As Sabertooth walked down the hallway to the med lab, he called to Ryan over his shoulder. “I think you should keep that costume on until we get sometime alone frail, I always wanted to know what Audrey Hepburn would be like… and maybe you could borrow that other costume for tomorrow.“
Leilee and Ryan looked at each other both suddenly feeling very self-conscious. They where still in their costumes because neither had time to change since the party had been canceled.
Sabertooth entered the med lab, and screaming along with shouts of “Sound the alarm!” rang through the lab and down the hall. Leilee and Ryan quickened their pace to get into the lab before someone accidentally caused Cara more harm trying to get to Victor.
“Stop!” Ryan shouted entering the lab. “He’s not here to hurt people. Cara has been hurt by some unknown person and he is helping us bring her to you to help her.”
Bobby stood protectively over Athena’s bed. He was not about to let Creed near her. Leilee walked over to him to try to assure him that Victor was not going to hurt anyone, at least with Ryan in the room.
Hank on the other hand shifted into doctor mode and took Cara’s body from Creed setting her on an examination table. He began to examine the girl checking the damage done to her head.
“Can I talk to you alone?” Ryan said to Victor motioning him to leave the lab with her. She knew it would make everyone in the room feel much better plus she really wanted to talk to him.
“What are you doing here?” She asked him when they were safely away from everyone.
“Do you honestly think I was going to let you come here by yourself? I wasn’t about to let you walk into some kind of trap.”
“Do you mean to tell me you have been watching me the entire night?” Ryan asked in disbelief “Don’t you trust me?”
“I trust you with my life frail, I just don’t trust anyone else. “ Victor said carefully. He had forgotten what it was like to have a girlfriend. Now he remembered that the slightest thing could get him in trouble.
“You really trust me with your life?” Ryan smiled and jumped on Victor kissing his entire face
Le Fae
“Ahem!” Ryan was in the middle of kissing Victor when the scene was broken by Leilee. “Hank needs your help Ryan, Cara needs blood and you’re the only one who has the same blood type as her.”
“Oh, No problem.” Ryan said walking back into the lab. Victor followed grinning madly as he passed Leilee and entered the lab.
Hank sat Ryan down on one of the spare beds and began to take blood from her. “She is going to be fine, but it is a good think you are here.”
Maria entered the lab to see Victor Creed standing next to Ryan. “ I am never going to get used to seeing him around you.” She said eyeing Creed while walking over to Cara who was on the table. “How is she?”
“She lost a lot of blood but Ryan is taking care of that.” Hank said as he finished with Ryan cleaning the puncture wound in her arm.
Maria walked over to Ryan and asked, “What happened?”
“I don’t know. We are waiting for some answers ourselves.” Leilee answered.
Le Fae
Athena touched Bobby's hand, and he returned to sit on the bed. He still looked uncertain at the other occupants of the medlab. Athena gently lay her head against him.
"See, everything's all right." She soothed.
When Victor had first come in carrying Cara, she had been frightened. She had felt her heart start to race again. Then Ryan had been there, and Athena knew it was safe. Somehow, now she couldn't imagine Ryan hurting any of them. Slowly, she felt her pulse return to normal, though the pain in her chest had returned.
She knew they would all make it through this. Between Hank, Leilee and Ryan, they could get Cara to pull through. They could do anything. She still had to admit, it was odd seeing Victor acting even remotely kind or concerned.
/He's more like Wolverine than he would like to admit./ she thought.
She smiled and squeezed Bobby a little harder.
snowbaby
Cara opened her eyes slowly...when her eyes adjusted, she found herself looking up into the concerned eyes of Hank.
"What happened Cara?" he asked.
Cara looked carefully around the room...she saw Athena, Bobby, Leilee, Maria, Ryan, and Sabertooth; Sabertooth was grinning at Ryan. Everyone seemed to be waiting for Cara to say something.
Cara sighed and put a hand to her forehead, wincing when she saw the IV that was stuck in her arm.
