Legend: Thoughts = <>

Stray thoughts = ()

Flashback **

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Ok, guys, all the disclaimers apply, that means all thanks goes to Marvel

For the X-Men, I'm just making the story. And I do read all the other

Stories and they're great, keep up the good work. They inspire me!

=

Jace jumped, dropping a canister of Rave, a highly addictive, mutant power boosting drug, on the floor. He was fumbling with it when his door opened and Declan walked in. He stashed the empty canister into his desk and smiled up at his protégé.

"What is up, Dec?!" Jace said quickly.

"What?" Declan asked, "Dude, what the fuck are you on? It's too early for this. You were supposed to meet me in the training room an hour ago."

"Oh, yeah, well...I've been...crushed." Jace smiled.

"Right. Sorry about that." Declan frowned, "So, we need to work out. And why do I have to work out anyways? Pane never works out and he's just as..."

While Declan was talking, Jace took the time to do his drugs.

"I want subtlety. These guys want us dead. I don't want anyone getting dead." I frowned.

The gang was sitting around the table in the conference room. Apparently, we got a lead on Sinister and Apocalypse, but it looked like just a facility. I was sending in guards because we couldn't spare any of the team. Each teammate had a specific job. Connor was in connection with the mythical research division while Raiden was doing things in the tech division.

"I want tech team to come up with a huge gun." I said, "And I want to know about any mythical creature that was seen in Boho. I need everything done now. Apocalypse is coming...of both varieties."

"Fine." Raiden said, leaving.

"She's still angry." Connor said.

"I don't care." I frowned, "We don't have time for this stuff."

Connor nodded while the others looked at me strangely.

"I'm sorry if I'm being a hard-ass, but none of you have seen Apocalypse. He's more than dangerous." I said, "If we let him come here...he's not leaving so easily."

"We get it." Connor said.

"I don't." Jace said, "You're changing."

"Don't we all?" I asked.

"Just be careful who you change into." Jace said, leaving.

"Anybody else want to tell me how I'm inadequate?" I asked.

"I don't think that's the question." David said.

"What?"

"You're more than adequate...but being that makes you a raging bitch. No offense boss." Melissa said, standing with David and leaving.

"Even a blind man can see it." I said quickly.

"They don't understand the pressure of being the leader." Connor said, walking to me, "As talented as they are, some will never know what it takes to lead."

"You're wisdom guy. You keep me grounded." I smiled.

"It's what friends are for." He said, "I'll look up anything we don't already know and exhaust my contacts to find anything on Apocalypse's new coming."

"Good. I'm going to...pester some of the other employees." I smiled.

"Good luck with that." Connor said leaving.

-           

I stood outside the training room, watching Declan and Jace fight inside. I missed Jace. This separation was for his own sake, though. Being the object of my affection will get you killed or relocated, ask Richard. It wasn't a good life for him. I mean, his life was already in danger, so what would be the use in adding more. He was getting better at fighting, which I attributed to his love of martial arts and he was an even stronger telepath. I could feel him. He could most definitely feel me. He was teaching Declan control and I smiled.

"We have an emergency."

I turned to Maria Hill, "What is it?" I asked.

-           

The gang had assembled around the conference table again. The building had been locked down. Some new terrorist had demanded that we lock down and all gang up in the conference room. As I looked around, I saw more puzzled faces. I didn't know what he'd want with us. He had phoned in from an untraceable number. We all waited for the conversation to begin.

"What do you want?" I asked.

"I want you to look at yourselves and the people around you...what do you see?"

"Do you have a bomb? This is what it's all about. Acts of terrorism." I said.

"Is it?"

"What is it about then?" Melissa asked.

"It's about 5 questions."

"Five questions?" I asked.

"For every question you miss, I blow up a venue."

"Why?" I asked.

"I like having fun."

"Who are you?" Connor asked.

"Spoiling that would be no fun."

"Where are you?" Raiden asked.

"Your first question...Is it alright to lie to protect a secret that isn't yours?"

We all exchanged looks. Most of the looks flew to Connor, who stared at me. There was a pause.

"Tick tock."

"Yes, it is." Connor said, "It wasn't your secret in the first place."

