New Blood III: Triumph of Darkness

New Blood
Chapter 7: Gathering Forces

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Sacramento – X-Industrial Banking Hub

“LONG LIVE THE HAND!”

Those were the words that echoed through the shipping yards of one of X-Industrial and by default the Hellfire Club’s most important centers for business on the west coast. As soon as those words were uttered, a series of bombs and explosives went off all around the surrounding on the outskirts of the business district. It blew up series of secure buildings that included office space, shipping areas, utility hubs, and most importantly it partially blew up the main office facility in the heart of the business center that ran it all. Smoke and flames soon consumed the area, shattering what would otherwise be a peaceful early morning in Central California.

“Oh these guys HAVE to die!” exclaimed Alex as he and a team of pawns let the counter assault.

“I agree. Any idea where to start?” said Julian Keller, who was alongside him ready to fight.

“I say we start with the guys wearing the masks and go from there!”

“Oh yeah, that be REAL smart, Alex!” said Jubilee.

It was an overly simplistic plan, but it was the best they could do at the moment. They weren’t planning to be attacked like this. This wasn’t supposed to be an assault. They were here with Rahne and Sage and a few others to investigate some spy activity that she had been investigating. It wasn’t supposed to turn into such a mess, but once again the Hand got the drop on them and they were now fighting to pay them back for it.

Along for support were Julian, Tabitha, Sam, Alex, Lorna, Jubilee, and Kitty. They were present mainly for support. Since the more experienced pawns like Piotr, Warpath, Scott, and Rogue were busy dealing with more direct threats from the Hand they needed the younger pawns to step up. Even though they weren’t as well-trained or well-equipped to handle such an assault, they came along mainly for the experience. They weren’t supposed to have to deal with a full blown attack, but the Hand had other ideas.

They had all been helping Sage in the main building when the attack first happened. The bombs outside went off first, shattering the windows through the top floor offices. Then just as Sage ordered the Hellfire guard to investigate, a bomb went off in the building and nearly took it down. Had it not been for Julian and Lorna’s combined effort, the whole thing probably would have collapsed. But less than a minute after the bombs went off, a series of unmarked vans and trucks pulled up to the central building and a group of Hand assassins stormed the area. It was a concentrated, well-coordinated attack on the nerve center of this area. And it was up to the young pawns to fight them off.

“Augh! Why does this happen on EVERY assignment I go on?!” exclaimed Kitty as she phased through a hail of bullets.

“Maybe you should start carrying around more good-luck charms!” said Tabitha as she came in and hurled a handful of small cherry bombs at the masked assassins, sending much of them back to take cover.

“Maybe you should stop making excuses and just step it up already!” grunted Alex, who was firing aimlessly at anything that even looked like a Hand assassin.

“Ahh!” grunted Sam, who got grazed in the arm by Alex’s blast, “Maybe you should watch your aim!”

It was chaos. The Hand assassins descended in the central lobby of the building and were preparing what looked like another bomb. This time it was much bigger than the one they tried to use earlier. That one only took out the right side of the building. This one looked as though was going to take this building out and at least several surrounding buildings. They couldn’t let it go off. But the hand wasn’t going to make it easy for them. They were already swarming around the area, doing whatever they could to protect it.

Julian, Tabitha, Kitty, Sam, Alex, Lorna, and Jubilee attacked hard, tapping into that ruthless, hard hitting training that they had been conditioned into over the past year. Where they once used to hesitate and question, they now did without a second thought. They tore into the attacking assassins, doing whatever they could to take them out and get to the bomb. Their drive was admirable, but their youth was still evident. Up top near the main office, Rahne could see it as she fought off a couple of assassins trying to sneak into the executive suite.

“Hrrahhhhhhhh” she roared, her wolf form now taking its most feral state, “Ye picked the wrong people to attack!”

Using her animal reflexes, Rahne leapt out of the way and dodged several sword attacks from a couple of masked assassins. They then tried to attack her with their katanas. One managed to cut her right on the left shoulder, but that only got her more enraged. Seething with animal rage, Rahne lunged at the man who struck her and clawed him right in the throat. Blood gushed out from a major vain, causing the hapless assassin to choke on his own blood as he fell dead. Undeterred, the second assassin tried to attack her from behind. But she sensed him coming and did an acrobatic back flip in mid air, landing right behind him where she was able to grab him by the neck and snap it with a swift jerk.

Once the body fell limp, she looked back down over the banister overlooking the lobby. She saw the other pawns struggling to get to the bomb. At the rate they were going they wouldn’t get to it in time. Grunting to herself she ran back into the executive office where Sage was typing furiously on her laptop.

“How much longer do ye need, Sage?! That bomb could go off at any minute!”

“Five minutes, minimum,” she said in her usual stoic tone, “I need to export all the data in our systems here back to X-Industrial. If we lose it or if it falls into the wrong hands, the Inner Circle could be in big trouble.”

“Five minutes may be pushing it!”

“Then you had better get down there and help them because I’m not leaving until I finish this.”

Rahne groaned to herself. If only she could shut off her emotions like Sage then maybe she wouldn’t be so worked up about this. She was a bounty hunter and a spy, not a mercenary or a field operative. This was a bit outside her expertise, but she couldn’t afford to be picky. She understood the importance of this fight just as much as Sage did.

Leaving Sage to her work, Rahne ran out back into the main core of the building. She looked back down into the lobby to see more assassins hoarding around the center where the bomb was. Tabitha, Alex, and Jubilee were taking cover behind some stone poles firing wildly into them. It didn’t do much good because they were taking cover as well behind fountains and barriers they brought with them. Sam, Kitty, Julian, and Lorna were trying to be a bit more strategic. Julian and Lorna were hovering over them, trying to get a shot at the bomb while Sam tried to fly Kitty in close to phase through it. But the Hand assassins bravely fought back. They had these strange pulse force weapons that were constantly keeping anybody from flying in close. The assassins weren’t overly concerned with killing them. They were just trying to buy enough time to set the bomb off.

“This is going to get messy,” Rahne mused.

Knowing she couldn’t stand by while this fight went on, she saw an opening and leapt off the rail and into a hail of gunfire.

“Julian, guide me in!” she ordered.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” said the young mutant as he watched Rahne leap fearlessly over the edge from six floors above.

“Julian!” exclaimed Lorna, who saw it as well.

