ALL CRY THE CHILDREN - 4/?
By Various


Genoshan Scramjet - Tokyo International Airport

(In the quest to regain precious living space in the crowded Japanese
Islands, a new airport was built on an artificial Island. It's been
designed with state of the art security protocols, and boast of immune to
bomb threats, terrorists and jokingly giant monsters. (Which have not been
seen in the Japanese bay since the dissolution of the Shogun Warrior
project.) The customs officials have already become legendary for being
able to identify drugs, banned plants, prohibited diseases, warranted
criminals, and mutants, before their entry into the country. Other nations
plan similar efforts...)
	At a brisk pace, Fabian Cortez walks right past, and is some cases
around the customs officials. He, and his compatriot, Jodlin Pierce,
receive no challenges from them. This bit of magic is accomplished with
the waving of a piece of paper. This document, an Ambassadors Visa, was
checked at the first patrol point, stamped in red Kanjii, and the
remainder of the security bowed in acquiescence.
	Jodlin, normally a slower walker because of his girth, uses his
X-Factor to alters his own body chemistry to be able to keep pace, without
an outwardly noticeable effort. Jodlin then does his best to look as self
important as Cortez.

Cortez: "Diplomatic Immunity is a wonderful thing." 

Jodlin: "Don't they know that you've been exiled, or hasn't the paperwork
been updated?"

Cortez: "No, it's expired. But there's a lovely little grace period in the
immigration law, 30 days in fact, that assumes your paperwork WILL be
updated. Does wonders for the smuggling business, but then the Yashida
Clan IS well placed politically." 
	Cortez makes his way to a ticket window that caters to the English
speaking. He buys a ticket on the bullet train to Agarashima, and hands
one to Jodlin.
	"From here on in, we may be followed, but I doubt it. I trust that
you can tell if anyone is shadowing us? Warn me."

Jodlin: "So, what happens if I should yell," and he yells, "Help! He's
trying to kidnap me!" No one looks up.

Cortez: "How would I know? They're Japanese, I'm Brazilian."

Jodlin: "Lot of red heads in South America huh?"

Cortez: "I tried dying it white to match Magneto's, but my hair has too
much color in it. It came out a bright yellow-orange, so I compromised and
ended up making it red to go with the Acolyte outfit, and it stuck. In
fact, the black roots are starting to show. I'm thinking a week, a beard
and a buzz cut, and I won't be recognizable."

Jodlin: "How about your nails? You could do your nails. Press on ones
might even hold up in a fight."

Cortez: Begins a rejoinder, but starts to weave and suddenly collapses
unconscious onto the slidewalk that leads to the Bullet Train.

Jodlin: "Damn, I thought that looked like the steak that he ate." 
Jodlin, picks him up, muttering to the curious passersby something about
stomach indigestion. Jodlin quickly examines him with his mutant power,
and can find nothing wrong. He's in excellent health, and takes fabulous
care of himself. The use of his power does somehow partially revive him.
Jodlin probes deeper, and begins to feel a little weaker himself, as
Cortez come around.  He gets Cortez to a seat.

Cortez: (weakly) "....I hate... Jet lag." He stands up, then sits down
rapidly. 

Jodlin: "Whoa, boy, take it easy. Two months of pre-med doesn't qualify
me as a doctor, but even I know that fainting spells are never something
to laugh off." Jodlin turns to the vending machine handily close by and
throws in some small change, getting a candy bar. "Eat this, if your
blood sugar's low, it'll help." 

Cortez: (To Himself) "Some dirty little secrets should be kept in the
filth." 

Jodlin: "Rotten airline food, that's my guess. Sugar does have its uses,
Cortez... for example, if I didn't carry so much extra baggage," he pats
his somewhat shrunken girth, "I wouldn't have the energy required for my
power." 
	A crowd has gathered, each of them offering to help, But Cortez
waves them away. Many blessings and business cards from, or for, Doctor
referrals are pushed into the mutants hands. Jodlin shrugs and at Cortez's
insistence they leave for a cab. At first Cortez leans on Jodlin, but then
someone off in the crowded distance and Cortez is fine.
	A few of the friendlier continues to follows them and a they even
hail down a cab for them. The two get in and Cortez gives an address. The
driver nods, and then leaps off the curb and into the congested traffic,
well beyond the legal speed limit.
 	They arrive at the gate of a very palatial, and heavily armed home
of an obviously wealthy man. Cortez peels off his genuine Rolex and offers
it to the driver who rolls up his sleeve revealing six more. Cortez argues
a bit and then empties his wallet. 

