And Then There Was None…

by Nikia L.Johnson

Disclaimer:
All characters mentioned in this story belong to Marvel except for Adara (who was created by me.) Special thanks to Vaberella for helping me to find the spark and joy in writing again.

She was going to die. But she refused to die today. Of course, after living as long as she had and being a multitude of different people, the mutant known as Mystique had come to know that death was an opponent that could only be held off by proficiency and elusiveness. At an early age, she had learned to blend in to avoid confrontation. Using her mutant ability, she had mastered the art of concealment. She could always become anyone or anything to protect herself before she would resort to aggressive means. However, this was useless against the only two men that she feared. One of which was hunting her now. While she was able to deceive most people with her ability to morph into virtually anyone, she could not fool this hunter or his mortal enemy. Both men had always been able to see through her morphing, simply by their enhanced senses.

"Mystique!" a voice closer than she would have liked called out.

Sabretooth. His name alone could provoke terror into anyone that knew him. For few had survived an encounter with him. He was a beast with the mind of a man- Possibly one of the greatest killing machines ever to walk the earth.

And to her, he was many things- former teammate, former lover, the father to her human son- and one of the two men that she actually feared. Raven leaned heavily against a run down building in the heart of Los Angeles attempting to catch her breath. She was in perfect condition, but after being literally on the run from Sabretooth for over a week, she was beginning to slow down.

"Come on, Raven. You don't usually play hard to get," Sabretooth snarled. "I'll make it quick for old times sake."

Mystique fought down the chills that threaten to rake her body. He was right. She couldn't keep up this pace and even if she could, he would still catch her eventually. If she was going to survive the night, she was going to have to take the fight to him.

"Victor", she called out trying to keep her fear from her voice, "You're just a second rate thug- no wonder Wolverine whips your ass all the time."

"Agghhhhhh!"

"What's wrong, Victor. The truth hurts!"

Without warning Sabretooth leaped from the night tackling her to the ground.

"This is gonna be a pleasure," Sabretooth roared as he raised his hands to finish her off.

"Too bad I can't say the same." She sprayed him in the face with the mace that she had hidden in her glove causing him to howl in agony before dropping on top of her as if he was in a coma. "Enhanced senses can be a pain." She pushed him off of her. "Especially against this mace designed by Dr. Moira McTaggert. Catch you later, Victor. And oh, by the way, let Sinister know that I'll be coming for him."

Raven ran as fast as she could to her parked car. With his healing factor, Sabretooth would be back up in a matter of minutes. But Raven planned on being long gone by then. She had already contacted the airport, and her plane was fueled and ready to go. Next time she fought Creed, she didn't plan on being alone.

"Promise me that you will be careful," Ororo requested as she shifted Adara in her arms.

Logan checked the contents of his duffel bag before picking it up. "Darling, I'm just gonna make sure that the Cajun hasn't partied himself out somewhere. We'll be home before you know it."

Ororo removed her left earring before Adara could snatch it from her ear. "I know. I just cannot help but to worry. Remy is not usually so irresponsible."

"Really?" Logan smirked.

Ororo's frown turned into a mischievous grin. "Perhaps I should say that while Remy is known to disappear for weeks at a time, I would feel better knowing that he is safe."

"Which is why I'm going to find him," Logan added as he leaned in to kiss both Ororo and Adara.

Adara reached out chubby hands trying to climb into her father's arms. "You be good for your mom until I get back." He turned to Ororo. "And you stop worrying. I'll bring the Cajun back home in one piece."

Twenty-Four hours later, Logan wondered if maybe Ororo had cause to worry. After checking out Gambit's usual hangouts, Logan still hadn't found him. In fact, word on the street was that Gambit hadn't been seen in the last two weeks. Even the Thieves Guild was at a lost as to where Remy was. Of course, it was possible that Gambit had simply decided to blow New Orleans without telling anyone.

But Logan now was beginning to worry himself. While Gambit was known to be a Ladies man and loved to party, it was unlike him to go for weeks without checking in with at least once with Ororo. Logan tossed down the rest of his drink. The last thing that he wanted to do was to call Ororo and tell her that he hadn't found Gambit.

Logan pulled out a cigar as the waitress made her way over to his table.

"Can ah get ya 'nother drink?" She asked in a lazy southern drawl.

Logan lit the cigar. "I'm looking for a friend of mine. Name's Gambit."

"Ya mean Remy," she laughed merrily.

"You know him?" Logan asked sitting up straighter.

She leaned over the table giving him a full view of her busty cleavage. "Remy LeBeau. Yeah, I know him. Ah man after mah own heart. He likes ta have ah good time. Ya like ta have ah good time?"

Logan picked up his empty glass and place it on her tray which now sat on the table between them. "My wife calls me a regular party animal."

The waitress playfully ran her fingers through her dirty blond hair. "Shame. All the good ones are married."

"Remy?" Logan prompted.

