03. X-Men Rescue…d!!
Summary: Staging a rescue is tough work, and so is putting together two people who can’t stand each other.
“Wolverine?! What sort of name is that?” The newly crowned Shadowcat piped up from her standing position behind Jean and Storm.
“What think you are related to him, eh Sprite?” Always the clown, Bobby did not let up the opportunity to make a dig at the phasing mutant’s short-lived second codename. Coming after her first one, Ariel, it had been dumped after one too many ‘Frizzy as Sprite’ jokes.
“Watch it Icepop,” ever the friend, Jubilee leapt to her roommate’s rescue. “Don’t make us take you down,” she threatened with all of her yellow overcoat clad, five-foot-one ninety three pound warriorness.
“Oooohh…I am so afraid,” Iceman raised his hands in mock fright. “I am practically turning to ice here.”
“Sure. That’s what that wet spot in front of your pants is.” Jubilee shot back, bringing about quite a few chuckles as Bobby fell for her dupe and snapped his hands to cover the non-existent wetness.
“Hah hah. Very funny…”
“We’ll ready the teams Professor,” Scott cut in, standing up from his chair to head towards the door and towards the lower levels where their uniforms and transport awaited them.
“Yes,” agreed Xavier. “However, I’d like Storm, Gambit and Forge to stay back. I have something that needs your…expertise. Scott and Jean will be leading the two teams.”
“Professor?!” Ororo was taken aback. “Charles. You just said, this might be the most dangerous mutant we might have or will face. We could use all the help we can get.”
“Yes. But there is also another mission which needs our attention, one that we have to complete at the same time as the first. It is of equal importance. And for that, I need two of your to stay back.”
“Two? But you asked three of us to remain here?” Forge gestured towards the lanky Cajun, who given his position and the Professor’s order looked as if he was ready to made like a bed and catch some zees right there.
--
In truth, Xavier mainly needed Forge and one of the two thieves for the mission and even though he had asked Gambit to stay back too, it was Ororo who was his primary choice…not because of any difference in their skill levels, but because of Ororo’s severe claustrophobia. A sensitive point at the best of times, Xavier did not want to risk a breakdown (from Ororo)…which the ‘underground’ nature of the rescue mission was almost sure to bring about.
“What is the mission Professor?” Forge was the first to speak. The way he perked up at the possibility of some quality time with Ororo, he might as well have had his fingers crossed behind his back, both his real ones and the ones on his bionic hand. After the previous evening’s debacle, he had hoped to talk to Ororo to help her with her situation. The simple fact that this ‘help’ would most surely be done between just the two of them did not color his intention. Not one bit.
Just as he wasn’t the least bit concerned or interested in getting to know more about this elusive Logan.
Sure.
Besides, even if he did not like witnessing Ororo’s nightmare experience, specially the part where she cried out the name of another man, even Forge would admit that yesterday night was the most emotional he had ever seen the usually calm, collected…closed Ororo to be.
He very much wanted to see her emotions again…in a better setting. Only this time instead of some faceless name, it would be him, Forge, that would be teasing down her Goddess mask…
…among other things.
---
Down in the changing rooms,
“Hey, what do you think this Wolverine looks like?” Midway into changing into his X-Men’s uniform, Bobby piped up. “What his…”
“Why? You thinking of dating him once he gets here?” Pyro snapped from his changing station a few feet away. Even though they were roommates not to mention best-friends, John was more than ready to make a quip about the ‘perennially single’ status of his power opposite.
“Screw you Matchbox. By what he looks like, I meant what are his powers?” Flipping his roommate the middle finger, Bobby turned to Beast who finishing changing into his own uniform was putting the finishing touches by fawning…ahem, by running a comb (in a very manly way) through his indigo colored locks. “Hey Dr. M, what do you think?”
“I am afraid…I do not know…” Henry spoke haltingly as he checked for the nth time if every strand of hair was in its appropriate place. After all, being a genius did not allow one from observing basic hygiene. “One can only imagine.”
“Well I think, he will be at least seven foot tall, like Pete here,” Bobby signaled to the Russian behemoth. “And as large as him, if not larger. And he will have some kick ass power like power blasts,” ‘but ones that he can control,’ he added in a whisper, primarily to keep it from the ears of a certain Cycloptic teacher of his. “Or maybe he had some kind of matter control like Storm or Magneto…well, like Magneto,” he amended. “Though I think even air is kind of matter. So okay, Storm too. Or maybe, he’ll be able to fly at super-speed and be invulnerable to any attack….and have super-strength too,” came out as an afterthought.
“Hmm.” Shaking his head at the young man’s imagination, Hank couldn’t help but suggest one addition of his own. “Add heat and x-ray vision and you’ve got Superman.”