“I’m on it! I see her! Sheesh! Just cover me!” he exclaimed.

Julian used his telekinesis to shield and guide Rahne into a crowd of garrisoned assassins who had taken cover behind a reception desk. The feral woman let out a wolf-like roar as her claws grew and her teeth shifted into fangs as she descended onto the waiting assassins. They tried in vain to shoot her, but Julian’s telekinesis protected her and before they could regroup she landed and began tearing into them. She killed two of them immediately, gashing their necks with her claws. Two more tried to shoot her, but she was able to use the dead body of one of the men she killed as a shield. She then threw it into them and pounced, clawing one of them in the heart and using the katana of one of the dead assassins to kill the other. Then with that same katana she cut off the hands of two more assassins who tried to shoot her ended them as well with a couple of lethal stabs. It effectively cleared out one of their garrisons and left them a window to work with, but some of the pawns weren’t taking advantage of it.

“Sam! Try and get Kitty in there again! Stop that bomb!” Rahne ordered.

“Ah’m on it!” affirmed Sam, who was holding up on the second floor, “Ready for another round, Kitty?”

“Like I have a choice,” she muttered, “Just don’t crash if you miss this time!”

“No promises.”

Kitty grabbed onto Sam’s neck and held on tight. They could both see down below how the three Hand engineers, distinguished by their white uniforms, were putting the finishing touches on the bomb. They looked close to activating it. Time was definitely running out.

“Here we go!” said Sam as she went into his blast form.

With Kitty in hand he took to the air, heading straight for the center where the bomb was. With one of the garrisons down it looked like they had a clear shot. But just as they were taking off, Alex and Tabitha were beginning an attack of their own.

From behind one of the stone columns, they had been pinned down. A team of heavily armed Hand assassins kept firing on them with pulse rifles, not allowing them to get a clear shot at the bomb. It frustrated and angered Alex, who saw this as a chance to prove he could succeed without his brother’s leadership. Since Rahne took out one of the garrisons, the rate of fire was down and he saw a window to move in and attack. So despite Sam and Kitty’s attack, he prepared his own assault.

“I’m going in! Cover me you two!” he said to Tabitha and Jubilee.

“Are you crazy?! They’ll turn you into paint!” exclaimed Jubilee.

“Fine, then don’t cover me!” grunted Alex, “Somebody’s gotta stop that bomb! And if you guys won’t do it then I will!”

“It’s your funeral, Daredevil,” said Tabitha, who seemed indifferent to it all, “I’ll clear the way.”

“Tabitha don’t!” exclaimed Jubilee, “We’re supposed to…”

“You know how I feel about rules, Jubes. Sometimes you just gotta let it go,” she grinned.

Jubilee didn’t have time to stop them. Tabitha formed several dozen large energy balls in her hands and aimlessly threw them into the crowd of assassins in the center area. This momentarily stopped their assault, forcing them to take cover. And as the cherry bombs exploded, Alex came running out from his cover and took aim at the bomb. It was tantamount to a suicide charge, but he didn’t care. He wanted to be the one to end this and nobody was going to take it from him. But just as he began firing concentrated cosmic blasts, Sam and Kitty were flying in. And their timing couldn’t have been worse.

“Alex!?!” exclaimed Sam as he neared his path of aim.

“I got it!” said Alex strongly, ignoring Sam’s pleas.

“Oh shit…” was all Rahne could say.

Before Sam could drop Kitty in, he flew head first into a blast from Alex that missed its target by a few inches. The blast completely knocked him off his balance and off course. As a result, he and Kitty crashed into a small section of the barrier the Hand assassins had set up. They mangled several masked assassins as they crashed through, but they kept on going into Sam was finally stopped by the wall near the elevator.

“Ahhhhhhhh!” he exclaimed as he held onto Kitty and prepared for impact.

The resulting crash nearly threw everything off. Sam, even though he was invulnerable when he was blasting, took the brunt end of the impact. He did his best to keep Kitty from getting hurt, but she got some of the impact as well and now had a nasty looking bruise on her forehead. It wasn’t as bad as the last injury she had in Hong Kong, but it still hurt. Needless to say, it didn’t bode well for stopping the bomb. Despite Sam taking out some of the assassins, the engineers never stopped working and were about to activate the bomb. And Alex was now getting the brunt end of the attack.

“Damn you, Alex!” grunted Rahne as she leapt out and tried to assist.

“Somebody cover me already!” Alex exclaimed.

“What do you think we’re trying to do?!” exclaimed Julian.

Then one of the assassins that Alex thought he hit rose up and shot at him with his hand gun. This time Alex was unable to avoid it. The bullet hit him right in the knee, causing him to howl out in pain.

“Augh!”

“Alex!” exclaimed Lorna as she rushed to his aid.

Lorna descended next to him and put up an extra powerful magnetic shield, pushing her powers to the limit. The assassins kept firing their guns and pulse rifles at her, concentrating their attack on her. But Lorna deflected them, grunting hard to hold them back. As she defended Alex, Julian and Rahne tried to move in and take them out while they were firing at Alex. Rahne took on some of the assassins, using the katanas she stole to stab and decapitate several assassins. Julian covered her, using some extra telekinetic force to take down the barricades and expose the rest of the assassins. They were ready to take them out it seemed. Then one of the engineers said the last thing they wanted to hear.

“I’ve done it! The bomb is active! 30 seconds and counting!”

“Oh hell,” groaned Jubilee from behind the pillar.

“So what now?” said Tabitha, now finally beginning to get concerned.

“I have no idea. Just shoot it I guess!”

It seemed the only option at this point, but they were too far away to get a good shot in. The assassins didn’t even try to escape. They just stayed put, defending the bomb until it went off. They were as dedicated to the Hand as could be and would sacrifice themselves to deliver this blow to the Hellfire Club. It was almost admirable, but not to the pawns.

“Somebody take out that fucking bomb!” exclaimed Rahne as a couple of assassins crowded around her to keep from getting to the bomb.

“I’m trying! I can’t get a shot in!” exclaimed Julian, who was guarding against a few concentrated pulse blasts.

“Me…neither!” grunted Lorna, who was still trying to defend Alex.