"Remy stopped through here ah couple ah days ago. He didn't stay long."

"Was he with anyone?"

"Sorry, hon. He didn't stay long. Almost like he had ta meet someone."

Logan stood up and tossed a couple of bills onto the table. "Spread the word, Logan's looking for Remy."

Logan stepped out into the humid night. Another dead end. But the night was young and he had five more nightclubs to check before calling Ororo. He tossed the cigar and reached for another one. The sound and scent of someone from his past attempting to sneak up on him snapped Logan from his thoughts.

"Raven," he growled as he turned to see a young girl dressed in black cautiously making her way towards him.

"I see old age isn't slowing you down," Raven laughed nervously as she morphed into her usual blue form.

"I could say the same thing about you."

Raven smiled coldly. "As much as I love remembering the good old days with you, we don't have time. If you want to talk with Gambit, come with me."

Logan crossed his arms across his chest. "Since when did Gumbo start hanging out with you."

"Since he found out that Mr. Sinister has reformed the Mauraders."

"No word from Logan?" Jean asked as she sat on the sofa next to Ororo.

"No, and I am beginning to worry. First Remy disappears and now Logan has not called me. I should not have allowed him to go alone."

"I'm sure that they're both fine. But if Logan hasn't called in two hours, we can at least use Cerebro to track him even if we can't use it to track Remy," Jean assured Ororo. "In the meantime, since we pretty much have the mansion to ourselves, let's watch the sappiest movie we can find and pig out on some junk food."

Ororo laughed as she stood up. "While I check on the Alex and Adara, you get the goodies."

"You ever heard of the telephone, Swamp Rat?" Logan asked sarcastically as he walked into the expensively furnished penthouse.

"Sorry, homme. I meant to call Stormy, but I lost track of de time," Remy replied as he locked the door behind Logan and Raven "You want somet'in to drink?"

Logan shrugged out of his jacket and tossed it on the couch. "What I want is to know what in the hell's going on here. What's this about the Mauraders?"

"I contacted Gambit two months ago after Sinister tried to recruit me." Raven injected as she turned to face off against an angry Logan.

"And you turned him down?" Logan picked up one of the pictures that lay scattered on the table. "Pay not good, huh?"

Raven snatched the picture from him. "Look, I only work for myself, not some sick bastard who get his kicks from cutting people up. When I turned Sinister down, he tried to have me killed. I owe him and payback will be a bitch."

"So why is Sinister reforming the Mauraders?" Logan asked.

"Dat's one of de t'ings we don't know."

Logan looked from Remy to Raven; however, neither one seemed willing to tell Logan whatever they were holding back. "What?" He finally asked.

"We don't know who else he tried to recruit, but we know dat Sabretooth is d'one he sent after Mystique."

"Sabretooth," Logan growled. "If Creed's involved, then whatever Sinister's planned is gonna to be bloody." Logan picked up his jacket and pulled out his cell phone. "First we call the mansion, and then we're going hunting."

"O.k. Ororo, you have to admit that Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt make vampires look sexy," Jean giggled as she reached for the bag of chips.

"Perhaps, the next time we battle Dracula, I will mention to him your obsession with vampires," Ororo teased.

"Hey," Jean telekinetically picked up one of the throw pillows and tossed it at Ororo. "As I recall, you're the one that Dracula's in love with."

Ororo created a breeze to easily divert the pillow before it reached her. "But I am sure that he will see the error of his ways once I tell him that fangs turn you on." The lights along with the television suddenly blacked out.

"Ororo?" Jean questioned.

"I did not do anything. Perhaps it was Hank. Contact him to see if he has thrown a switch." Ororo said as they both began to make their way towards the nursery. "Uh um," Jean said after a few minutes had passed.

"What is it?" Ororo asked as they reached the stairs.

Jean attempted to keep the panic from her voice. "My powers are gone."

Ororo took a deep breath and tried to summon a breeze. "As are mine. This cannot be natural."

"O.k. why did the lights just go out and what happened to my powers?" Jubilee ran down the stairs with both Alex and Adara in her arms. "This is like bad, isn't it."

"We should not jump to conclusions, but it is best to assume that something is wrong. Jubilee, take Alex and Adara to Cerebro's chamber. Thank Goddess, that the doors are connected to a back-up generator. Lock yourself in and do not open the door unless it is one of us. Jean and I will find the others."

Ororo watched as Jubilee scurry off towards Cerebro. "We have at least ten minutes to get some type of plan together."

"That's not a lot of time." Jean followed behind Ororo as they raced up the stairs. "So where are we going?"

"Bishop's room. Without our powers, we will have to rely on a more conventional means of protection."

"No one's answering," Logan growled as he headed for the door.

"Maybe Jubilee's on de phone," Remy suggested as he grabbed his jacket to follow behind Logan.