"You lost a lot of blood...Ryan was kind enough to give you a transfusion. Now, please, tell us...What Happened?!" Beast asked again.
"You're not going to believe this, but..." replied Cara, as she began to relate what had happened.
*****
~Cara's Flashback~
Cara stood in the Hanger, in a sort of trance. She was locked in a mental battle with her alternate self. Unknown to her, Sabertooth was watching from the shadows.
^Get into the Cockpit...NOW!^ Arac ordered a third time, ^You cannot defy me, don't even try...you are too weak!^
^NO! I will not get into the cockpit...I know what you are planning...I will NOT betray the X-Men, or my friends!!!^ Cara's mental self responded.
She began to try to suppress Arac...Arac felt its hold slipping.
^NO!!! You can't do this to me!!! I won't let you!!!^ Arac said angrily.
Arac concentrated with all of its might...It would never be ruled by this simpleton...this weakling. Arac was its own identity, its own entity. It would not allow itself to be a part of this fool any longer...Arac was its name, and Arac MUST LIVE!!!
Cara screamed and fell to the floor of the Hanger...she felt like she was being ripped in two, like the first time that she had split. She blacked out...and when she came to, she was once again face to face with herself. But, there was something different...Cara's eyes opened extremely wide with shock, as she realized what the difference was.
"What the...YOU'RE A MAN!!!" Cara's shriek echoed throughout the Hanger.
Arac smiled a cruel smile. "Not just a man, but a man with a mission. And I can't have you ruining it, so I'm going to have to get you out of the way..." he said.
Arac focused all of his mental energies into his hand...it glowed, and he pulled his hand back into a fist. Cara's eyes widened as she understood what he was about to do, and she tried to duck out of the way, but she wasn't fast enough.
As Cara turned her head, Arac's explosive punch clipped the side of her head; Cara went down as her world erupted in a sea of red pain and streaks of lightning...then she blacked out. She was lucky. If Arac's punch had caught her full force in the forehead like he had planned, it would have killed her.
Arac smiled cruelly at the fallen girl, then turned and jumped into the cockpit of the Blackbird. He started the engines.
Sabertooth came out of the shadows and stood over Cara. He looked at the Blackbird, and he looked back down at the unconscious girl. /Kid, you've sure got some problems.../ he thought, as he wondered what he should do now. He knew Ryan liked the girl, and that she wouldn't like this one bit.
As he was thinking, that's when everyone ran into the Hanger...
=====
Rainfall
Sammi had ripped off her costume, because she had her uniform underneath and was trying to explain to Rogue what happened when she caught Wolverine's message.
"We have to go NOW. There's a problem. Are we flying in or out of a plane?" Sammi asked Rogue.
"Never mind that, I got an idea. Me and Rogue are going to help Wolverine. Jamar, you get Storm and Cyclops and whoever else will come and follow the Blackbird with the other plane, us the tracking device on the Blackbird." Sammi said in one breath. She slipped into leader mode as soon as They saw the Blackbird take off.
"Good, plan, sugar. Let's go." Rogue said as she followed Sammi out the door.
Sammi turned and looked at Jamar and they both said at the same time, "Be careful." And they were off.
***********************************************************************
Sammi and Rogue were flying in the direction that the blackbird took. Sammi was following Wolverine's and Jonas's smell then she smelled only Wolverine.
"They got separated. Wolverine's with the Blackbird and Jonas headed that way." She said pointing towards New York City.
"What is he doing over there?" Rogue asked looking towards the city.
"I don't know but I know that he is fine. Wolverine's the one I more worried about. LOOK! There's the Blackbird and... BLOODY HELL."
"What's wrong, Sugar?"Rogue asked trying to see what Sammi saw.
"Logan's hanging on to the Blackbird. And who ever is driving, is trying to shake him off." Sammi said pointing.
"I see it. What are we going to do?" Rogue asked.
