone, follow me. We're getting out of here before something else happens. I'm getting too old for this..."

"Home At Last"

We stepped out into the hangar shakily. It had been a very bumpy ride. The Hawk and Blackbird were outfitted with top of the line stealth equipment. But somehow, several Sentinels managed to pick up our trail along the way. Both aircraft had to make use of some aerial acrobatics, high level telekinesis of Michael and Professor Xavier, as well as forces of nature unleashed by Ororo to escape them. Stopping to pick up Kurt, Leech and Leash from their hiding place didn't do anything to throw the Sentinels off our trail either. But at long last we ditched them and were safely in the hangar.

Leash: "Oh my damn!"

Jean: "Yes, enjoy it while you can, bitch. Come on, I'll show you to your room."

That said, Jean roughly dragged Leash off, heading to the Brig. Mostly everyone was bruised and sore. Including Rogue - Jake had not fully dealt with the laser burn. He just restored her from her dazed condition so she could fight again. Remmy was supporting her as they walked off arm in arm.

Bobby: "Good for nothing - "

"Not now, Bobby."

Professor Xavier: "Everyone, you're dismissed for now. Get some rest. We'll debrief in five hours at sixteen hundred hours."

"The Debriefing"

We all sat at in the War Room, some of us on makeshift seats as we were so many, debriefing. Whilst the menfolk were reasonably calm, the womenfolk were downright bitchy. Jean, Emma and the Professor seemed to be carrying on the entire debriefing whilst the rest of us looked on. Professor Xavier had said that he left orders that no one was to leave the Mansion. Especially since so many members were already absent. He wanted to make sure that the school was adequately staffed in his and the other men's absence. He had even granted Jean permission to have her little 'party' on the agreement that it was held on the grounds and kept resonably tame.

Professor Xavier: "Why were my orders disobeyed?"

All female eyes turned towards Emma.

Emma: "What?"

All females, women and teenagers, instantly brought up Emma's mysterious disappearance from the Mansion. That led to the Professor asking how they were alerted to Emma's disappearance in the first place. That led to them revealing that us guys told them.

Professor Xavier: "And how did you gentlemen find out?"

Yes, how indeed. Ray knew better than to lie to Professor Xavier. Whilst he wouldn't pry into minds to find the truth, he'd almost certainly be able to tell if he were being lied to. And in his current mood - it didn't seem like such a wise idea. Thankfully, Ray accepted all responsibility. One of the first noble acts as a leader I'd ever give him credit for.

Ray: "I...used the security codes to check out the spy cameras."

Professor Xavier: "I see. Abuse of power and authority. I gave you those codes because I thought you were a mature young man and wouldn't abuse them. I suppose I was wrong."

Ray hung his head in shame.

Jean: "Professor, we just had to investigate."

Professor Xavier: "Emma, kindly explain to me what you were doing out of the Mansion grounds?"

Emma: "It's all quite simple, Charles."

Emma had apparently gone out to do a little night shopping at the Mall. She barely had enough time the previous Friday and desperately needed to restock her wardrobe.

Betsy: "Yes, restock it with clothes worthy of a southern whore."

Jubilee: "Damn right!"

Jean went on to explain what Jake had sensed at Strip Central. That raised the Professor's eye. Though not for the reason I first thought.

Professor Xavier: "Strip Central..."

Emma: "Charles, I haven't even been formally inducted as an X-man yet. I'm still a counselor. And nothing is wrong with ME going out at night to shop. They're ALL X-men...your orders were for THEM."

The Professor nodded and I knew that Emma had a very cogent point. Our new counselor had not yet made an appearance. She was still just a counselor who 'helped' out in other ways from the goodness of her heart.

Emma: "Besides - why is everyone looking at me like that?! I am a victim here!"