Tabitha and Jubilee didn’t look like they were having much luck either. They were stuck behind the pillar and Sam and Kitty were out of it. Time was running out and something had to be done. Alex, who was still clutching his bloody knee, struggled to get up. He saw how Lorna was defending him, keeping more pullets and pulse blasts from hitting him. He couldn’t help but smiled a little. At least one person was always there to defend him. But she couldn’t keep this up. He had to take the bomb out. And if nobody else was going to do it then he would have to finish the job.

Grunting through the pain, Alex rose up and summoned as much radiant energy as he could. His eyes started glowing and his expression seethed with the rage and drive that the Hellfire Club and Selene had instilled in him. He then took aim and prepared to fire.

“Everybody get down!” he called out.

Then in a bright burst of energy, Alex fired right at the refrigerator sized bomb. The blast was so intense the assassins standing in the way were literally blown apart and two of the three engineers who activated it were haplessly eviscerated. As for the bomb itself, it tore through the upper half of the bomb, causing sparks and flames to burst out from it. Then in a bright burst, the bomb short circuited and exploded. But only part of it went off, causing a forceful blast that took out most of the remaining assassins, knocked Lorna and Julian back to the ground, and shattered anything made of glass in the area.

Julian, Lorna, and Rahne were covered in dust and assorted body parts from the assassins as they got up from the floor. Jubilee and Tabitha were fairly unscratched since they took cover behind the stone pillar. Sam and Kitty didn’t get hit much as well since they had been a good distance away from it all. But Sam was still woozy. And Alex, despite his wounded knee, was able to get up with Lorna’s help. When everybody’s ears stopped ringing and the smoke cleared, they got up and saw the extent of the damage. It was a punishing blast, but not as destructive as it could have been.

There were still a few assassins left alive, but barely. Rahne finished them off, stabbing two and stepping on the neck of another. While she was glad the ordeal was over, she was fuming. And all her anger was now directed towards Alex Summers.

“You foolish son of a bitch!” she roared as she grabbed Alex by the collar and held him within inches of her wolfish face, “Are you trying to get us all killed?! Did you want them to blow us all to Hell?!”

“Say it don’t spray it, lady,” groaned Alex, wiping his face off.

“You little shit! I should peel your fucking skin off for what you just did!”

“Hey, take it easy, Rahne!” said Lorna, who had gathered her strength and was now pushing the feral woman back, “He stopped the bomb, didn’t he?”

“By blowing it up?!” she exclaimed.

“Better a little boom than a big boom,” said Tabitha, who emerged with Jubilee from behind the pillar.

“That’s not the point! If you hadn’t been so pig-headed Sam could have gotten Kitty in to short it out without any need to blow it up! What were you thinking?!”

“I was thinking about stopping the damn bomb, okay?!” Alex shot back, “And guess what? I did! I know it didn’t go exactly as you wanted, but in attacks like these we don’t have time to think, plan, or be fancy! We just have to act! And if you want to keep yelling at me, fine! But it’s over now so either finish yelling or get off my back about it!”

Rahne growled again, angrily seething at the younger Summers brother. But she along with the other pawns were in no mood to belabor the point. Fighting off the Hand and surviving an explosion was hard enough. She was content to take this out on him later.

“Damn, my ears are still ringing,” groaned Julian as he rubbed his head.

“To hell with your ears! My head is killing me!” groaned Kitty as she helped Sam stay upright.

“Hold on, I got you,” said Jubilee as she came over to help, “Are you guys going to be okay?”

“Ah’ve survived worse impacts,” groaned Sam, “At least Ah took a few of them with me.”

“Always looking on the bright side,” she smiled, “Guess one of us has to.”

That got a smile out of Sam despite his condition. He then looked over at Alex, who was leaning on Lorna for support. He made it clear he blamed him for his little crash. But Alex didn’t seem to care. All that mattered was he stopped the bomb. It was something he could rub in his brother’s face. He could care less about messing things up.

But even though she defended him, Lorna scorned him as well.

“That really was a foolish stunt you pulled, Alex,” said Lorna.

“Yeah, yeah, chew me out about it like everybody else,” he muttered, wincing as he tried to stand on his bad knee.

“I’m not trying to chew you out!” she said in frustration, “You’re starting to worry me, Alex. When did you stop thinking and start becoming so brash? Is something wrong?”

Alex looked into the eyes of the only person he had really connected with since he arrived. There was a lot of concern in her eyes. She really did care about him. It was a look that always used to reach him, but ever since Selene filled him with this darkness it just didn’t strike him as it used to. It wasn’t like he forgotten his connection with her. It just didn’t take precedence anymore.

“Nothing’s wrong,” he told her flatly, “I’m just doing what I have to do.”

“Well at least try to be more careful,” Lorna coaxed him, “There’s no telling how much longer this whole affair with the Hand will go on!”

“Yeah…I’ll try.”

As Lorna helped him stand up Alex turned towards Tabitha, who just hung back casually to avoid the whole argument. She flashed a knowing smile. Like him, she was also a part of Selene’s little circle and had a vague idea of what was going on. Mistress Selene told them to expect attacks like this. She didn’t say why, but she said they were a vital part of her plan and they were just supposed to keep playing their roles.

“What is with that guy?” groaned Jubilee, “I know he hates being in Scott’s shadow, but this is just ridiculous.”

“I don’t know. I’m guessing he just has a lot of ego issues,” said Julian, who was helping out as well, “I’ve known people like him. They’ll do anything to make themselves seem better than anybody else.”

“Yeah, well I hope something brings him down a peg,” said Kitty, “That kind of attitude is just bound to cause trouble.”

“No argument here,” said Jubilee, “I was always hoping Lorna could do that. She does seem to have a thing for him.”

“She does,” said Kitty as she looked over her, “Believe me, I know the signs. But lately I’m not sure if that’s enough.”

“What do you mean?” asked Julian.

Kitty kept looking at her and sighed. As much as she liked Lorna on a personal level, her attraction to Alex was just too unnerving. She wasn’t sure what it meant, but knowing Alex it could be any number of things.

“I don’t know,” she sighed, “My head hurts too much to think about it anyways.”

As they all gathered in an area across from the bomb, the pawns took a moment to collect themselves. Rahne was still fuming while everybody else just took it all in. The Hand was becoming increasingly bolder. They nearly took out one of their core banking hubs, which was vital to the Hellfire Club’s power. Banking was one of their chief modes of wielding power. Controlling money helped them control their secret empire. They went to great lengths to conceal it, but somehow the Hand was able to find out where a major hub was and attack it. That indicated not only skilled planning and reconnaissance, but some major breach on their part. If they didn’t find out what it was soon then it may lead to much bigger problems.