"Wait just a damn minute, LeBeau! You promised to help me," Raven cried as she ran behind the two X-men. "Sinister isn't stupid enough to attack Xavier's mansion."

"He would if there was something that he really wanted."

"You be thinkin' dat he want Alex," Gambit wondered out loud.

"Hell, as long as we've known the bastard, he's been after Scott and Jean. I'm sure that he's just dying to get his paws on Alex."

"Even if you're right, what will the Mauraders do. Go up and knock on the front door," Raven joked as she ran to keep up with the two X-men.

Hank McCoy a.k.a. The Beast waited until his sight adjusted to the sudden darkness. He had been studying his latest findings on the Legacy Virus and listening to his Bee Gees c.d. "Bobby, this is not funny!" Hank called out as he slipped out of his lab coat and made his way to the door. Peering down the hallway, Hank half expected Bobby to toss a snowball in his face. However, the hallway was dark and deserted. "Perhaps, Bobby is not the scoundrel for this mishap," Beast pondered out loud. "Mrs. Summers, is there an incident occurring that I should be informed about," Hank attempted to call out to Jean through their telepathic link. However, only silenced greeted him. Without warning, a simmering gold light appeared before him.

"Hey, Blue Boy. We're back!"

To Hank's amazement, both Arclight and Blockbuster walked from the light before the light sizzled out behind them.

"So I have observed. And with such a ostentatious entrance, I deduce that your return is not to join us for milk and cookies," Henry joked as attempted to put more space between him and the Mauraders.

As Hank expected, Archlight appeared to be content with holding back while Blockbuster simply charged towards him. "We came for the child. But we intend to have some fun before we go," Archlight promised him. "And it looks like you're the first one we get to play with."

"Lucky me." Beast prepared himself to face Blockbuster. While Blockbuster was stronger than him, Beast knew that his own strength was nothing to underestimate. Hank reached out to grab and throw Blockbuster with a move that he had recently perfected on Colossus. The grabbing move worked- using Blockbuster's momentum against him, however, when Hank attempted to throw him, Beast found that he didn't have the strength to complete the move.

Arclight laughed as she watched Blockbuster pick up the stunned Beast and throw him into the wall. "Did we forget to mention that you don't have your mutant powers?"

"You X-wimps are finished," Blockbuster bellowed as he pummeled Hank into unconsciousness.

"I can't believe that you didn't like the show Bobby," Angel complained.

Bobby slowed the car to a stop when the reached the gates of Xavier's Institute for Higher Learning. "I didn't say that I didn't like it. I just said that it wasn't as funny as I thought it would be." Bobby reached for the button to open the gates.

Kitty leaned over from the back seat and thumped him on the back of his head. "Yeah, right Drake. You're just saying that because all the comedians were women."

"Am not," Bobby playfully whined. "Hey, when was the last time someone changed the batteries in this thing?" Bobby pushed the button again, but the huge gates remained motionless.

"Maybe it is the gate itself," Piotr suggested from the backseat.

Bobby stepped out of the car and pushed the intercom on the gate. "Hey, anyone listening. It's Bobby."

"What's going on?" Kitty asked as she and the others joined Bobby at the gate.

"No one's answering. Maybe they're all out".

Kitty phased the gates leaving the others on the other side. "I don't like this. Ororo and Jean wasn't going anywhere with the kids, and Hank was working in the lab. Someone should be here."

With a burst of flames, Angel flew over the gate to join Kitty. "She's right, Bobby. I maybe the new kid here, but this sounds awful convenient to me."

Piotr transformed into the metal Colossus. "A lift would be most appreciated, Bobby." "You know if someone is waiting for us, charging through the front isn't the smartest idea." Bobby "iced" up and created an ice elevator to lift both him and Colossus over the gate and to the waiting women.

"You got another idea, fearless leader," Kitty teased.

"Actually, I do. We split up…."

"By the White Wolf, what is that," Colossus asked pointing up towards the sky.

They all turned to see a figure rocketing towards them.

"Like I was saying, we split up and take whatever that is down."

"My name is Phantazia, and you X-men are mine."

"Do all villains get their lines from the same book or what?" Bobby asked as he hurled ice darts at Phantazia.

She easily dodged the darts and projected an energy blast that destroyed the ice slide that IceMan was standing on. He quickly regenerated another and turned to watch as FireStar flew toward Phantazia.

"Thanks for ruining a perfectly good evening." FireStar attempted to blast Phantazia from the sky, but at the last moment her powers failed sending her crashing towards the ground.

"Angel!" Bobby screamed as he zipped towards her on his ice bridge. Reacting from his instincts, he created a slide beneath her. He watched as she slid unhurt to the ground. " My powers are gone," FireStar said as she stood up.

"But ours aren't." FireStar watched as a glowing gold, light appeared and three men stepped through the opening.

"My, my, the gang's all here," Kitty said as she did a flying kick into Harpoon knocking him to the ground.