Emma went on to give such a realistic account of her mental assault and domination at the hands of Leash, Shackle and Whip - even I almost believed her! The level of detail didn't go unappreciated by the other men either. I distinctly saw Logan, Warren and even Kurt shifting around and adjusting themselves. Emma had just reached the part where they made her dress like a White Tigress and strip on stage when Jean angrily interrupted.

Jean: "You expect me to believe a cockamamie story like that?"

Emma: "But it's the truth! Whether you believe it or not. I have witnesses, Jean."

Emma pointed to me, Bobby and Jamie. We all nodded as solemnly as we possibly could. Jean looked at us - me in particular - as if she had been bitch slapped in the face.

Jean: "You can fool the men, Emma. But you can't fool me. I know exactly why you're here!"

Emma remained as calm and cool as ever.

Emma: "Yes, to do my bit in fostering greater human-mutant relations. As well as to relieve you from some of your psycho-tasks during your pregnancy."

Professor Xavier: "Since Emma has three witnesses, we'll have to take her word as the truth."

Jean scoffed and changed her hurt look into one of anger and glared openly at us - Emma's witnesses. We all cringed somewhat.

Professor Xavier: "Well, at least these...Sadistic Sisters have been disbanded. And their leader, Leash is in our custody. But I fear the attack on Bayville City Hall has had some serious repercussions."

He went on to speak about the Sentinels. Apparently the government wasn't being entirely truthful when they reported that they had scrapped the program. And the mass public probably wasn't going to make too much of a fuss about it since they were deployed in order to quell a terrorist attack by a mutant group. The attack on the Hall gave the government the justification it needed to restart the program should they so wish.

Scott: "Professor, that scanning technology you sent us to get in our last mission. You don't think they want to equip the Sentinels with that do you."

Professor Xavier: "It is a distinct possibility. But I have worse news. I want to show you this statement the President made whilst you were all resting. Cerebro recorded it."

The large monitor flickered and we were all treated to a visual of the president speaking...

President Kelly: "...has hopefully opened the eyes of the American public to the very real threat that mutants pose."

Reporter: "But what have you to say in response to the allegations that you lied to the public about the shutdown of the Sentinel program?"

President Kelly: "I lied to protect the people. If we didn't dispatch those Sentinels to Bayville, can you imagine what could have happened? Fifty guards are currently hospitalized suffering massive internal injuries. Those Sentinels probably prevented a bloodbath."

Reporter: "What of their programming? Didn't the originals have programming flaws that turned them lethal?"

President Kelly: "Their programming has been decompiled and re-written from the foundation up. We do not intend to use the Sentinels as mutant exterminators. But we do intend to use them for the protection of the people of this country when and where such vicious occurences occur."

Reporter: "Are the Sentinels going to effectively police the mutant community?"

President Kelly: "Only when they are absolutely required. I called this press conference to announce that the Mutant Registration Act has been ratified. Sentinels shall act in accordance to its mandates when dealing with dissident mutants."

Reporter: "Surely, you've heard of the X-men all the way in Washington? What about them?"

President Kelly: "What ABOUT them? Where were they when this attack took place? I thought they claimed their aim was to promote human-mutant understanding? To use their abilities for the good of all? Don't forget...they're mutants. Those terrorists were mutants."

John: "That jackass!"

Professor Xavier turned off the recorded broadcast and switched on a presentation of some sort.

Professor Xavier: "They intend to start registering mutants by next week. Most of us know that they've been fighting to push this act through for a while."

Ororo: "Madness! Why should we be registered to live?"

Considering that the entire population of the Mansion was mutant...you could see the problem. According to information Professor Xavier pulled off the internet, leading scientists had years back come up with a system for mutant classification. Since the Mutant Registration Act was ratified - they only then took it upon themselves to publish it.

Professor Xavier: "The Greek letter classification system. That's what they're calling it."

Logan: "So how does this shit work?"

The screen altered as Professor Xavier clicked a button.

