Day Two: Revelations

[Rogue 4]

"Incredible. I din't realize how truly evil you could be." He smirked in amusement. The truth was, he really didn't want a whole squad of cheerleaders chasing after him constantly for information. When put in those terms it might just be easier to divulge a little information to the queen bee. "Th' name's Neil. Neil Travis."

[Mara 29]

"Oh, I see..." August had continued to her car and noticed he was having trouble with his bike. She thought about offering a ride, even after everything that had happened, but then that annoying cheerleader showed up. Starting up her car, she rolled down the top of her Mercedes convertible.

Feeling she would regret being so bold and wondering where it had even come from, she looked over at the two of them. "Do you need to get jumped or something? Or a ride?"

Edited June 3, 2008 by Mara

[Ayingel 24]

"See, that wasn't so hard now was it?" Gertie smiled. "Neil...that's not so bad of a name." She stuck out her hand. "I'm Gertie Hughes."

[Rogue 4]

Forgetting August was there, he took the lovely, frustrating, cheerleader's hand and brought it smoothly up to his lips. "Well what kind of a name is Gertie? When you have a beautiful name like Gertrude, what are you goin' ta go an' shorten it for?"

[Mara 29]

Sighing, August backed out of her space and sped off with a squeal of her tires. Why she had even offered to help the guy who just a few minutes earlier seemed content to let the other man dispose of her, was quite beyond her reasoning. She pulled out into the street, this time making sure she was on the right way home.

[Andy 60]

After dinner Chase had driven home, and was now moving his stuff upstairs to his new room. Thankfully Kurt had agreed to help so the job was made a whole lot easier.

"There we go," Chase said proudly after he'd finished, "how's it look?"

Calvin peered in through the door and sighed. "Must be nice to have things," he said sourly.

Chase bit his lip. "Sorry Cal, you know if you ever want to borrow anything just ask, okay?"

"Sure." Calvin said with a half-hearted smile, "thanks."

[Drake 53]

"Don't worry, buddy," said Kurt with a smile. "We'll just have to borrow Scott's credit card and go on a shopping blitz!"

Hailey stuck her head out of her room, which was just across the hall, "Hmm. My shopping senses are tingling."

Kurt laughed. "I know how girls are with shopping! We'd be there for hours!"

"There's nothing wrong with a little comparative shopping and price matching, fuzzball."

[Rogue 4]

"You guys better not be thinking what I know you're thinking." Jean said, brushing her red hair behind her shoulders as she walked down the hall. "Because putting action to those thoughts might just land you a good grounding, and need of a full time job to pay back the debts."

[Drake 53]

"Are you kidding?" asked Hailey. "You're telling me that you wouldn't go on a shopping spree? I mean, Professor Xavier has deep pockets and, well, most of the stuff would be for Calvin."

"Emphasis on the most," chimed in Kurt.

Hailey only stuck her tongue out at him from across the hall. "If all else fails, my parents left me with a Department H credit card...for emergencies." She said that last word with finger quotes and a wink.

[Rogue 4]

Jean placed her hands on her hips. "Just because the Professor has money, doesn't mean it should be carelessly spent."

Still, she understood their need for money. She was a teenager too. And she didn't want them to think they had to resort to stealing to get it. "How about this...if everybody helps out around the mansion, you know, keep it clean, do chores that are assigned to you; behave yourselves and try to keep out of trouble---that means no calls from the principal, Kurt, and attend four training sessions a week, each...then I suppose it might be grounds for an allowance."

[Drake 53]

Peter tromped down the hall from the kitchen. "Okay, I'm going to the mall to buy things. Anybody want to come along?" He stopped at the look Jean gave him. "What did I say?"

Hailey just snickered.

[Rogue 4]

Jean sighed, extending a hand in his direction. "Peter, give me Scott's credit card."

[Drake 53]

Peter raised an eyebrow. "I would never take anything...hey!" he exclaimed as his wallet rose from his pocket at Jean's mental pull. Scott's credit card slid out of it. "How did that get in there, I wonder? I have no idea!"

[Rogue 4]

Jean gave him a skeptical look. "You know you are supposed to be setting a good example, Peter." She sighed and walked off to find Scott, muttering something about thieving security guards.

[Ayingel 24]

Gertie blushed and giggled as Neil's lips brushed her hand. "Well...I a....I mean..." She cleared her throat in an attempt to regain her composure. "I didn't appreciate the family name." She smiled as he released her hand and it dropped back to her side. "Are you uh, coming, or going?"