As Rahne paced restlessly contemplating this issue, Sage emerged from an elevator. And when she saw the damage done and all the dead bodies laying around her usual emotionless expression shifted. She wasn’t disgusted or outraged. She was just angry, just as much as Xavier would probably be.

“I finished backing up the banking data, but could someone tell me what the hell happened here? I’ll need an explanation to give to Lord Xavier!” she said sternly.

None of the pawns said a word, especially not Alex. The Black King was going to have to pull a lot of strings and bribe a lot of people to cover this one up. But they were all starting to get used to it.

“It’s a long story, Sage,” Rahne groaned, “I’ll give you the details after you call Xavier and tell him we need another cover up. And make sure you catch him in a good mood because it’s going to be a big one.”

Xavier’s Office

When Xavier first became Black King, Moria warned him that having a lot of power also meant being a major target. Even in an organization as secretive and powerful as the Hellfire Club, nobody was immune to the heat. The traditional way to deal with it was through cutthroat tactics and murder, but Xavier hoped to do more than that with cunning, reason, and well-designed deals. For the most part it worked. The power of the Hellfire Club expanded under him faster than at any time in its history. But that power was now being threatened, not just from within but from outside threats as well.

“So the facility is to be offline indefinitely and the damage is severe,” muttered the Black King as he spoke to Sage over the phone, “Did you manage to salvage the most vital parts of the database…Good. What about the records…I see. It is a difficult loss…no, I’ll have to tap our backups. We’ll also have to shift our banking and monetary powers to other hubs…I can’t tell you over the phone, but we will have to stretch it…I know, but we’ll deal with it…Don’t worry about the media. I’ve already set up a cover story. I’ve also had law enforcement feed false information to the Avengers…No, they don’t know and you’ll need to make sure it stays that way…Yes, I’ll have a talk with Alex when he returns. Just get everybody out. The Hand will pay for this. That you can be sure of.”

Charles Xavier let out a disgruntled sigh as he hung up his phone and sank into his chair. This was not going well. As powerful as he was, the Hand was hitting his organization hard and he was starting to feel it. Having to scramble every time to cover up an attack or protect his assets was starting to take a toll. Scott, Warpath, and Piotr were there with him and they took notice. As senior pawns they, were playing an increasingly larger part of dealing with these operations. But they were getting disheartened as well.

“That didn’t sound too promising, sir,” said Scott grimly.

“It could have been worse, my boy,” said the Black King, “That facility was a key component to our banking system. Losing it will cause some disruptions in some of our day-to-day operations.”

“Does that mean we should start laying off sex workers and mercenaries?” said Warpath dryly.

“Of course not. The loss was grave, not severe. We still have plenty of money to keep functioning. But losing our banking hubs will make it more difficult to manage and control these assets.”

“How much so?” inquired Scott, “Exactly how much did the Hand cost us with this one attack?”

“It’s too early to tell, but according to Sage’s report the figure may be in the hundreds of millions.”

The three elder pawns groaned at such an estimate. Even in an organization as wealthy as the Hellfire Club, losing that much money still hurt. Even if they could afford it, that didn’t make it any less painful. And it hit them in a way that hurt more than just financially. It damaged their prestige. It showed they were not invincible and the potential for further losses grew with each defeat.

“I do not mean to speak out of line, Lord Xavier. But these attacks are getting worse by the day. I feel as though we should be doing something more,” said Piotr.

“It is never out of line to speak the truth in these matters,” said the Black King, “But I assure you, something will be done. It’s just not as easy as it has been in the past.”

“How is that possible?” asked Scott as he started to restlessly pace, “We’ve never had a problem taking down the competition in the past. I know these secret societies are more cunning, but how is the Hand able to slip by us so often like this?”

“And without their leader, no less,” added Warpath, “That shouldn’t even be possible!”

“It isn’t just possible, James. It’s very probable. But you’re right. Without their leader they shouldn’t be as organized as they are,” reasoned Xavier, “They must have some sort of edge that is not only keeping them together, but aiding them in these attacks.”

“What kind of edge are you talking about?” asked Piotr suspiciously.

“Do you even have to ask? They must have someone on the inside spying for them!” said Warpath firmly, “It’s the only way they could stay a step ahead of us like this!”

“But how is that even possible?” said Piotr, “We have several psychics constantly scanning the minds of every worker and security on every square inch of our facilities.”

“That may be so, Peter. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be done,” reminded Xavier.

“But how many people here would have the capacity and resources to do so?” the Russian pondered.

“The list is short and we all know who is at the top,” said Scott in a dark tone.

A heavy silence fell over them. Nobody wanted to say it, but they all knew the answer. There was only one person in the world cunning and devious enough to slip past their watchful eye and she was someone they all knew well. But for the pawns, accusing her was difficult because she was still an authority figure to them. And like it or not, they had to respect her.

“You don’t think she would betray us for the Hand, do you?” said Piotr, “That makes no sense.”

“Of course not, but it makes the most sense!” grunted Warpath, “Who else but her could tell them how to hit us so hard?!”

“Perhaps,” said Xavier, maintaining his calm demeanor, “But if that is the case she’s doing a very good job of covering her tracks. All my surveillance and spying has turned up nothing unusual with her.”

“That’s a relative term for her, sir,” said Scott, trying to stay calm as well, “But you said it yourself. You’ve never been very good at keeping track of her.”

“Nobody has,” said the Black King, “She has probably been using some powerful magic spells to create illusions that traditional means cannot uncover. I’ve long tried to get past her deception, but her mystical talents are just too good.”

“What about Jean?” asked Scott strongly, “Hasn’t she been able to uncover anything? You have been having her study a lot more.”

“Jean’s mystic talents, while impressive, are still developing. She is still a ways from matching anyone with more experience and power. And even if she was, I fear it may already be too late to get through whatever spells have been cast.”

There was a grim darkness to his tone. It was as if he was accepting defeat, something the Black King never did. The three elder pawns were taken aback by such an admission. It didn’t bode well and left few options. But the Hellfire Club’s legacy was built on resilience. They weren’t about to consider defeat even if it was too late.

“So what do we do?” asked Piotr intently, “How do we deal with this?”