Professor Xavier: "At the very bottom of the hierarchy - we have the Zeta level mutants. These are individuals with no superhuman traits but whose DNA is mutated with the result that they merely look superficially different. Or they have some fundamental biochemical difference. For example, green hair. They have no advantageous traits compared with baseline humanity."

Scott took the liberty of reading out the next few lines out loud in his haste, unable to wait for the Professor.

Scott: "Hmm, then there's Epsilon. Mutants with minor advantageous traits but severe physical and / or biochemical abnormalities."

Ororo: "Deltas - mutants with advantageous superhuman traits who have no disadvantageous flaws."

Hank: "Gammas - mutants possessing powerful abilities with major flaws."

Professor Xavier: "Beta level mutants have very powerful mutant abilities with minor flaws. Then there are Alphas with very powerful traits but who have NO flaws whatsoever."

There were six main classifications of mutants then; Zeta, Epsilon, Delta, Gamma, Beta and Alpha. From weakest to strongest apparently. Beta and Alpha mutants were supposedly equally powerful. But Betas have minor flaws and Alphas have no flaws.

Hank: "But what are the criteria they intend to use to make such classifications possible?"

Professor Xavier: "I'll let Moira answer that question."

A communication channel was opened and the voice of Dr. Moira Mactaggert greeted us.

Moira: "Hello, my friends."

Scott: "Moira, how much faith do you have in these classifications?"

Moira's answer shocked most of the people present.

Moira: "A fair amount...I actually helped to develop the system."

Jean: "What?! Moira, how could you?"

Moira: "It wasn't in support of mutant registration, lass. I wanted to help develop a system that would help me place mutants at my facility to the sectors best suited to their individual needs. And so I worked alongside other scientists to that end."

Jean: "I'm sorry, Moira. It isn't your fault."

Emma: "Indeed not, dear. Jean's been jumping at everyone's gullet today."

Jean growled low in her throat whilst Moira went on to answer Scott's question.

Moira: "For the most part the system is qualitative. The nature of the abilities and flaws determine the level. Take my son Kevin for example. He has powerful mutant abilities that allow him to warp reality. But his mutation also means his body wears out if not in a dampening field. And there is also his extreme weakness to metal. Under the scheme, he would be classified as a Gamma level mutant."

Hank: "So the flaws they're talking about are only flaws originating from the DNA itself. Not from anything else - like accidents or mental issues?"

Moira affirmed Hank's question.

Professor Xavier: "Moira, I came across the term, Omega. But it was not described at all. Can you explain it to us?"

Moira: "That term was scrapped, Charles. There is also quantitative aspect to the classification. Sentinel scanning technology was superbly modified to detect levels of mutant energy emission. The higher the emission, the higher the mutant class tends to be - but not always. For example, a Gamma level mutant can exceed an Alpha level's power rating. But the Alpha has no flaws whilst the Gamma definitely has major flaws."

It all sounded rather complex. Moira then went on to explain that not all mutants in one group are equal. Some are more powerful than others.

Hank: "But you haven't explained what Omega means?"

Moira: "Yes, I was coming to that. For the most part, the mutant energy emission increases from Epsilon to Delta to Gamma to Beta and Alpha. Zeta's have only the barest trace. We initially thought that there could very possibly be an emission level higher than Alpha. But we have not yet come across such a mutant. An Omega class of mutants - should it exist - would quite possibly be the next step in human evolution. We don't even know if they'd have major flaws or not. But their power rating would be ultimate. You could say that Omega is akin to the Infinity of mathematics - undefined."

Professor Xavier: "So for all practical purposes - there are six classes?"

Moira: "I should think your government would ignore Zetas for the most part. They have no superhuman traits anyway. And the chances for two Zetas having a child with high level abilities is abysmally low. Crossbreeding Zetas also yield low numbers of higher level mutants."

Professor Xavier: "How are these tests carried out exactly?"