“Yeah,” Bobby acceded. “But somehow I don’t think that someone with the name Wolverine would wear his tighty-whities on the outside. Then again…maybe he does and all those killings they are only because he got fed-up of people always pointing it out to him.”
---
Chancing in upon Bobby Drake describing a mutant with all their powers and then some, Scott chose that exact moment to walk into the room, his presence having the same affect as the proverbial cold shower.
“Iceman!” ‘Oh, they goes the leader,’ John scoffed at the familiar tone. “This is not a laughing matter but one of life and death. If that is a concept that is too high for you to comprehend and respect, I’d suggest you sit out this mission…and any others you feel the inclination to joke about.”
The ensuing silence was broken only when Scott continued his pep talk.
“It might serve you better to heed the Professor’s warning and not go off like a loose cannon…or take it flippantly,” said Scott. “Along with your own, your teammates lives’ also depend on it. And lets not forget the person whom we are going to rescue from that hell hole.”
“Yea’, ya betta ‘ear that,” leaning against the door, Remy snorted at Scott’s holier than thou tirade.
“Do you have anything you want to add Gambit?” Scott spoke over his shoulder, his tone tight and unyielding.
“Non O’Fearless one,” the return came just as quickly, and despite the easy way it was delivered in with just the same challenging undertone.
In truth, Scott and Remy had been going against one another ever since he and Ororo first came to the mansion. It was because of his Stormy that Remy didn’t explode a card or three up visor-boy’s ass.
---
Soon everyone had gathered outside the SR-77 ‘Blackbird’, the X-men’s primary mode of travel.
“Ok is everybody here?” Already in full leader mode, Scott nee Cyclops bumped it up a couple of notches…by doing a drill sergeant style head count taking note that despite his showing up in the changing rooms, Gambit wasn’t here. However seeing Storm there told him that out of the two thieves, it was Remy whom the Professor had chosen for the other mission. “Good. The attack plan is going to be like this,” he began describing.
“We will land about a mile from the base and then continue on foot. Storm will provide us with atmospheric camouflage while Jean will maintain continuous telepathic surveillance on all the guards and try to locate Wolverine.”
“Once we are within approach distance, Iceman and Pyro along with Colossus will fan out taking down all external posts and disabling any and every power source and vehicles. But take care that we are there for a rescue mission only. That means minimum harm to the soldiers. All three of you will be supervised and assisted by Beast, Jean and myself, while Storm will be taking the aerial route. That way, if anyone does escape or if unexpected reinforcements are called in, we will know it in advance, hence giving us enough time to get to safety…if necessary. According to the professor, these people pack heavy firepower. They have heavy duty, tranquilizer tipped armor piercing bullets. One bullet has enough tranquilizers to bring down an elephant. So along with people there also try to take care of yourselves and watch your partner’s back. Is that understood?”
While the seniors just nodded their confirmation, the five juniors gave an appreciable, “Yes Sir.”
‘Tranquilizer tipped armor piercing bullets….enough to bring down an elephant,’ Piotr repeated to himself. From all he had heard so far about this mutant, he was a bit intimidated and worried (both for himself and for his teammates), while thankful for his thick skin.
Scott noticed the nervous look on some of his teammates. In truth, the Professor’s revelation had unnerved him too. ‘This mutant is possibly the most dangerous one you have ever faced or will face for that matter.’ The words rang in his mind along with his warning to exercise extreme caution. By that, the professor meant both towards mutants and humans.
“During the time we clear a path in, Shadowcat will phase inside with Jubilee. Their objective will be to try to find Wolverine but without engaging in any sort of combat. What they are to do, along with their prime objective, is to disable any security cameras, locks and posts they come across. In short, they will pace a way inside simultaneous to us on the outside. However, under no circumstances are either of them to approach or confront Wolverine. If and when they find him, they are to maintain a distance of at least thirty feet from him and be prepared to phase away if he attac…approaches.”
“Once we have acquired out target, we’ll rendezvous at the Blackbird. Is everything clear?”
Everyone nodded his or her heads in agreement with his plan.
“Good,” he said, stepping towards the jet. “And remember again. The X-men value life, all life, whether mutant or human.”
---
Five minutes the SR-77 Blackbird, the larger of the two X-Jets took off, using the secret cliff-side tunnel to keep away from anyone who might be watching.
It was followed not ten minutes later by a smaller, ‘unmarked’ aircraft, this one carrying the reluctant team-up of Forge and Gambit. While Forge was sulking at having Gambit instead of Storm, Remy was scowling at the stunt Ororo had pulled to get him to go on this mission instead of the other one.