“For now, all we can do is continue the fight against the Hand,” said the Black King, “I’ll mobilize more of our mercenary army to defend our assets while you and the other pawns continue to attack them.”

“But what if they remain a step ahead of us?” asked Scott, “We can’t just keep doing what we’re doing without knowing all the facts.”

“I understand, Scott. And we will uncover the truth one way or another. We just have to be ready for it.”

“And what if it is too late?” said Piotr intently, “What if this keeps up and ‘you know who’ makes a move?”

“We’ll just have to be ready for it,” said the Black King as he got up from his seat and walked over to his wine cooler.

“That’s it? Just be ready for her?!” exclaimed Warpath, “With all due respect, my lord, it would be foolhardy to just wait for her to strike! You know better than anybody what she’s capable of! She will NOT give us a second chance if she decides to make a move!”

“Please calm down, James. Here, have a drink,” said Xavier, pouring his young pawn a glass of wine.

“I don’t want a drink!” he said, pushing the glass back towards the Black King, “I want to find a way stop this from blowing up in our faces!”

“So do I, but you know damn well that good decisions rarely come out of blind anger. So if you do not calm down you will be in no position to make any decisions whatsoever.”

Warpath’s expression cringed with anger, but he held back and let out a disgruntled sigh. Xavier then offered him the glass of wine again. This time he took it and drank it all in a single gulp. He was never too big a drinker, but during times like this he saw the need. And while Scott and Piotr remained calmer, Xavier could tell they shared James’s concerns. They were valid, but he was quick to reassure them.

“I know you all are anxious. I am too,” said the Black King in a serious yet sincere tone, “But we must be reasonable about this. If the Hand is getting information from within the Inner Circle we must be prepared to accept it. Moreover, we must be prepared to stop it.”

“And what if we aren’t?” asked Scott seriously.

The Black King was silent for a moment. He wished he could reassure his loyal pawns better, but he couldn’t without risking his own plans. They were already at a very sensitive and vulnerable stage. To reveal them now would jeopardize everything. But these were still his pawns. They had been loyal to him from the beginning and he wasn’t about to overlook them.

“We will be,” he assured them as he poured himself a glass of wine, “Rest assured I have taken precautions. I will not let everything we’ve worked so hard to build be taken down from the inside.”

“How so?” asked James in a calmer tone, “What kind of ‘precautions’ are we talking about here?”

“I wish I could tell you, but you know why I can’t. The less you know the less you’ll have to be on your guard when someone gets suspicious. I know it is not a comforting thought, but remember one thing…you are pawns of the Inner Circle and you have served loyally for the past five years. Such loyalty will not go unrewarded, that you can be sure of. You just have to trust me when I say I will not leave any of you behind. No matter what suffering, hardship, or despair comes, I will get us through this. You have my word as Black King.”

The three young men took a moment to digest Xavier’s words. They had been in the Inner Circle long enough to know that there were some things Lord Xavier kept from them. He had to in an organization that had people like Selene in it. And for all the time they had been here, learning and serving this man, he had never broken a promise to them or steered them wrong. Loyalty to him was more precious than any wealth. And he always rewarded people for it. They had no reason to believe that this would be any different so they took him at his word.

“Thank you, Lord Xavier,” said Warpath respectfully, “I apologize for losing my temper earlier.”

“Think nothing of it, James,” said Xavier with a reassuring smile, “We’ve all been a little stressed around here lately. We’re entitled to get a little angry. But it’ll pass. Just remember what I’ve taught you and everything will work out.”

“I’m sure it will sir,” said Scott strongly, “I’ll get started on planning the next attack on the Hand. If they strike again, I’ll see to it they never cause this kind of damage again. And if they do, I’ll make sure they suffer for it.”

“I’m sure you will,” said Xavier proudly, “And have Pietro help you as well. His leg has healed and I’m sure he’s eager to exact a little vengeance.”

“Of course,” said Scott.

“And while you’re at it, be sure to have a conversation with that brother of yours,” said Xavier more seriously, “His recent antics have been quite disturbing.”

Scott clenched his fists in anger. Over the past nine months, Alex had been growing more distant. He didn’t take anything he tried to teach him seriously anymore. He was always off doing his own thing and keeping it all from him no less. Recently, he was getting out of control. It was as if he didn’t even care anymore. And Scott didn’t take that lightly.

“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of him,” he said bitterly, “His hotheadedness has been getting us all in a lot of trouble lately. I promise I won’t let it get any further.”

“I’m sure you will,” said Xavier confidently.

Scott stormed out of the office, half focused on his duties and half focused on yelling at his brother again. Xavier hoped that having Alex in the Inner Circle would serve as a motivating force. But so far it wasn’t going that way. He sensed many dark thoughts from Alex and worried that he had gone down the same path as others such as Wanda, Monet, and Tabitha. Scott would not accept that easily so the Black King turned towards Warpath, who quickly picked up on what Xavier was thinking.

“I’ll follow him,” said the Apache warrior, “I’ll try not to let it get too out of hand with those two.”

“Good luck with that,” scoffed Piotr.

Warpath followed Scott out of the office. And Piotr started following him. But before he got to the door he stopped and turned back towards the Black King. The mention of Scott’s troubles with his brother reminded him of his own sibling problems. And with everything that had been going on lately, he had been meaning to talk to Lord Xavier about it.

“Is there something wrong, Peter?” asked Xavier as he poured himself another glass.

“No, nothing is wrong. But I was wondering…has Amelia talked to you about Illyana lately?”

Xavier put his glass down and walked back over to the young Russian. He had a feeling this would come up sooner or later. It was best to get it out of the way now.

“Ah, I see what this is about,” he said, “You’re still worried about her, aren’t you?”

“So she has told you,” Piotr surmised.

“She called recently and told me everything. While I can’t in good conscious say I know what you’re going through, you do have my sympathies.”

“Thank you, Lord Xavier,” said the Russian mutant solemnly, “But it isn’t just her illness that has me worried. Amelia believes it may have a basis in magic. And with magic becoming such a big issue for us, I have a bad feeling that it may be connected.”

“How so?” asked Xavier curiously, “Have you seen any signs of outside involvement? Because if you have it is certainly worthy of investigation.”

“No, I haven’t noticed anything and neither has Amelia. It is just a gut feeling. I cannot explain it. I just…know somehow.”