**********************************************************************
~In the second plane~
Jamar had gotten Cyclops, Jean, Warren, Betsy and Cable. They were all in the plane and drawing fast one the Blackbird.
Jamar was looking out of the cockpit window, and then he saw the Blackbird and Sammi and Rogue behind it. Then he saw what she was doing. "Hurry, she's going to try to get in to the plane." He said as he saw Sammi jump from Rogue's arms and land right on the side of the plane. She started to rip in to the plane with her claws.
"Rogue's got Wolverine, but I don't see Jonas." Jean said as she opened the door for Rogue and Wolverine.
Wolverine stood up and headed for the window. He saw Sammi and yelled, "Someone get out there in case she falls."
"I'm on it." Warren said as he flew outside.
In the plane everyone saw Warren fly up to Sammi.
**********************************************************************
~Warren and Sammi~
Warren flew up to Sammi. "Need a hand?" He asked.
"Yeah, I'm strong but not this strong. Help me pull the door off." Sammi said as she tried to pry the door open.
jubilee_79
Arac saw the other plane come alongside...he heard Sammi try to pry the door open.
"Sorry girl, but I'm not about to let you ruin my plan either..." he said to himself.
He placed one hand on the roof of the Blackbird...the aircraft began to glow as it absorbed his explosive power. He concentrated and mentally sent a message to Sammi.
~I know you can hear me. I have infused the Blackbird with explosive energy...I can control it up to a point; but if you don't get Warren and everyone else away from this aircraft right now, I will be forced to blow it, myself, and everyone else up along with it. NOTHING will interfere with my plan!!!~ Arac coldly thought.
Sammi's eyes grew wide as she intercepted the message.
Rainfall
"WARREN! WE have to get out of here NOW!!" Sammi yelled. Warren didn't ask any questions; he just grabbed her and headed back for the other plane.
Jamar and Logan ran to the door as they saw them coming back.
"What happened, darlin'?" Logan asked as he and Jamar checked for any injuries.
"He’s gonna blow it. We have to get out of here, now." Sammi said loud enough for Scott to hear her.
"Everyone take their seats. We're heading home." Scott said as he started to turned the plane.
Sammi had to see this guy. She ran to the cockpit and looked over just in time to see the young man give her a cocky, yet evil grin.
"What? It can't be." She said as she realized who he reminded her of.
She headed to her seat after Jean told her to. She sat next to Logan and Jamar not saying a word.
/I have to find out what happened in the hanger./She thought as they headed home.
********************************************************************
~Back at the mansion~
Sammi was the first one off of the plane. She ran to the med lab to find Cara. She was laying on one of the beds and Ryan was talking to her. She saw Creed and stopped in her tracks.
"What is HE doing here?" She asked looking at everyone. Bobby patted Athena's hand and started walking towards her.
"Sammi. Its Ok. He here for Ryan. He's not going to try anything funny. Are you?" Bobby said looking at Creed.
"Not now, frail." Creed said with a grin as he look from Sammi to Ryan.
"I'll deal with you later." She said to Creed and turned to Cara and said," He's the first double, isn't he?"
Cara and everyone else was shocked. "How did you know?" She asked.
"I saw his face. He has your power and he knew I was a telepath." Sammi said walking over to her. "What I don't know is how? Is that's what was wrong with you after you first split? Why didn't you tell any of us?"
"I didn't want you all to think I was weak and hearing things." Cara said sadly.
Sammi hugged her and said,"None of us would have thought you weak. And as for hearing things. I grew up with Jamar, I wouldn't have thought you were hearing things."
"Thanks." Cara said returning the hug.
"Sammi got up and walked over to Athena. She held out her hand and said," I'm Sammi. I'm sorry I couldn't get to know you better before this but I just can't seem to stay out of trouble."She said with a smile."Oh by the way, Don't you go and die on us again, because none of us are ready to lose any of us now or ever, got it?"
Athena smiled,"Thanks. I'll try." Bobby came over and wrapped his arms around her and kissed her cheek.