‘Y’ didn’ do good Stormy,’ the Cajun groused to himself. ‘Pullin’ rank. Hmph.’
Heck, what was Xavier thinking. Even a person who didn’t know Ororo very well would know enough to not coddle her…challenge her. And both Xavier and (following his lead) Forge had tried to do just that. As for Remy, even though he perceptively tried to stay out from the fray, he was dragged in, with Ororo pulling the team-leader card on him.
Although it was Scott who was the X-Men’s leader, with Jean as his second, the responsibility of junior team was with Ororo and there was no way that she was going to let those kids go on such a mission and not go herself. Claustrophobia or No Claustrophobia. ‘I will die before I let anything happen to those children.’ Those had been her exact words and the look that went along with them silenced even Xavier.
“Belt.”
“Huh?!” Lost in his thoughts, it took Remy a couple of seconds to realize who had said what to him.
“Seat-Belt.” Forge gestured tightly. “Put it on.”
“Hn.” A semi-scowly scowl and Remy complied but not because of Forge’s words but because of the light blinking on the controls. Thanks to a safeguard built into both the X-Jets, it was necessary for both the pilot and co-pilot/navigator to have his/her seat-belt on for the plane to take off.
Apart from Ororo not being there, what soured the situation for both Forge and Gambit was the present company. With Gambit, along with the automatic suspicion that came with anyone making the moves on Ororo, the simple fact that he was friends with Scott negated any chances of him getting along with Forge. Conversely, Forge still smarting from the passive aggressive verbal smacking that Remy had given him after the first time he saw him trying to get close to Ororo, would rather have gone alone on the mission than with Gambit.
Unfortunately (for them), Ororo’s clipped…command had taken the decision out of their hands.
---
Couple of hours later,
With a ‘sudden’ fog descending around them, providing cover, Scott adeptly landed the Blackbird in a clearing among the trees, the rising darkness doing its bit to hide the near silent jet. The hatch opened and one by one all the X-Men stepped out.
A quick re-run-through of the plan of action and they were off, breaking first into two groups and then as they finally neared their destination, further into four pairs with a solitary Ororo taking to the skies, using a sudden burst of air to propel her up and past any guards and or sensors.
“Wow. It’s so beautiful,” Kitty whispered, overcome as she stared at the looming snow covered mountain peaks, the thick green trees and the wide river meandering through the mountains.
“Yeah reaaall bootiful,” Jubilee nudged her along, hoping but failing away with a snap from Scott.
“Shadowcat. Jubilee. Pay attention you two,” scolded Scott, using their codename. “We are here to shut this lab down and rescue a fellow mutant, not to have a picnic.”
“Hey! What’d I do?” Jubilee snapped back over the communication lines, her outburst drowning Kitty’s mumbled ‘sorry’. “I was the one who was going according to plan you drag me in along with her. What the…”
“All right, all right.” Scott ground out. “Now keep quiet and maintain absolute electronic
silence. Any communication will be through a telepa…”
**Done.** Jean’s mental hail cut in, informing everyone that the link was in place and working.
**Thanks Jean** Scott returned, ignoring the snickers that came from at least a couple pathways. **Now lets get this show on the road.**
----
A short time later,
**SCOTT!!** The yell practically tore through the minds of all the X-Men, as did the panic that accompanied it.
**J-Jean-nn. Nnnn…** Falling to the ground, his hands grabbing at his head, Scott whimpered at the psychic assault. More than anyone else, it was him who was feeling the brunt of emotions that Jean was pumping out, all thanks to the permanent psychic links that he shared with her. **Nnooo…Sto….p. Pleeeaa…**
Thanks to the same link that was threatening to send Scott into convulsions, Jean realized what she was doing and quickly clamped down on her projections…as much as she could.
**Sorry Scott….everyone.** She apologized. **But I need you to come out. NOW!! Wolverine’s escaped.**
**Escaped!!** Even though they couldn’t see him physically, both Kitty and Jubilee felt Scott’s scowl…aimed towards them.
**Hey, we didn’t do nothing.** Jubilee quickly pointed out. **We are not even anywhere close to where Wolverine is…was....uh, at least we think so.**
**What do you mean YOU THINK SO!!**
**Scott please,** Jean interjected. **Now is not the time for this. I need you to come out. Something else has also gone wrong.**
**Something else? What happened Jean.** A lesser man would have soiled his pants. (A/N: See, I can write good things about Scooter.)
**Its Ororo.** The telepath’s emotions flared again. **She’s been shot.**
Note: Well, we all know how this is going to turn out…but this twist is for bringing in some new…well, old blood!!
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