Xavier placed his hand on Piotr’s broad shoulder in a comforting gesture. His concern for his sister was admirable. It was what helped him maintain a balanced spirit in an organization where it was easy to fall too far into darkness. He certainly wished he had that kind of support with siblings of his own. But that was another story.

“I’m just concerned that if something happens with us that somehow she will get involved,” said Piotr anxiously, “And I don’t want her to face that. She’s not ready to face our world!”

“I understand, Peter. But you must remain calm. I know Illyana means a lot to you. And you knew from the beginning that there was a chance she would get involved with us.”

“Yes, but not like this! Not when people like Sinister and Selene are involved!”

Piotr was starting to get a little hysterical. He stopped for a moment and took a few deep breaths. He had to remember he was still in the presence of the Black King. He had to be respectful even if this was such a deeply personal issue for him. Once he calmed down his demeanor shifted and he turned to the Black King with a desperate look in his eye.

“You say you’ve made preparations for us in case something happens,” Piotr went on, “I know I’m in no position to ask favors, but would it be at all possible to do something for Illyana? Is there some way we can keep her out of this mess should it erupt?”

Xavier was silent for a moment, but then he cast a reassuring smile.

“I’ll do what I can,” he told him, “However, I still may not able to give you the details as it may relate to my other plans.”

“I do not care,” said Piotr, “So long as Illyana is protected.”

“Very well,” said the Black King, “I’ll do my best. And please stay in touch with Amelia. If she find out anything on Illyana’s condition, I would like to know.”

“I will. Thank you, Lord Xavier.”

The Russian mutant respectfully bowed to the Black King and then made his leave. Charles Xavier had given him and his sister a lot since he first arrived. The life they had now was worlds better than anything he could have hoped for. He was still wary of Illyana getting involved in the Hellfire Club. She was a teenager now and she was approaching an age where she could join their ranks. But he wasn’t sure if it was for her. He still saw her as the innocent little girl he worked so hard to protect. But he couldn’t escape the truth. Illyana was growing up and there was no telling what path she may walk. Whatever path she chose, he hoped he could help her choose the right one. But before he could think of that, she had to get over this mysterious ailment.

For Xavier, that ailment was more intriguing than Piotr let on. He was no expert in magic, but the symptoms Amelia described and Piotr’s concern over them hinted at other forces. Perhaps there was a link between her and whatever was going on with Selene. If that was the case he had to look into it further. It may prove vital in finding a way to stop her and whatever sinister plans she may have. Whatever it was he had best uncover it soon because he felt as though time was running out.

Hellfire Manor – Foyer

It was a busy and confusing time for Laura Kinney. These past nine months had been pretty eventful. She took to her role as one of the Hellfire Club’s top assassins quite well. The lethal skills taught to her by Hydra were proving their worth. In only a few months time they trusted her to kill some of the Hellfire Club’s most difficult targets. And just like Hydra, she never failed. Only here she wasn’t being tortured, prodded, or manipulated. She was pursuing her own goals and embracing who she was. Logan had been a major help and so had the others, even though she wasn’t the friendliest person in the world. But she still struggled at times to understand emotions and having a sense of self. And it led to some interesting developments over the past few months.

Logan, who had once been the target of all her rage, had become like family to her. The concept of family was still difficult for her. The only family she ever knew was her mother and after she died she had been numbed to the feeling for years. But Logan was able to break through. He may be a brute and he wasn’t the most affectionate person in the world to say the least, but he still cared about her and helped teach her how to deal with the burden of living with the ghosts of Weapon X. It gave them a special bond that they both valued. She was beginning to feel for him similar things she felt for her mother. They were still confusing feelings at times, but not nearly as confusing as others.

By far the most difficult emotional issues she dealt with involved Julian Keller. Over the past nine months, they developed a strong friendship. He was probably the only other person besides Logan she really talked to. He was also her favorite sex partner. She slept with him more than any other man. And every time she did she would feel things for him beyond the usual pleasures. She wasn’t sure what it was, but she was beginning to think it was serious. She wasn’t sure if it was love, lust, or some other emotion she couldn’t make sense of. But the more she was around him the more she felt it.

As she made her way down the foyer, she saw Logan walking with Mystique. They were talking about something and Mystique was laughing. She couldn’t tell if Logan was too, but he seemed to enjoy her company well. It kind of reminded her of how she was around Julian. With that in mind she caught up with him.

“Well, I better catch up with Rogue,” said Mystique, “She says Kurt’s been flaking out of his duties lately and you know I can’t have any more of that.”

“Good luck working that out. I’m sure he’ll listen to you like the obedient son he’s always been,” said Logan jokingly.

“Shut up,” she said with a bemused grin, “I’ll see you later, Logan.”

“Later, Misty. Let me know when you want to get drunk again. I’ll bet you’ll need it after this.”

Mystique rolled her eyes and walked off, still smiling back at Logan as she went to catch up with Rogue. Once she was gone, Logan smiled as well. Smiling for him had always been rare, but when he did it was usually for a good reason. Laura knew this and decided to confront him about it. Maybe he could help her work this situation out with Julian.

“You must really like her,” she said as she walked up to him.

Logan abruptly turned around and was on the verge of drawing his claws when he saw it was just Laura. He had been so lost in thought he didn’t notice her approaching.

“Damn kid, why do you always gotta sneak up on people like that?” he growled.

“Sorry,” she shrugged, “I was just pointing something out.”

“Yeah, well prepare me a little next time,” he said as he started walking up the stairs.

He didn’t even address her comment. Either he hadn’t heard her or he was ignoring it. With Logan it could go either way.

“So is it true?” she asked as she followed him closely.

“Is what true?” he muttered.

“You know what I’m talking about,” said Laura with an annoyed tone, “I said you must really like her.”

“Who? Raven?” said Logan incredulously.

“If she’s the one you call ‘Misty’ then yes. That’s who I meant.”

Logan stopped halfway up the stairs. Laura was never one for small talk. She was always very blunt about everything. Her conversation skills were one of the few things she hadn’t improved on since she came here. And she sure knew how to bring up some really touchy subjects.

“Don’t start with this, Laura. I really don’t wanna talk about it,” he muttered.

“Talk about what? The fact that you like her? Why is that hard? You sure seemed to like her with the way you were smiling at her.”