Riptide began to spin around in a frenzy preparing to throw shuriken at the unsuspecting Firestar. But just as he began to throw the deadly stars with uncanny accuracy, Colossus jumped in front of Angel sending the shuriken flying towards a fighting Kitty and Harpoon.

"Kitty!" Colossus called out in warning. Kitty immediately phased out and several of the shuriken hit Harpoon sending him once again to the ground moaning.

"Enough!" Scalphunter yelled. "We finish this now. Phantazia!"

Phantazia flew from the forgotten Iceman and blasted both Colossus and ShadowCat.

"What's happening?" Kitty asked as she began to materialize.

Scalphunter raised his plasma rifle and fired hitting first Kitty and then Colossus. "No!" FireStar screamed as she ran towards him. However an energy charged spear struck her in the back knocking her unconscious to the ground.

"Now it's just you, Iceboy," Scalphunter sneered.

"It'll take more than you losers to beat the X-men!" As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Bobby groaned. "I did not just say that." Bobby muttered to himself. "Sounding like Cyclops will definitely cost me some cool points."

"You X-wimps are defeated already. Harpoon, Phantazia, Riptide!"

Bobby attempted to fight off the combined attack, but just as the others, he was soon overwhelmed.

"I hate being telepathically blind," Jean complained as she and Ororo checked the hallway before walking out.

"It is definitely a disadvantage," Ororo agreed. "However, perhaps our enemies are just as blind."

"Any guesses on who it is?" Jean asked as they made their way down the stairs towards the ready room.

"It could be anyone. Our best defense is to hold them off until help arrives. First we find Beast and then we figure out where the intruders are. No matter, what happens, Jubilee and the kids will be safe. Cerebro's chamber is housed in impenetrable metal. Without you, the Professor or Psylocke once the chamber is locked, no one can get in."

"Bobby and the others should be arriving soon. I just hope…." Jean trailed off.

"What is it, my friend?" Ororo caught Jean as she slipped to the floor.

"Someone's…trying..to take over…my mind."

"Fight it, Jean." Ororo pleaded as she lowered Jean to the floor.

"I can't…I have to…kill them. Kill her. NO!" Jean screamed as she attempted to battle the entity for her mind.

"Red's stronger than I thought," Sabretooth mocked as he stepped into view. "Usually, Malice has control by now."

"Sabretooth!" Ororo stood and raised her gun at him. "Call off Malice."

Sabretooth smiled. "Or what. You gonna hurt me with the big, bad gun. Come on, Stormy. You can do better than that."

"Do not call me that!" Ororo raised the gun and fired. However, Sabretooth was already moving. Before she could get off another shot, he grabbed the gun and backhanded her into the wall knocking the wind from her. Sabretooth laughed as Ororo pushed herself from the wall and assumed a fighting stance. "That's what I like about you, Stormy. Defiant till the end." He licked his lips suggestively. "And I promise baby. This is the end."

He charged her. But Ororo was ready. She threw several kicks and punches putting him on the defense. She threw all of her anger at him hoping to buy more time. But she knew that it wouldn't be enough. The longer the fight lasted, the weaker her attack became. She began to miss more and receive more hits herself. She bit her tongue to keep from screaming as he raked his claws down her ribs. Blood was flowing freely from her as her strength waned. Sabretooth grabbed her by the throat and pushed her into the wall. "Scream for me," he commanded.

"Go to hell!" No matter what he did to her, Ororo promised herself that she would defy him until the end. She could feel him squeezing the life from her and consciousness threaten to abandon her.

Sabretooth licked the blood that ran down her face. "Stay with me, frail. I want you to feel everythin' that I do to ya," Sabretooth laughed as his claws ripped into her.

Jubilee ran to stand in front of the babies as the doors slid opened and Jean walked in. "Oh, Jean. I'm so glad it's you," Jubilee exclaimed as she rushed to Jean. "Where's Ororo?"

"She got held up."

"So are there any bad guys here or what?"

Jean smiled lovingly at Jubilee. "I'm afraid that there is."

"What are we going to do?" Jubilee asked puzzled at Jean's lack of concern.

Jean reached out and hit Jubilee in the face knocking her to the floor.

"He still here?" Remy asked as he pulled a card from his jacket.

"I don't know, but his stench is all over the place." Logan sniffed at the air again. "I smell blood."

Remy laid a hand on his shoulder. "Dey be o.k., mon ami."

"How do you want to play this, Logan?" Mystique asked as she checked the ammo in her gun.

"We go in hard and fast. We know that Sabretooth's involved, but we don't know who… We've got company."

Remy charged the hand in his card and Mystique raised her gun aiming at the doors of the hanger.

"Wait a minute." Logan sniffed at the air attempting to discover who was coming. "It's Kitty and Colossus."

The doors to the hanger open and a very shaken Kitty and Colossus charged in. "Logan," Kitty ran to him. "We thought that they were coming back." She hugged him tightly.