Sammi saw this and leaned over to Bobby and said in his ear,"Its about time, Icepop. You deserve it." She stood up with a smile on her face and turned and faced everyone and said, "So has anyone heard form Jonas?"
jubilee_79
Leilee shook her head. "I haven't heard from him. What happened? Did you guys beat Arac?"
Sammi shook her head. "No. He would have blown up the ship."
Leilee grabbed her and dragged her outside. "I think I can get to him."
"How?"
"Like many other mutants, I am over powered and hated for it. I can teleport over, knock him out and bring the plane back."
Leilee
~at the Blackbird~
Arac smiled a victorious smile as he watched the other plane leave. Carefully, he concentrated... the glow that surrounded the Blackbird dispersed, as Arac successfully quieted the explosive energy, leaving the Blackbird unharmed.
Arac shook his head. If Gambit only knew the true extent of his own powers...what he was really capable of...but he didn't. He and the other X-Men were too careful, they would never reach their true potential.
Arac shook his head again. He reached over and successfully disengaged the tracking device, so no one would be able to trace him again.
He laughed gleefully, maniacally, as he continued on his way.
Rainfall
~At the mansion~
"I wouldn't suggest doing that, Leliee." informed Amanda as she and Xavier entered the med-lab in their slightly disheveled clothes.
"Why shouldn't I?" asked Leliee as she took in their appearance.
"Because if you do, we will never discover the truth behind why you are here." Stated Xavier in a dignified tone despite his appearance.
Everyone looked at the two in amazement. Answers were the one thing no one seemed to have.
"But how do you know...?" questioned Cara.
"I have been gaining pieces of this puzzle slowly the longer we been here. Just a few minutes ago, I finally found the last piece. By the time we got back to the mansion, all hell had broken loose and we went straight to Cerebro so that we could monitor the situation. Xavier just called the others back and......Why is Sabertooth here?"
Sabertooth just sneered and replied. " Why are you look like you just...."
"It’s a long story, we'll explain in the ready room. The others will be here soon.”
“Wait! How will we find ....?" asked Cara
"Don't worry child. We know where he's going." stated Xavier.
A.C.
As Sammi and Leilee were walking to the danger room, they passed through the front hallway which had a stand with one of the many telephones in the house. As they started to pass it the phone rang. Sammi and Leilee stopped dead in their tracks. They looked at each other.
"That's a first. Think we should answer it?" Sammi asked, looking at the phone.
"Go ahead." Leilee said, also looking at the phone.
Sammi picked up the receiver. "Xavier School of Higher Learning. Samantha speaking. How can I help you?"
"I was wondering if you can help me. Are you a new student?" The voice on the line said.
"Yes. How can I help you?"
"Is there by any chance a student there by the name of Jonas Ljungberg?"
"Yes, but he's not here at the moment. Can I take a message?"
"Actually, I know he's not there, because he's here. I was just checking to see if he is who he says he is."
"Can I ask you a question?"Sammi said she had to find out who this was.
"Sure, miss."
"You know who I am but I don't know who you are or where Jonas is, would you please tell me?"
"Sorry. I was rude. This is Captain America, and Jonas is at the Avengers Headquarters."
"He's where?" Sammi asked thinking that she didn't hear right.
Leilee was watching her and said,"Where is he?"
"He's at the Avengers Headquarters." Sammi said to her. To Captain America she said," If he's there, can I speak with him?"
"Sure. Here he is."
"This is Jonas." Jonas said as he came on the line.
"First off, How did you get to the Avengers Headquarters?" Sammi said, a little relieved to hear his voice.
"Sammi, Its a long story and I can't wait to tell you." Jonas started but Sammi interrupted.
"I’d love to hear it but you have to get here fast. The professor figured out why we're here."
"You’re kidding? Someone finally figured it out. I'll get there as fast as I can."
"Jonas, Honey, can you put Captain America back on the phone?" Sammi asked.