Moira: "First, we take an electroencephalogram of brainwave activity. Ninety percent of mutants can be identified as mutant by this method. The ones who are not tend to be Zetas. Then we take a DNA sample as well as a basic physical examination. I expect your government will be using the scanning technology to determine your mutant energy levels as well. The results can be had in a day's time thanks to automated computer analysis."

The Professor thanked Moira for her help and closed the link.

Professor Xavier: "Well, the past is past. We must decide on a course of action now."

Hank: "Charles, an excellent place for them to start will be at the schools. They'll be able to reach several generations at once via the school system. And private though this facility is...we will be investigated. We are a 'School For Higher Learning' after all."

Professor Xavier: "I know, Hank. If they come here they can legally test all of us - it is the law now."

Emma: "Oh dear. You don't suppose we can pull a few strings do you?"

Hank: "Strings? Emma, we'd have to pull quite a few cables."

Jean: "Besides, Emma...don't you know how much influence and / or money that would take?"

Jean threw Emma piercing look.

Professor Xavier: "I...have an idea. For now, it's business as usual. Let me handle this..."

So saying, the Professor dismissed us all...leaving us to brood upon what could happen in the near future...

"A Weight Off My Shoulders!"

Emma: "Oh, thank you so much my darlings! You've taken a weight off my shoulders!"

Emma cornered me, Bobby and Jamie in an empty hallway and proceeded to squeeze the life out of us in an emotional hug. I never knew she could be so strong in her untransformed state. There were actually tears in her eyes as she contemplated how close she was to her secret being found out. I semi-enjoyed the hugging. I know Bobby hated it and Jamie was downright loving it.

"Emma...are you in some sort of...trouble?"

Emma: "I guess you could say that my financial situation of late has been less than comforting."

What a nice, gentle way to put it. So Jean was right after all. A confession from Emma's own lips. That private investigator was good.

Bobby: "Just how broke are you?'

Emma pouted.

Emma: "I'm very - as you would say - broke. As a matter of fact, I need to work as an X-man and have an alternate source of income to pay off several large debts I've accrued."

Alternate source of income must have meant stripping and / or personal shows. She wouldn't have the benefit of being school counselor for much longer anyway.

Jamie: "I wish we could do something to help."

Emma replied that we were not to worry and that we already had done much to help her.

Bobby: "Why don't you ask the Professor for help?"

Emma: "I don't want to sponge off Charles. No, I'll try to find a way out of this myself."

Just then footsteps were heard and all four of us moved more widely apart. Jean was walking down the hallway, ostentatiously ignoring us.

Emma: "I hope I haven't gotten you boys into any trouble with Jean."

Jamie: "Don't sweat it, Emma."

I sure hoped not.

"I gotta go check in with my, mom."

Bobby: "Yeah, I think I'll go see her too."

Emma: "Don't you have anywhere to go, Jamie?"

Jamie: "Oh, not really."

We left them chatting in the hallway...

"After All I've Done For You"

Jean: "Well, I guess I know where we stand now, huh?"

"Jean, come on. Don't be that way."

She may have been ignoring us when she walked by, but she waited around the corner and pounced as Bobby and I turned it. And then she started up on her guilt trip. She was the first to learn that I was gay - and she was supportive and understanding. She was my constant rock and refuge whenever I needed advice or someone to talk to. When I had to go for survival training with Logan and the others, she broke the rules and helped me sneak food on board the Blackbird. She taught me how to sorta-fly the said Blackbird. She confided to me one of her deepest secrets (no doubt the true Phoenix story). I was the first person she revealed her possible pregnancy to. Not even Ororo knew before me, she said. She was going to name her baby after me if it turned out to be a boy. She helped me decieve the self-same Emma on my Saturday sessions. The same Emma I was now defending. The same Emma who once called me an irritating little shit. On two separate occasions she stood up to my alter ego.

Bobby: "Hey, that's just low - "

Jean: "As I recall, Robert...one of those incidents was to save your icy behind from getting pulverized in the Danger Room by Eric."