"What happened, Kitty?" Logan asked as he took in the bruises and cuts on both her and Piotr.

"The Mauraders attacked and…."

"Ororo, Angel and Beast are in the infirmary." Piotr finished.

With a growl, Logan ran out of the hanger.

"Did dey take Alex?" Gambit questioned as they followed Logan.

"No," Kitty answered attempting to keep her voice from trembling. "They took Adara."

Two hours later, Professor X glided into the waiting room outside of the infirmary. "Logan…"

"I don't want to hear it, Chuck."

Professor closed his eyes and struggle to keep his tears in check. "Ororo is strong, Logan. She will make it."

Of the injured X-men, Ororo was by far the in the worst condition. Beast had sustained a few broken ribs and a concussion, but he was now up trying to assist Dr. Reyes with Ororo. Angel had been lucky as well. While she wouldn't be up running around anytime soon, the spear had missed any vital organs. Kitty, Piotr, and Bobby had only cuts and bruises. While Jean hadn't suffered any physical damage, emotionally she was a wreck. Jubilee had only suffered from the blow that she received from Jean while she was possessed by Malice. Jubilee had awakened to find Jean passed out besides a crying Alex.

The professor glanced around at the assembled X-men in the waiting room. They were all waiting for Ororo to come out of surgery. It took all of his concentration not to allow their emotions to overwhelm him. Emotions that ranged from rage to guilt, despair to hopeful.

The doors to the infirmary slid open. Dr. Reyes along with a limping Beast walked out to the assembled team.

"She survived the surgery, but the next 24 hours will be crucial."

"Can I see her?" Logan asked quietly.

Dr. Reyes nodded her head and watched as Logan walked slowly into the infirmary.

Logan looked down at the sleeping Ororo. She seemed so peaceful even with all the tubes connected to her. "I love you, 'Ro." He whispered as he leaned over to kiss her gently on the lips. "So don't you give up on me. Adara needs you, and I need you. So you have to fight so that you can take care of our little girl when I bring her home." Tears began to run down his face as he sat down and held her hand. "Please, Ororo. Don't leave me."

"I should have been stronger," Jean said as she paced around the waiting area.

Scott Summers watched his wife with a sense of hopelessness. He and the Professor had arrived from Washington D.C. to find the team in pieces. The Professor had immediately summoned Dr. Reyes along with the other absent members of the team. The aftermath of the attack now seemed more crippling than the attack itself. "Jean, it wasn't your fault." Jean turned on her husband with her eyes blazing. "I attacked Jubilee for God's sake. I watched as Sabretooth ripped Ororo to shreds…" She began to shake as the tears began to fall. "If she dies, I'll never forgive myself."

Gambit impatiently ran his fingers through his already disheveled hair. "If it be anybody fault, it be mine. I thought dat I could stop dem dis time. But I was wrong. Stormy in dere 'cause of my screw-up."

"You X-men are pathetic," Mystique said as she and the Professor entered the room. Rogue pushed herself from the wall and stood in front of Mystique. "Mamma, we ain't in the mood," Rogue threatened.

"That's right. You just want to sit here and blame yourselves for something that none of you could have stopped."

"She's right." They all turned as Logan walked back into the waiting area. "Guilt will get ya killed. Ya want to blame someone, then you blame Sinister and the Mauraders." He took a deep breath to calm himself. "You know where Adara was taken yet, Professor?" "Not exactly, Logan. Sinister is somehow able to shield their location from me. It appears that he surgically implanted a telepathic block in each of the Mauraders. But thanks to Mystique, we have a lead."

"Good help must be hard to find these days," Psylocke whispered as she and Gambit watched Blockbuster enter a strip club.

"I bet dat Sinister don't know dat Monseiur Blockbuster has de nasty habit of visiting de same strip. club." Gambit settled comfortably on the roof across the street from the club. "Now we jus' wait and follow him back to de lair. And Gambit get to revenge Stormy."

"Couldn't have said it better myself, love." Psylocke eased down besides Remy. "I'm looking forward to some action myself."

Professor Charles Xavier watched as the X-men assembled before him. Psylocke and Gambit had just contacted him with the location of Sinister's underground lab. "Our first priority is to rescue Adara. However, without being able to scan the location, we are essentially going in blind. The Mauraders that attacked the Mansion consisted of Arclight, Blockbuster, Harpoon, Phantazia, Riptide, Scalphunter, Malice and Sabretooth." Pictures of the attackers appeared on the screen.

"We also know that Sinister is the brains behind the attack," Mystique added. "However, what we don't know is if this is the entire team or not," Professor X finished.

"Why did dey take, Snowflake?" Gambit asked.

"She is a second generation mutant. Simply put, the child of two extremely powerful mutants. And in all likelihood, she may have inherited her mother's genetic gift for sorcery." Beast walked to the screen pulling up Adara's medical records.