Logan looked away and growled again. Why did Laura have be so observant? He had to remind himself sometimes that she had the same enhanced senses as him.

“It’s just…hard, okay?” he told her, “And I don’t want to dwell on it. Why are you even bringing it up anyways? Since when did you get so interested in who I spend my time with?”

“I just want to talk about something that’s all,” said Laura, “I…I think I need some advice.”

“On what?” said Logan, starting to get concerned, “This have anything to do with the last mission we did when we had to kill that pregnant woman in the Hand who came at us with a bomb?”

“No, it’s not that. It’s…it’s about Julian.”

Logan rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. This was a topic he hoped to avoid. He had enough problems dealing with his feelings for Jean and whatever it was that was happening between him and Mystique. He didn’t want to get too involved with Laura’s issues with Julian. He knew how she had been getting closer to her these past few months. He hoped in the back of his mind it wouldn’t get too serious. Laura was still a bit troubled when it came to deeper emotions and the scars from her mother’s death were still there. But as he knew full well, these sorts of things happen.

“Oh…I see,” grumbled Logan.

“I’m not sure, but I’m having these feelings for him…feelings I’m not entirely sure about,” said Laura distantly, “I feel them a lot when we have sex. And I notice I don’t feel them with other men. But sometimes I feel them by just being close to him. I…I can’t describe it but, I know it’s there. And it’s…confusing.”

“Yeah, I’ll bet,” said Logan empathetically.

“So what do I do? You seem to know something about these feelings,” she asked intently.

Logan groaned. This was an awkward position for him. He would almost rather be stuck in a building with a hundred Hand assassins armed with machetes. But Laura was his responsibility. He couldn’t turn away from her at a time like this.

“Look, I’ll level with you, Laura. I know about as much as you do about this shit. So I don’t think I’m the one you should get your advice from.”

“Why not? What about Raven?”

“That’s…complicated,” he said, struggling to articulate, “Thing is, I do know the kind of feelings you’re talking about. And I know how hard it is. But if you knew how I dealt with it, you’d never even come to me in the first place.”

“Why do you say that?” asked Laura curiously.

Logan grumbled again as memories of what happened with Jean came rushing back. They were still fresh in his memory and weighed heavily on him. But even though it turned out as good as it could have under the circumstances, he still messed it up.

“Because I’m not good at making decisions when it comes to stuff like love and attraction,” he told her, “Hell, I have a talent for screwing it up. Just ask Jeannie.”

“Jean? Why her?”

“It’s a LONG story,” groaned Logan, “But take it from me, you don’t want to get too deep into this. You’ll only drive yourself crazy and put yourself in a world of pain.”

“But…what if I don’t stop having these feelings?” asked Laura intently, “And what if they keep getting stronger?”

Logan struggled to come up with an answer. It sounded a lot like the situation he had with Jean. It was kind of ironic that Laura was ending up in the same predicament. Being his clone seemed to give her his baggage as well. He wished it wasn’t like this, but it was a bit too late for that now.

For a moment he pondered. Then he thought back to some of the advice Raven gave him. She wasn’t an expert in these matters either, but she knew how to make it a lot simpler. She kept him from making things with Jeannie any worse and if it worked for him, maybe it could work for Laura.

“If it gets to that point I guess you got a real problem,” said Logan, “I can’t tell you how to deal with it. But I will tell you this though…don’t just do what your instinct tells you. Because when it comes down to choosing what your gut tells you and what you know is right, usually what you know is right is the better choice.”

“I don’t understand,” said Laura, “What kind of choice are you talking about?”

“If you have to ask then you probably aren’t ready to make it,” said Logan, “Just take it easy, give it time, and don’t use me as a model for this shit. I told you I’m not good at it.”

It was a blunt if not somewhat crass answer. But then again this was Logan. Laura had come to expect as such from him. He was a brute like her, but at least he was honest. And even though he didn’t give her what she wanted in terms of advice, he did clear a few things up for her. And that would help her as she worked this out. She had a feeling these feelings she had for Julian weren’t going away anytime soon.

To Logan’s relief, she smiled slightly. Like him, smiling was rare but when she did it was usually pretty meaningful. He wasn’t sure if he said the right thing. He hoped he wouldn’t lead her down the same path he went with Jean. But only time would tell. And hopefully she wouldn’t belabor the point.

“Okay, I think I see what you’re saying,” said Laura, “Thanks Logan.”

“Sure thing,” he said, smiling back, “Just watch yourself with stuff like this. We got enough shit to worry about in this place.”

“I will.”

Laura began to walk away, but before she did Logan added one more detail.

“Oh and one more thing…if that Julian kid ever tries something funny you just let me know and I’ll make sure he suffers,” Logan added with a wolfish grin.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” said Laura with a bemused look.

Logan sighed as he watched Laura run off. It was a bit overwhelming that he was still trying to be family to this girl and now she was falling for someone. He was unprepared to take her in to begin with. Now he was dealing with all these issues with her. Under the circumstances she held up pretty well, but he still worried sometimes. There was always a chance that the ghosts from her pasts would come back to haunt her and having a love interest on top of that really complicated things. Laura may be a tough, damaged teenage girl but she was still a teenage girl. Hopefully she would be able to handle this better than him.

His advice lingered with Laura as she walked off in search of Julian. He should be back from the mission in Sacramento and was probably in need of some company. She wasn’t sure how she was going to heed Logan’s words. She liked Julian, but things were complicated enough. It might be best if she didn’t complicate them any further. Maybe when this mess with the Hand blew over they could work it out. Until then she was left to ponder at the possibilities. Could she and Julian have something? Could it work between them in the unusual circumstances of their lives here at the Hellfire Club? Then there was the emotional baggage she carried. She wasn’t even sure if she was capable of feelings these things fully. But for now, only time would tell.

Alberta, Canada – Pat’s Bar & Pub

Victor Creed, better known as Sabretooth, had seen better days. It seemed as though the last five years of his life have been a meaningless daze. He woke up, drank, banged hookers, and went back to sleep. On occasion he did some mercenary work, killing and maiming whoever paid him enough to do it. But that was just for money. As much as he enjoyed busting heads, his heart just wasn’t in it nearly as much anymore. It just didn’t seem as meaningful because the one person he wanted to hurt most had disappeared without a trace.

“Hey Pat! Whose bones you gotta break to get another round in this shit hole?” he hollered out.