Jean: "When your father went crazy on your birthday, Rick...I stood up for you and even signed those custody papers. No matter how it hurt them!"

"Jean, I - "

Jean: "That's Miss Grey to you."

I looked at her semi-amused, trying out the best puppy dog eyes I could manage. Her facial expression was one of utter seriousness and it didn't alter one bit.

Jean: "After all I've done for you, THIS is the way you repay me? You LIE in Emma's defence! She's in all probability laughing her ass off at me - and you helped her do it!"

Emma wasn't laughing at anyone. And she wasn't exactly going around mind controlling men and stealing their wealth. And Jean wasn't doing anything for the greater good. She just wanted to bring down Emma because of her past issues with her. So were the other women. That and they were insecure in their relationships. Emma was trying to overcome her past faults - and trying so damned hard too. I argued the point.

"Besides, it wasn't like Emma was doing what The Sadistic Sisters were doing!"

Bobby: "Frankly, I thought you grown ups would be the ones setting a good example. You couldn't resist spying and tracking Emma down and look what happened."

Jean left eyebrow twitched violently. Scott once identified it to me as the Bitch Twitch - when it starts to twitch, Jean becomes a bitch.

Jean: "So you're saying that what happened is all my fault? Is that it?"

Bobby: "Well, if you all didn't go - then Emma mighta gotten pulverized or controlled. But YOU wouldn't have gotten leashed. And then Leash wouldn't have had the power to do what she did. And then the government wouldn't have been able to pass the Mutant Registration Act or start up the Sentinel program again. And we wouldn't have had to be worried about another Dark Phoenix crisis."

Jean's voice raised.

Jean: "Oh...so THAT's what had everyone worried! Phoenix! All the time it was the fucking Phoenix! Didn't anyone care about me?! That I was trapped by that ho's powers?! Or about my baby?! And what about Kurt?"

Bobby: "Of course we were worried about you guys. But - "

Jean: "I've warned you time and time again about Emma. You want to learn the hard way - fine! Just don't come to me when shit happens. From here on out - our relationship is teacher / student. Good day, mister...McKenzie Jr!"

I really hadn't expected that one at all - not after my name change. I mean, yeah - I knew she'd be mad. But THAT mad...?

"Jean, I only did what I thought was - "

She stopped, turned around briskly and actually FLIPPED ME THE FRICKIN' FINGER before going about her business.

Bobby: "Just give her a day to cool off. She flipped John off once when he walked into the X-women's changing room by 'accident'. She'll be cool by tomorrow."

I wanted to believe Bobby's enthusiastic words. But there was something about Jean's manner that made me feel that things were not going to be quite the same between us for a while to come...

"Pass The Pepper"

Jean: "Will someone please tell Mr McKenzie junior to please pass the pepper?"

Several pairs of eyes glanced from Jean to me to Jean again. Whose blasted idea was it for us all to eat dinner together like a family again? Oh yeah, mom's. Way to go, mom...

"Will someone please tell Miss Grey that I have no idea where the pepper is? If or when I locate it - she'll be the first to know."

Most people remained quiet, though everyone knew something was up. Mom quickly tried to change the mood with a compliment to Betsy.

Julie: "Betsy, is this Cornish Hen your handiwork?"

With haste,

Betsy: "Why, yes! It took me three hours to perfect."

Jean: "It needs pepper. Pity that it just mysteriously disappeared - it pulled an Emma, you might say."

Emma's fork dropped suddenly, but she said nothing. If Jean wanted to be a bitch to me then I'd just have to fight fire with fire.

"I think the seasoning's perfect, Betsy. It definitely doesn't need any more pepper."

Jean: "Speaking as a master of the culinary arts - this needs more pepper."

Emma: "I humbly beg to disagree. I'm a rather accomplished gourmet myself. And I find the pepper to be just adequate. Only someone without...taste would say it needs more."

I smiled slightly in the direction of the ally. Silence and stares abounded for several minutes. Nervously, Professor Xavier attempted to subtly change the topic.