"Sure." Jonas said a little skeptical, "Here he is."
"Yes, Samantha."Captain America said.
"Would you do me a favor and bring Jonas home? I don't want him to end up in Timbuktu this time." Sammi said with a smirk.
"No problem. We'll be there shortly." Captain America said.
****************************
~At the Avengers Headquarters~
Captain America hung up the phone and started laughing.
Jonas was looking at him thinking, /What could she have possibly said to him?/
"What?" Jonas asked as Captain America started to calm down.
"Samantha's your girlfriend, right?" Captain asked.
"Yeah, so? Why what did she say to you?" Jonas asked.
"She just asked if we could bring you back."
"Why?"
"She doesn't want you to end up in Timbuktu this time."
Everyone in the office started to laugh. Even Jonas and Thor chuckled a little.
jubilee_79
Teb ran up to Sammi and Leilee in the hall.
"Hey, have you seen Angelo?" she asked
"No..."said Sammi, "And did you hear? The Professor knows why we’re here. Maybe we can go home."
"Home?!" Teb screamed and smiled, then stopped and started to look sad. "I’ve gotta go find Angelo."
Teb ran around the mansion screaming for Angelo. She wasn’t looking where she was going and ran into Wolverine
"Watch it kid." he snarled.
"Sorry...ANGELO?” she kept yelling.
"Hey kid, he’s on the roof."
Teb stopped. The roof. Of course.
"Thanks." she said and jumped out the nearest window and swung herself up on the roof.
She saw Angelo and walked over and sat down next to him. He had headphones on and looked asleep. Teb watched him for a second. He looked very peaceful. She decided to wait till later to talk to him. She was about to go when she turned to him again and bent over and kissed him on the lips.
/No harm if he’s sleeping./ she thought.
She got back up and started to walk away, when something grabbed her ankle and she fell over.
"Sorry, Chica." Ange said with a chuckle. "Didn’t mean to make you fall."
Teb looked over. Ange was in the same position he was in before, only with his arm stretched out and his skin around her foot. she got up and brushed herself off.
"If I had nails, I would have broken one." she said, and sat next to Ange again.
"Heh, si chica." he laughed. "So, were you looking for me?”
/No time like the present./ Teb thought. "Yea, I wanted to talk to you... about....um..."
"I wasn’t asleep, chica." Angelo said and put on a grin.
Teb smiled. She wasn’t one to "talk" about things.
"And you’re cool with it?" she asked.
"Si chica, si."
Teb smiled and leaned against him. then she remembered.
"Xavier and Amanda know why we’re here." she said and looked up at his face, " This might lead us to go home."
Angelo thought about this. "Do you want to go home?"
Teb sighed, "Yes, and no."
Angelo nodded and they fell asleep on the roof
teb
~Sinister's Lair~
Sinister stood watching as his prize worked...she was a very powerful mutant telepath; his first successful supermutant creation.
She wore a long dark cloak, with a hood which covered her head and face. Behind the hood, her silver eyes glowed as she used her powers. She was known as Anon.
*****
~The Blackbird~
Arac was flying the Blackbird toward a destination known only to him. For some reason, he began to change course...
/Wait a minute, what's going on?/ he thought.
He put himself back on course, but almost immediately, his course changed yet again.
/This is really getting weird...why do I keep changing my course? Is it Xavier and those other telepathic idiots? I wouldn't think that they had it in them...they're too stupid to think anything like this up. No, it must be someone else.../ Arac thought.
He began to change course again, but decided against it. If someone wanted him that badly, he was going to find out who, and why. Then he was going to really make them hurt.
He plotted a course which followed the pattern which someone had implanted in his brain.
*****
~Sinister's Lair~
Anon smiled behind her hood...the subliminal messages she had implanted in Arac's mind were working...Arac was coming 'home'.
/That's right Arac, come, meet your 'father'...he has work for you to do./ Anon thought, as she smiled behind her mask.