There was a lengthy pause before he spoke again, leaving us all to ponder what he said.

"That's not entirely true. It hurts other people." Raiden said.

"These questions aren't the geopolitical, are they?" Melissa asked.

"You answered wrong."

"How can it be wrong? These are moral questions." Jace asked.

"Moral questions are unanswerable." Max frowned.

"Not to me."

Suddenly, there was an explosion across the street at a café! We all crowded the window, trying to see the damage. There was debris and hurt people everywhere.

"Stop this!" I shouted.

"NO. Next question. Is it right to steal information if it meant you could save the world?"

We all looked around, no one knowing what to say. Any answer we give was bound to be wrong. An idea sparked me. He was insane. To him, to his logic, this would moral.

"Yes. If you need the information, it's acceptable." I said.

They all looked at me, bewildered.

"Correct. Good one, the reason you're my favorite."

"What's the next question?" Connor asked.

"You should commend him for saving a hospital."

There was a collective look of disgust.

"Next question...Can it ever be moral to stray from a loving relationship?"

I could already feel all eyes on me. I wasn't sure what he wanted me to say. I was damned if I did and others were damned if I didn't.

"No." I said with distress.

I looked over and noticed Jace look away at my gaze.

"You just saved an orphanage."

"You murderer!" Melissa said angrily.

Melissa was comforted by David.

"Next question...Is it alright to kill to save?"

"Murder is a necessary evil." I said, letting the words burn my throat.

I could feel the distance I had just put between me and the rest of the group.

"Correct. Last question...where is the boy?"

I looked to Declan, only to see that he was gone. We all looked at each other, but none of us knew where he was.

"Where is he?" I asked.

"Wrong answer. Don't go in the training room."

David took off out of the room, presumably to the training room. We ran into the hall, but when we got there, David had already gone into the room.

"What's going on?"

We all turned in the hall to the voice of Declan. Without real thought, we turned back to the training room to see it explode! Melissa cried out but Max caught her. She sunk down to the floor, bawling. I stood, trying to comprehend the situation.

-           

I stood outside the conference room. The gang were in there with Melissa, who was belligerent by now. She was bawling and hadn't stopped. I felt for her. I had lost people violently too, but this was her first time. I wasn't sure what to say to her. I would want to be alone. The others wouldn't understand that. They didn't understand what I had said. It wasn't a good situation. David's Body had been recovered and the training room was totally wrecked. I couldn't really grasp any of it fully.

"We traced the signal of the phone." Maria Hill said behind me.

"Where was it?" I asked.

"Inside the facility." Hill frowned, "We've got a traitor amongst us."

"When don't we?" I asked.

"We don't suspect it was anyone in your group. It's an inside job." Hill frowned, "They knew exactly where to disable the cameras and set explosives, while simultaneously talking to you. I suspect that the call was live while the bombs were planted earlier in the day."

"If you need me, I'll be in my office." I said, walking away. When I was safely inside my office, I closed the door and walked over to the desk, leaning on it.

"What in the Hell are you doing in here?"

I turned to Max, "Because this is how I deal with these things." I frowned.

"Your friend needs you." Max said.

"My friend needs me?" I asked.

"I've dated a lot of people..."

"God, not now."

"But I've only had a few good friends. I know you...You don't want to let her go." Max smiled.

I nodded and hugged him. Unknown to either of us, Jace was coming to talk to me but stopped at the sight of us. We pulled ourselves apart and headed down to the conference room.

-           

{Fix You by Coldplay plays in the background.]

I walked into the room and noticed that nothing had changed. I walked up to her. There wasn't much I could say but I tried anyway.

"I think you shouldn't stay." I said quickly.

"What?" The gang asked.

"Not like this. A break, paid leave." I continued.

"I can't stay." Melissa said, "It's not right."

"I'm so sorry. If I had known..." I said quickly.

"This is your fault! This is your fault, I hate you!" Melissa said, slapping me.

Declan grabbed her and pulled her off me. Max walked over and put a hand on my shoulder.

"You son of a bitch!" She screamed.

I turned and walked out of the room, wiping the tears from my eyes.