Professor Xavier: "Mhmmm, Betsy, I'm almost tempted to relieve you of X-duties and put you in charge of the cafeteria."

There was a general murmur of approval. Betsy was certainly a good cook. And I could tell that she was slightly offended that Jean thought her Cornish Hen needed more pepper.

Jean: "Why not try Emma? After all, she's an accomplished gourmet - among other things."

Emma: "I'm afraid that with my other duties - I'd be far too busy, dear."

Jean: "It doesn't have to be permanent. Nothing like an extra JOB, Emma. You could just supervise the cooking of something high class for the students every now and then. God knows they could use some variety."

Emma: "Maybe you have a point, Jean. Variety IS the spice of life. I'll certainly give it some thought."

Jean: "You do that."

Emma eyed Jean dangerously, but let it slide.

Scott: "Well, this is nice. All of us...here...together like a family..."

Joshua: "Yes...kinda like...Thanksgiving or Christmas or something..."

Logan: "Uh huh. Can't you just feel it? Can you feel the love tonight?"

Jean: "What I feel is the nice, warm, fuzzy feeling of light booze and betrayal."

Ororo: "Jean..."

Jean: "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize I said that out loud."

I'd had it and got up to leave.

"I thought you were done talking earlier. Are you that full of it, huh? Thy cup still runneth over?"

Jean did the same.

Jean: "It takes a little while to recover from a stab in the back - and that's IF you do manage to recover."

Julie: "Jean, Rick - sit down like decent folks and stop ruining our dinner."

Jean: "I'm done eating. I can't even find some decent pepper on this table."

"You're so bitter, I don't know why you even need it."

Emma: "Hahahaha...oh...uh...sorry. I uh - just remembered something that happened at a dinner party. Something funny. I wasn't laughing at that statement."

Jean left through one doorway and I took another.

Logan: "Just one big, happy family."

Warren: "Oh, HERE it is! Pepper anyone?"

"Oh No She Didn't!"

Scott: "So talk already!"

After dinner, Scott located Jean and dragged her into one of the empty common rooms where he had ordered me to wait. Our 'foolishness' had gone on long enough, said he.

Jean: "There's nothing to talk about."

Scott: "Oh really? You two seemed to have a lot to say at dinner."

Jean had lots to say. Whenever I thought that she was done, she always seemed to get started again. I couldn't help but wonder if maybe her hormonal levels were acting up again. I didn't dare bring that up though - given her mood.

"Jean thinks that I blame her for everything that's happened and that I betrayed her."

Scott: "Rick, I'm sure that Jean doesn't feel that way."

She scoffed in a way that I was finding to be very irritating.

Jean: "What? Of course I feel that way."

Scott: "...oh."

And so it was that Scott learnt first hand the dangers of being a peacemaker. Jean managed to find a way to lay some blame on him too.

Jean: "Why the hell didn't you notice Emma leaving the Mansion?"

Scott: "I was...busy."

Jean: "Busy? So you expect me to believe that Raymond and the rest were more vigilant in the defence of this school than you?"

Scott: "Hey, I don't have eyes at the back of my head. I was overworked and the monitoring room was understaffed. If you and the others weren't partying, maybe she wouldn't have made it out undetected."

Jean: "Oh my God! You're turning this around on me too."

Scott: "I didn't mean it like that...exactly. I was just tired and overworked, okay?"

Jean: "No no. Don't backpeddle."

"Oh come off it, Miss Grey! The man said he was tired. Just because you had a lot of energy to burn, with that male stripper by the by, doesn't mean that everyone else in the damned Mansion had extra. Well, aside from you and the other ladies."

Scott: "Male stripper?!"

"Yeah, Scott. An Officer Phil Herrup, I believe it was. And I'm almost certain booze was oozing."

Scott: "How did you get him in here, Jean? No one was supposed to enter. The Professor was even more adamant about that."