Rainfall
~Back at the mansion~
Amanda and Xavier were sitting in the war room, waiting for everyone to join them. Both were tense by the realization of what was really happening and who was behind it. Both were thinking about what had happened between them. After Sabertooth's comment, Amanda had gone upstairs to change and Charles had not seen her since. He knew she was worried for the emotional stability of her team after they found out the truth.
(It will be all right. We will handle it together .)
(I know.) she replied.
Charles mind wandered back to the gazebo. To his confession of love. To her saying that she was in love with him. To their kiss. To.....
(As much as I enjoy that, Charles, we do have other things that demand our attention.) She playfully reprimanded.
Charles laughed, (Sorry, but it seems to keep appearing in my mind. The more I try to stop, the more it appears.)
(You won't be laughing if you start getting teased about it. It’s already bad that Sabertooth knows. Wait until Bobby, Hank, Logan, and the others find out. I can just imagine the teasing I'm going to get from Jonas. I mean, you were the one lecturing about not sharing a room with Sammi.) Amanda smiled as she saw Charles blush.
(What if this will be our last time together? I don't think we have that much time left.)
(You knew the risks when we got involved, Amanda. We both accepted them.) Charles reminded her.
(Yes, I know, but what about the others? The X-men and my team have become so intertwined that I don't know how everyone is going to react when they find out that we may never see each other again.)
Charles took her hand and urged her sit in his lap. She went willingly, just happy to be with him. his arms encircled her and held her. He never wanted to let go.
"We will deal with this together as a team." he stated.
Amanda prayed he was right.
A.C.
"By the way," Charles said as he looked at the lovely vision he held in his arms. "Has your team decided on a name?"
Amanda smiled..."Sammi suggested a couple of names, and we all took a vote on it at the party. Our team name is Vision-X."
Rainfall
Jonas got in the Avengers plane, he was still dizzy and was glad that they agreed to give him a ride.
To his own dismay he managed to stumble on his way into the plane, but Thor was quick to grab him.
"Thanks," Jonas said and got into the plane. Captain America directed him to a seat and he and Iron Man walked into the cockpit.
"Man, are Sammi and the rest going to have a laugh out of this." he said closing his eyes.
"That they may." Thor closed the hatch.
"I feel so stupid, I could have killed someone, and I would have if I had hit something like a hospital..."
"It's not thy fault, thou was struck down cowardly." Thor said and sat down. "Thou shalt be glad to have avoided the cold touch of death."
"Yeah, I guess, when I saw the Fantastic Four building... Do you think they will be mad?"
"Reed did express some concern about that hole straight through their Headquarters, and apparently you managed to destroy Ben's TV, I think he was rather upset." Captain America said as he came out from the cockpit.
Jonas bit down and furrowed his eyebrows. "Don't worry, he has been through the same once or twice himself." he smiled and added.
Jonas felt the plane lift in to the air, and looked out the window.
"So how long have you been at Xavier’s?" Captain America said and sat down across from Jonas.
"Cap, that is more complex then you could ever know, I mean, the real question would be, how long have I been in this universe at all... don't ask."
Jonas didn't want to say too much, so he decided to shut up about it. "On second thought, I think Xavier might be best to explain."
"Perhaps..." Captain America said.
It didn't take long for the to reach the mansion, and Captain America only asked some polite question to pas the time. Thor also got to hear the story behind the hammer around Jonas neck and how the Asgard mythology always had fascinated him, Thor talked a little about what he knew of that time.
======
He didn't even get our of the plane before Sammi dragged him off it. "Come, Xavier and Amanda are waiting..." she paused as Thor walked out of the plane. "Wow! Thor?"
"Tell you later." Jonas said and gave Sammi a hug. "You'll never guess who I *RAN* in to."
Sammi looked at Thor, Captain America and Iron man that now was out of the plane. "Will you join us? Xavier would probably want to speak with you."
Captain America nodded and the three followed Sammi and Jonas.
Admiral