"Her genetic make-up is something that apparently Sinister never considered." Beast shook his head in amazement. "The child of Logan and Ororo- her potential with the X factor are endless."

"With that said, Cyclops will lead the assault team consisting of Logan, Jean, Rogue, Mystique, Archangel, Bishop, and Beast. Psylocke and Gambit will meet you there." The Professor turned to Bobby, Kitty, Dr. Reyes, and Kurt. "With most of the team gone, we'll be vulnerable to any further possible attacks. Kurt, Piotr, Bobby and Kitty will remain here and be on full alert. I want the mansion locked down once Cyclop's team leaves. Dr. Reyes, I want you down in Medical lab watching Ororo and Angel. Jubilee and Alex will join you there. Any questions or comments?"

Throughout the entire briefing, Logan had remained silent standing slightly in the shadows. "Sabretooth's mine." All eyes turned towards him as he stepped from the shadows and pull his mask over his face. "And it's payback time," he growled.

"You should have seen those X-geeks," Riptide bragged. "We took 'em down without working up a sweat." He sat around the table playing cards with Harpoon, Archlight, and Scrambler. Vertigo stood behind a bar fixing drinks.

"I only wish that the rest of those wimps had been there. I would have love to have taken the rest of them down," Archlight laughed.

"Be careful what ya wish for, sugar!"

The startled Mauraders turned to find Rogue flying straight at them. Without slowing her speed, Rogue crashed into Archlight knocking them both through the wall.

Riptide began to spin in a frenzy; however, an exploding card blew him off his feet. Gambit tossed ten more cards in quick succession keeping both Harpoon and Riptide from retaliating. Vertigo moved towards Gambit intent on taking him from the battle; however she never saw Psylocke dropping down from the rafters above and driving her psychic knife into her head.

"What in the hell was that?" Scalphunter dropped the electronic device that he was working on and picked up his radio. "Harpoon, what in the hell are you doing down there?"

Scalphunter frowned when he received no answer. "Phantazia, I want you, Prism and Blockbuster to meet me in the rec room. And move your asses."

They meet him in the hall as they ran towards the rec room. "What's going on?" Prism asked as he struggled to keep up with the rest of them.

"It's seems as if we gonna get a rematch with the X-geeks," Scalphunter said as he charged his gun.

"You perception as always is accurate if not distorted," Beast dropped down in front of them. "However, I will tender you this one opportunity to cease this battle and to return Adara to us."

"What did he say?" Blockbuster asked.

"Get him you, moron." Scalphunter ordered.

"Don't say we didn't warn you." Archangel swooped in and fired his paralyzing flechettes at the Mauraders only to have them destroyed by Scalphunter's gun. Before he could pull up, Prism reflected a blinding light catching Warren off guard. He slammed into the wall and struggled to stand before the Mauraders could descend on him. He needed not worry. Bishop stepped from his position and began to fire erratically causing the Mauraders to scatter.

Blockbuster ran towards Beast. "Not this time, Blockbuster. I have learned from our prior confrontation."

Beast stood firmed and as he expected Blockbuster simply charged him expecting him to try the same move that had failed just three days ago. However, instead, Beast flipped over the charging brute and landed easily on his feet. He turned just in time to watch Blockbuster crash into the wall.

"Perhaps, you should utilize your cranium for more than just stampeding."

"Interesting, her DNA is like nothing I have ever seen. The potential of her genetic make-up is astonishing."

"Looks like any other brat if you ask me," Sabretooth sneered.

"Then it is a good thing that I didn't ask you," Sinister turned from his microscope. "Adara has the potential of being one of the most powerful mutants on the planet."

"So what kinda powers do the brat got?" Sabretooth asked unconvinced.

"We won't know until she matures more." Sinister turned back to his findings. "I have a lot of work to do, is there a reason why you're here?"

Sabretooth smiled as he picked up one of Sinister's test tubes. "Thought you might like to know that we've got company."

"What!"

"Hey, we knew it was matter of time before Xavier's lapdogs found us," Sabretooth crushed the glass in his hand and watch as his blood dripped from his hand until his healing factor kicked in.

"I have what I need. Take the child and delay them."

"No!"

"What is it, Professor?" Jubilee asked.

Before he could answer, Cecilia voice echoed over the intercom. "Professor, I'm losing her."

"I am on my way. Stabilize her as best you can." He turned to Jubilee. "Jubilee, stay with Alex. I'm going to help Cecilia with Ororo."

Jubilee watched helplessly as the Professor headed for the medical lab. "Please, God. Don't let Storm die."

"Sabretooth," Wolverine growled as he sniffed to reconfirm the identity of their prey. "He's close and he's got Adara."

Scott turned to Jean. "Anything?"

"There's so much interference down here, I can barely pick up your thoughts. We're going to have to rely on Logan's senses."

"If he hurts one hair on Adara's head,…" Logan started.