***

Lila laughed as Jean took the card away from Peter. "What exactly are the training sessions?" She hadn't thought that she'd acutaly be needing to use her abilities with the others.

Edited June 5, 2008 by Ayingel

[Rogue 4]

"Goin'." He asnwered, crossing his arms over his chest. "My bike decided not to work," Now there's a lie... "So I'm kinda stuck at the moment."

***

"The training sessions are to teach you to use and expand your powers. They also aid in reaction time, and help you think on your feet." Jean said to Lila. "They also teach you to work as a team."

[Ayingel 24]

"Well, I could give you a ride." Gertie tapped her car and smiled. "Where are you headed?"

***

"That sounds..." pointless. "like fun." Lila walked over to the door. "I'm going to do some homework." She left and headed up to her bedroom.

[Mara 29]

August finally made it home and stopped in her driveway. She just wanted to get upstairs and get into her room. Hopefully she wouldn't run into anyone and wouldn't have to explain her day. Her mother wouldn't really pay attention anyway and would forget a few minutes later. While Paul would probably want to go on some crusade and sue the mall.

She sighed as she walked up to the front door and slipped silently inside. Not seeing anyone, she hurried up the staircase to her room.

[Rogue 4]

"To a boarding house downtown." Neil replied, crossing his arms over his chest. He couldn't believe he was so out of power that he couldn't get the damn bike to work, and quite honestly, he was too damn exhausted now to argue. He just wasnted to get home, and get to sleep.

[Ayingel 24]

"Get in." Gertie walked over to the other side of the car and started the engine. "Just tell me where to go."

[Rogue 4]

Neil opened the door and slumped into the passenger seat, directing Gertie in the right direction. He really didn't want her to know where he lived, but he really didn't have the strength to walk all the way to the Brotherhood House.

As they drove, they passed the Xavier's Institute, and Neil smirked. "Stop here for a second, there's something I want to check out."

Getting out of the car as Gertie parked, Neil turned the corner to the other side of the Institute, out of sight of the cheerleader, and reached up, grabbing the electrical wire that ran to the mutant academy. Pulling out his swiss army knife, he exposed the wire. Grinning, he put his finger to the exposed copper, letting the electrical energy from it surge into his own body, fueling him.

***

Jean sighed as she watched Scott and Peter going at it again. At least this time it wasn't anything physically destructive. But as she watched the two play Soul Caliber head to head she realized that the game was getting intense, both of them too determined to fall to the other.

"If you think I'd fall for that trick, you're crazy Peter."

"No worries. I am going to win anyway." Peter retorted in his deep Russian accent.

Scott stared at the screen intently through his red-tinged sunglasses. "Oh no you don't If you think you're going to beat me you're---"

Suddenly the screen blinked out and they both stood up in surprise. "Hey!"

"Jean did you---"

"No, why would I--"

One by one the lights and electronics went out in the seating room, then followed suit in the rest of the institute.

"Power outage?" She questioned.

Edited June 9, 2008 by Rogue

[Drake 53]

As the generators powering the sub-basement levels switched to feed the top floors, all of the lights and electronics switched back on. The only thing different was that all of the hallway lights were now red.

"Security breach," said Peter. He grabbed the television remote and pressed in a secret code that switched the screen view to the security network. "There. Just outside of the gate. West side. It looks like a power surge but what could have...ah, the cameras have detected movement." He pressed another couple buttons and the screen was filled with a view from the camera in question. A young man was just finishing up with the power line and was easily recognizable from the angle. "Fusion..." Peter growled. "One of you see to the kids...the other can come with me." He got up and started outside.

[Andy 60]

"What's going on?" Chase asked, sensing Peter's shift of mood.

[DeltaRanger333 0]

Scott jumped up from his seat, quickly getting serious. "Okay! Kurt you watch the kids. Jean come with us, we may need you on this one. Lets do this!" He quickly rushed towards the door, looking back at the surprised yet excited look on Kurts face.

[Rogue 4]

Jean nodded. "You got it" Scott was her friend, but he was also the appointed leader of the Xmen, so she knew that as often as he needed to be put in his place--like when he and Peter were competing, or he was competing with Duncan...or really just when he was competing in general, and she also knew when to step back and let him take charge. "Kurt, we're trusting you! Don't break anything."