“Hey, take it easy, pal! I’m not in the mood for another one of your tantrums! I’m still cleaning up from last time!” yelled Pat, the bar owner.

“Less talkin’, more boozing or this time I don’t pay you back! Got it?”

Pat mumbled something under his breath and poured the imposing man another pitcher. But Victor didn’t care what he thought. He didn’t care what anybody thought. He was a drifter and a loner who nobody dared get too close to. Even in a joint like this where big tough bikers and thugs gathered, they didn’t dare pick a fight with him. It always ended with him adding another corpse to his already extensive body count. And yet it still wasn’t enough.

Ever since Wolverine escaped from that little trap he set at the nuclear plant, Victor Creed had been seething. He wanted so bad to see that little runt hauled off and tortured to death, but then these super-powered punks came in and saved his pathetic ass. After they got away, he tried trailing them. He wanted to know who these punks were and what they were doing protecting his hated enemy. But to his dismay, he couldn’t track them. They along with Wolverine pretty much disappeared.

He searched far and wide, looking for answers on who these punks were and where they could have taken Logan. But nobody knew anything. Nobody was willing to talk. And those that did know would rather die and be tortured than tell him. From time to time he would hear something about a man fitting Logan’s description causing some trouble somewhere, but whenever he tried to follow up on it he hit a dead end.

Eventually, Sabretooth gave up and relegated himself to booze and women. It was a hallow existence. Ever since the dog days of Weapon X, he longed to make Logan pay. They fought many bloody fights over the years, but he was never able to finish him off. Now more than ever he wanted another chance at that runt. There was nothing he wouldn’t do to sink his claws into his enemies flesh and rip him to shreds.

As Sabretooth slammed back the next round, pitcher and all, a new presence entered the bar and it was a presence that quickly turned heads.

“Victor Creed, I presume,” said the cold voice of Emma Frost.

Sabretooth put down the pitcher and turned to see a very attractive blonde walking up to him. She had on an elegant white coat, white pants, and a revealing halter top that showed off her voluptuous figure. In a place like this, she got her fair share of looks. Creed immediately grinned lecherously. This night was looking up.

“Well ain’t you a hot little number,” he said as his eyes drifted up and down her figure, “What’s a girl like you doing a dump like this?”

“Looking for you. And my eyes are up here,” she said, trying to direct his attention away from her breasts.

“Sorry, I can’t help it. You buy those things wholesale or did you get a special deal? If you don’t wanna tell me I’d be more than happy to find out.”

“Don’t get fresh with me, Creed. I’m in no mood for lecherous dealings. I’m here on assignment. An associate of an associate of mine is looking to enlist your services and for some reason they think you’re best suited for the job.”

“Someone wants my services, huh? And they sent a hottie like you to make the offer? I like em already!”

“I thought you would,” said Emma dryly, “So are you interested or not?”

“That depends,” he said, setting his beer aside and moving in closer to her, “What kind of assignment are we talking about here?”

“It’s nothing too complicated. Even a thug like you could do it. We just need you to act as some extra muscle for a little scheme.”

“A little muscle? That’s it? Come on, even I have standards,” he scoffed, “I love busting heads, but I don’t do it for free…most of the time anyways.”

“I know you don’t. And you will be compensated. But we’re offering you more than just money.”

“You don’t say?” he said, his eyes drifting towards her breasts again, “Any of it involve you and maybe a few other girls?”

“Not quite. A little bird told me there was something else you wanted…something more than money or women. And that something goes by the name, Logan.”

Sabretooth’s grin disappeared and his expression tensed. As soon as he heard that name all those old feelings of anger and resentment surfaced. Instinctively, she grabbed Emma by the neck and forced her against the bar.

“Logan?! What the hell do you know about Logan? Talk!” he demanded.

“Let go of me, furball!”

“Like hell I…”

But before Sabretooth could finish he felt a strange feeling his head and the next thing he knew his arms started acting on their own. He released her from his grip and backed away. He didn’t want to and he tried to resist it, but something had taken control of his body. It didn’t take long for him to piece together what just happened.

“You better calm down, Creed! Or I’ll blow that that dump you call a mind of your apart!”

“Ah great! A fucking psychic!” he growled.

Their conversation was starting to garner attention. But Emma just used her telepathy to go in their heads as well and twist their perceptions so they wouldn’t notice. As far as the rest of the bar was concerned, they weren’t even here at the moment.

“I’ve been having a very bad couple of weeks so I’m in no mood for your insolence!” spat Emma angrily, “I’m just here to give you another chance at tormenting Logan! In exchange, you’ll help my associates with whatever crazy scheme they have in mind! Now do you want in or not? Because we don’t need you and I know how much you want your vengeance!”

Sabretooth growled at the attractive blonde. She was offering him something he had been wanting all his life, another shot at his old rival. He didn’t need to know the details. He didn’t need to know who these people were and what they were up to. All he needed to know was that he could have his vengeance with Logan. As far as he was concerned, nothing else mattered.

“Fine…I’m in,” he growled, “Now get the fuck out of my mind!”

“Very well,” grumbled Emma, “But try anything else and I won’t be so careful next time.”

“I’ll remember that. You’re pretty tough for a girl of your looks. You got some spunk, not to mention some anger going. I like that! But what’s a girl like you got to be so angry about?”

Emma’s expression hardened. This man was more perceptive than his brutish image let on. But she wasn’t about to let him in on her own personal issues. Her anger was hers and hers alone. She would deal with it in due time just as she was sure Sabretooth would. She figured that was why Monet sent her here to get this brute. She figured she would be able to relate to him because he was after the same thing she was…vengeance. And like him, she was willing to do anything to get it.

“That’s none of your business,” she told him, “Just follow me and I’ll tell you what you need to know.”

“All I want to know is when do I get a shot at Logan?” growled Creed.

“Oh trust me, you’ll get your shot soon enough. And so will I.”

Without another outburst, Sabretooth followed Emma out of the bar where limousine was waiting for them. The pieces were starting to come together. Whatever Monet was planning, Emma was a part of it now and so was Sabretooth. They were nearing the point of no return. Neither one of them knew just what they were getting into, but that didn’t matter. All that mattered was getting revenge on those who wronged them.

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Up next: A big incident with the Hand turns into an even bigger incident that may spell trouble for the Black King.