"Sabretooth won't hurt Adara. Sinister needs her. But I don't like this. Sinister's been one step ahead of us since the beginning. He reforms the Mauraders and sends them to the mansion to kidnapped Adara."

"I'm guessing that there's a point to this?" Mystique asked.

"However, Sinister always has a hidden agenda," Scott continued. "What is he really after?"

"He wanted the kid," Mystique stated.

"No, Scott's right. Sinister is after something else." Phoenix agreed.

Wolverine suddenly sheathed his claws. "You can sit here and play guessing games, but I'm going after my daughter."

"You go off half cocked and you're going to get her killed. We have to figure out what Sinister…."

"I don't give a damn what Sinister's planned. But I do know that Sabretooth has Adara. And Sabretooth is the reason why 'Ro's fighting for her life. So this is between me and Victor. It always has been and always will be. You want Sinister. Then you get him. I'm going after Sabretooth."

"Ororo, you have to fight."

"Professor, I am so tired."

"I know, Ororo. But you have a family that needs you." Professor Xavier's astral form reached out a hand to Ororo. "Would you condemn Adara to a life without her mother? Logan to a life without your love?"

Tears ran down Ororo's face. "I don't want to leave them."

"Then fight, Ororo. Fight to come back to us. Take my hand."

"Da da, da da," Adara reached out her cubby hands towards the shadows. "The runt ain't here yet, Brat."

"You sure about that, Creed."

Victor smiled as Logan stepped from the shadows.

"How's Storm doing, Logan?" Sabretooth mocked. "Last time I saw her, she wasn't lookin' too good."

"Why don't you put Adara down and I'll show ya," Logan promised as he stepped closer. "Just like the good ole days. Me slashin' up one of your frails and you always being too late." He held Adara higher. "You've become weak, Wolverine. Whooped. Married life made ya soft. Me, I'm better than ever. I've got my edge. You've lost yours."

Wolverine bashed his claws together creating a blood chilling sound. "You know what I think? I think that you know that I could kick you ass any time and any place. You're second best. And around here, second best don't cut it."

With a growl, Sabretooth lunched Adara towards the wall before diving at Wolverine. However, a telekinetic force caught Adara before she could collide with the wall. Yet, before Phoenix could bring Adara to her, Malice attacked her mind.

"Drop the child," Malice pushed.

"I don't think so." Phoenix closed her eyes and pulled Malice onto the Astral Plane with her while maintaining Adara in a protective telekinetic bubble.

"You can't stop me. The child is ours," Malice screamed as she attempted to take over Jean's body.

"Sorry sister, but your pathetic powers don't work on a telepath who's trained her entire life." Jean reached out for Malice's mind and telepathically turned it off causing Malice to drop into unconsciousness. "That's for Jubilee."

Jean opened her eyes to find Logan and Creed slashing into each other. She lifted Adara into her arms. "Logan?"

"Get Adara out of here!" Logan ordered as he kicked Sabretooth to the ground.

"But Logan,…"

"Do it, Jean. Sabretooth and I have some unfinished business." Logan growled as he tackled Sabretooth and stabbed his claws into his chest. "This ain't over until one of us ain't breathing."

"He's right, Ororo." Ororo turned to find her best friend Nyla floating behind her.

"Nyla?"

Nyla smiled at her startled friend. "In the flesh or should I say in the spirit."

Ororo hugged her friend to her. "My friend, but how can this be when I failed to save you from Circe."

Smiling, Nyla shook her head. "Just like always. Trying to carry the burden for something that wasn't your fault. You stopped Circe from hurting anyone else. That's what matters. Because of you, the Scrolls of Ishtar were returned to my Coven and Circe was unable to release her fury onto the world. But I didn't leave eternal peace to talk about Circe. You have to go back, Ororo. Adara is in danger."

"Yes, from Sinister and the Mauraders…" the Professor began.

"No, he may be the one that has taken her, but someone else is coming for her. She is the chosen one- the one that can bring creation or destruction, life or death. You must protect her." Nyla floated away from Ororo and the Professor. "I must go now. Remember Ororo, you must protect your family. The dark ones are coming."

Cyclops dropped a stack of files to floor as he and Mystique searched Sinister's abandoned lab. "Whatever Sinister was working on we're not going to find it here."

"Just like a man to run at the first sign of trouble," Raven turned to smile at Cyclops. "Present company excluded of course."

"Thanks. I think." Cyclops picked up a disk that had Adara's name scribbled on it. "Maybe the Professor or Hank can figure out something from this."

"Now what?" Mystique asked.

"Scott, your assistance would be greatly appreciated." Beast voice crackled over the sound of gunfire.

Scott touched the intercom designed into his uniform. "We're on the way, Hank."

"Jean," Cyclops called through his telepathic link.

"Scott, I have Adara." Jean quickly filled Scott in on the events that had transpired.