Oooh, Jean broke a serious rule.

"Yes, Miss Grey. Care to explain?"

She questioned the fact that Emma could hire an entire crew of Chippendale dancers and other strippers when we were away in Nova Roma without adverse comment. And she couldn't hire ONE for a few hours to entertain a few in a single room. Scott may have cut her some slack. But the occurences that had happened just days before meant that tighter security measures had to be enforced. And Jean should have known that.

Scott: "Look, I'm sorry for the tone, Jean. But Emma frankly wasn't doing anything illegal or - "

Jean: "Oh no, don't feel sorry for poor, pregnant Jean."

"I only did what I thought was right."

Jean: "Lying?"

"If I wanted to betray you, I would have told Emma that you're the one with the major suspicions. And all about your private investigator's snoopy interviews. Heck, I'd even have warned her about your plans to snoop in her private bank records."

Scott: "See, Jean. He didn't do that. He just didn't want you to embarrass Emma for something as trivial as stripping."

"Right. Emma knows that I know about her issues, but not HOW I know. I didn't tell Jamie the whole truth either. I just left out certain pieces and - "

Jean: "I bet you went and run your mouth to Bobby. I don't suppose you can keep a secret from him in bed."

I froze. Scott gasped and when I risked a glance at him, his mouth had formed a perfect 'O'. Now there was NO way I expected the likes of THAT from Jean Grey. Not only did she accuse me of breaking her trust - but she outted Bobby to Scott in the process. Now, I know she went and had a little to drink. But as she was pregnant - it couldn't have been much. So she sure as Hell wasn't close to drunkenness. And in my book, if she wasn't near drunk, she didn't have any damned excuse for acting like that. She quickly turned her face and didn't meet my glance.

I got up.

Scott: "Wait, Rick. It doesn't matter if Jean said that. This doesn't change anything. I don't really care what you and Bobby are doing. I mean - not that you're doing anything. But even if you are...it's all good."

He got in my way. I quickly pushed him aside.

Scott: "Hold up. We can all sit down and settle this."

"Oh, I'll settle it. If she wants to be that way - I'll just have to show her who's the bigger bitch."

Scott: "W-what are you going to do?"

Do?

"If I'm going to be treated like I broke the damned trust - then I might as well break the trust to justify my treatment."

Scott: "You don't mean - "

"I'm sure Emma would love to know about the skulker who has been sneaking around her estate, bribing and interviewing her employees. And she'd love to meet the hirer of the said skulker who is willing to pay big bucks for him to illegally snoop around cyberspace for her bank information. Ironic, Miss Grey will resort to illegal means to embarrass Emma who isn't doing anything illegal in the first place."

Scott: "Rick...don't."

"Get out of my way!"

Jean raised her head and looked me square in the eye,

Jean: "Do it and the school gets to publicly recognize its first, official gay couple."

Oh my fucking God! She'd rat out Bobby?! To cover her own snoopy tracks from Emma?!

Scott: "Jean?! She - she didn't mean it!"

"You wouldn't dare do that."

Jean: "I wouldn't dare - I'd just do it."

Scott: "Okay, you two just calm down."

"You are compulsively obsessed with bringing down Emma! You're sick and need some serious help!"

Scott: "This is just going from bad to worse."

"You know, from the start - I was inclined to believe you that Emma was bad news. But now, she's a whole lot better than you seem to be. She might openly flirt and insult - but she doesn't go behind people's back and scheme against them like you. You're just lucky I have Bobby to look out for. Or I'd sell your ass out to Emma and let her take legal action against you."

I could distinctly feel her fiery gaze on me as I exited the room.

"Taking Care Of Business"

Emma: "It's Jean, eh?"

My scowl must have been showing despite my efforts to keep it hidden from view.

"However did you guess?"

Emma waylaid me in the lounge on my way from the commons to my room. I took a seat on the sofa and stared blankly at the television, contemplating Jean's bitchy behavior.

Emma: "Well, I suppose I can understand why she'd feel betrayed. Considering our past. She no doubt knows about your fibbing in my defence. But trust me. Jean just loves to bask in positive feelings. It's like a drug to her - give her a little while and she'll be as perky as ever."

Oh really. It didn't look like that was going to happen soon. Well, that wasn't entirely true. She was behaving pretty normally with everyone else except me, Bobby and Jamie. After her outting of Bobby, I started to picture her with horns and a tail. Pity that she was one of my teachers. Thank goodness I was put into Logan's house and not hers! Kurt was easier to deal with by comparison.

"I don't think so. She just did something totally vile."

Emma: "You're being overly dramatic, darling."

"Emma, if you were a lesbian - "

Emma: "That's a very big IF."

"Well, IF you were. And Jean outted your girlfriend to someone - would you forgive her anytime soon?"

Her eyes shot up.

Emma: "I'd beat the stuffing out of her. No one outs my girlfriend without her permission! IF I were a lesbian that is."

I thought so.

Emma: "So, Jean has descended into such depraved depths, huh? I never thought I'd see the day."

"You know, she's been getting harder and harder to love. I think I'm starting to develop an extreme aversion to her."

Emma: "Finally, someone who understands! No matter how hard I try - it's never enough to satisfy Jean Grey."

"Well, if she wants to be that way - she can. It's her right."

I leaned back and started planning for the future. Classes with Jean would soon recommence, and everything would be different. And then it hit me. My custody was given to Jean. I'd have to see about that. I wouldn't want her acting all high and mighty because of it. I couldn't pay her back for all the other favors. But I could put a stop to present and future ones.

"See you around, Emma."

Emma: "Where are you going?"

"To find myself a new guardian..."

Well, that was Chapter Twenty Eight. I want to thank everyone who has been emailing me these past couple of months. It really helps to encourage me.

Told you that it may be a bit of a shock... Important, judge Emma by the way she acts in this story - not from what you think you know about her. Same for all the characters...you'll see that they're all a bit different later on from what you know. I admit that I have always loved almost everything about Emma Frost. Hell, I even love the voice actor they got to act her role in X-men Legends I and II. Bobby Holiday. Her voice was hot, Hot, HOT! To me anyway. It was just too bad they couldn't write good lines for her. Don't worry baby, I know you tried. Your sweet voice inspired some wicked fantasies! (^_^)

Besides, if Emma can take pity on...ugh...Toad, she can't be as shallow as some people think. Btw, I do not condone the means of sexual therapy she treated Scott to behind Jean's back (comics). But Scott was equally to blame. Yes, he was emotionally weakened. But then, Scott's always been something of a wuss in my book. Ooh I can't be intimate with Jean cuz I'm not comfortable with Phoenix...I'll let Emma seduce me by acting the role of Jean cuz I'm not man enough to be there for my girl when she needs me most...Oh cry me a river!

About the Sadistic Sisters...um...yeah - I kinda went through a mild kinky thing months ago. What can I say, mild bondage sometimes gets me off...

Now, about Jean Grey. She has always been one of my favorite X-women. And no, she's not evil and is not going to be (as I've planned it so far). But she does feel very betrayed. And I suppose in a way, it seems like everyone always picks Emma over her. It must hurt even more when you consider that Emma was a bad girl who's now trying to be good - and Jean was a good girl all along. It must really bitch when you consider their past issues. Several times she even gets irritated when she feels Scott is siding with Emma. I know Jean is always portrayed as a goody-two shoes. But in this story, I wanted to make the X-men a little more - for want of a better term - human. You know, more realistic. Hell hath no fury like a woman spurned, and Jean is through with people spurning her for Emma. Especially people she's close to. Like say...Rick. Let's just wait and see what happens, shall we?

If you would like to make a comment on this or other chapters, then email can be sent to

phoenix_587@yahoo.com

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birdofflame_587@yahoo.com

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