"Damn it. What is Logan thinking? Get Adara to the Blackbird. I'm going after the rest of the team."

"What about Logan?" Jean questioned.

Cyclops sighed as he and Mystique ran towards Beast's location. "He's on his own."

Sabretooth snarled at the bloody Wolverine knowing that he was as equally as bloody. Both men had inflicted mortal wounds on each other only to have them healed by their healing factors. Both had ripped into the other and both had felt the other's blood run through their fingers.

Usually, they were too evenly matched to determine who would be the victor. While Sabretooth's advantages lay in his height and weight, Wolverine's advantages were his deadly adamantium claws and his willpower to win. However, Sabretooth sensed that something was different tonight. Sabretooth spit out a mouth full of blood. Usually the little runt held back. Always struggling against the beast that lay just beneath the surface. But for the first time in his adult life, Sabretooth felt an inkling of fear. There was a bloodlust in Logan's eyes and Sabretooth instinctly knew that it was his blood that Wolverine was after.

Wolverine began to close in. "I'm ending this, Creed."

"You don't have it in ya." Sabretooth moved closer as well sensing that this would be the last fight between them. With a growl, both men leaped towards each other. Claws lashed out and both men fell to the ground; however, Wolverine was the first one up. He tackled Sabretooth knocking the breath from his body. "I'll see you in hell Creed." Wolverine raised his hands and moved to end the bloody fight. However, and energy blast knocked him into the wall sending him into a semi-unconscious state. He struggled to stand as he watch Sinister picked up the bleeding Sabretooth and step into a golden light before disappearing.

Bishop frowned as Prism tackled Scalphunter and absorbed the shot that Bishop had intended for him.

"I believe that this belongs to you, X-men!" Prism reflected the energy back at Beast while evading the shot left himself open to Blockbuster attack. Bishop attempted to aid Beast with the over-sized Maurader, but found himself under fire from Scalphunter and Prism. Above the battle, Archangel was barely holding his own against Phantazia's bio-electric energy blasts.

"Blockbuster, I know that you won't believe me. But there is an extremely large tiger behind you," Beast warned.

"Yeah, right," Blockbuster sneered.

Beast watched as the tiger leaped onto the unsuspecting Blockbluster knocking him towards the waiting Beast who whacked him in the face effectively removing him from the fight. Mystique morphed back into herself. "The dumber they are."

An optic blast fired into Scalphunter causing him to crash into Prism. Both Cyclops and Bishop turned to watch as Beast leaped into the air landing on Phantazia's back. Before she could react, he wrapped his large hands over her eyes. He jumped from her into Warren's waiting hands just as she crashed into the wall. Archangel dropped Beast to the ground before landing beside the waiting X-men.

Psylocke and Gambit dropped behind the bar in an attempt to avoid Riptide's frenzy attack. Behind them the slug feast between Rogue and Arclight threaten to bring down the wall between them.

"Any ideas?" Gambit asked as he pulled out a card from his coat."

"Well, we could just wait until that little creature run out of shurikens…"

"Or…" Remy prompted as he charged the card in his hand.

"Or we take the fight to them."

Gambit laughed as he tossed the card over the bar. "Den when I say, go. Move!" He gripped the edge of the bar with both hands and watched with satisfaction as the bar began to glow bright red. "Let's move it, Betsy!"

They both scattered as the bar exploded knocking Riptide and Harpoon to the floor. Before Riptide could stand, Psylocke tackled him and drove her psychic knife into his head rendering him unconscious. Gambit tossed a card blowing-up the spear that Harpoon had thrown at him. Before Harpoon could throw another spear, Wolverine backhanded him into the wall. "Well, blast it. Ah was hoping ta get mah hands on another Maurader," Rogue complained as she tossed Archlight into the room.

"What about the others?" Psylocke asked as she as she surveyed the room.

"Here and accounted for, Fair Lady!" Beast proclaimed as he and the others entered the room.

"Where's Adara?" Logan asked Cyclops.

"She's safe with Jean on the Blackbird. Is everyone o.k.?"

"Logan!" Ororo struggled to sit up as he entered the medical lab. "Where is Adara? Is she o.k.? What about the others? Charles filled me in…"

Logan leaned in and silenced her with a kiss. "Adara is fine. Hank just wanted to examined her to be safe."

Ororo released the breath that she hadn't realized that she was holding as she wrapped her delicate fingers around his hand. "Oh, Logan. I was so worried. If anything ever happened to you or Adara…" She broke off as tears ran down her face.

"You were worried?" Logan teased. "Hey, I was the one sitting by your bedside." He gently wiped the tears from her face.

She smiled as she struggled to remain awake. "I have so much to tell you," she said weakly. "It can wait. Right now, I want ya to get some sleep. We've got all the time in the world."

"I love you, Logan," Ororo sighed before drifting off to sleep.

Logan kissed her gently on the lips. "I love you too."