Cortez: "Well, that's it. I'm broke. Time to make a withdrawal" 

Jodlin: "Hold on." Jodlin trots over to the cash machine, a mere hundred
feet away, and casually waits for the elderly Japanese woman to finish her
transaction. He then withdraws a card from his wallet, thinking, "It's a
good thing he gave me my stuff back when we left." He then trots back to
Cortez, and hands him several thousand yen, in crisp bills. 

Cortez: "Cute. But I had something bigger in mind, like millions. This is
the current estate of my fellow Upstart, Shinobi Shaw, although it wasn't
his until recently... He owes me money, and believe me, the only thing
Shaw has right now is money. Suggestions?" 

Jodlin: "Sure. We can do this the easy way or the hard way." 

Cortez: "And what, pray tell, is the easy way?" 

Jodlin: "We do it the Japanese way. We find out what he needs and we give
it to him. Or we get someone who can. But we have to do it kinda
formally." Jodlin peers inside the gate, scanning for guards. He sees
none, so he uses his power. "Ah hah. Ninjas, some cybernetically
enhanced. Shaw must love his privacy." 

Jodlin: Calls back over his shoulder, "We'll try MY way first." He stands
in front of the gate, and rings a bell located next to a speaker grille. 
A voice answers back in Japanese. <"What do you want?"> 
	Jodlin struggles, trying to remember his last course in Japanese,
then gives up, flooding his brain with neuroreceptors, giving himself
almost eidetic memory. <"Your pardon, sir,"> he states in his halting
Japanese, <"But I seek an audience with the honorable Mr. Shaw.">

Voice: <"Mr. Shaw is not receiving visitors today. Begone!"> In the
background, before the speaker cuts off, Jodlin can hear them saying that
the would-be visitor sounds like someone who learned Japanese in America,
followed by laughter. 

Cortex: "That was good. What's the hard way?" 

Jodlin: Pleased with the feeling that he has taken over the situation, "We
act like idiots who think with our muscles and our powers, and either try
to blast our way in, fighting modern day samurai and cyberninjas, or we
sneak in, get caught, and THEN have to fight modern day samurai and
cyberninjas." 

Cortez: "Perhaps a bit of both. Shaw's been dealing in blood with the
Yakuza. He's consolidated the smaller Crime factions behind him and used
that, and his fathers holdings, as leverage to pry himself a seat in the
inner circle of the Japanese Mafia. They hate him, but treat him as an
equal. They think he's going to try a complete takeover bid, and he wants
them to, but he's not. He's using them all as an army to keep away Creed
and formally, me. The Yakuza may hate him, but he's one of them, and the
Yakuza protect their own.
	"Without the Acolytes, I'm no threat to Shaw, and if I throw in
with Shaw against Creed, I get access to his cash and resources to rebuild
with. Shaw'll do it 'cause he owes me from back when I worked for his
father. I kept the boy in whores and beer and away from his dad's fists."
	"I admit at the time, I was only doing it to keep the peace while
conning Shaw out of a few million, but I did it, and it's my best
remaining marker. That and you."

Jodlin: "I never suspected you of altruism, Cortez. And the fact that
Shaw owes you may not enter into this. He may feel he doesn't owe you
that much. Shaw knows who I am and knows the extent of my powers. I
needed to inform him that I was also present here, so maybe now you'll
have a better bargaining position." 

Cortez: "Nice face save, but waiting around for Shaw to call won't work.
Creed's moving now. His first act as Leader of the Upstarts will be to
assassinate the other Upstarts. He hates all mutants, he had a wonderful
dad too."
	"Fitzroy, and Blaze are already down so only Shaw and me are left.
He had a chance to ice me, and decided not to for now, so Shaw's got to be
next." 

Jodlin: "Creed doesn't see you as a threat. He knows he can take you at
any time. Now I begin to see why you want to see Shaw so badly." 

Cortez: Takes his turn at the gate, cusses out the guard, and yells at
everybody for not speaking english. He walks back to Jodlin. 

Jodlin: "Duh." He hits his forehead with the palm of his hand. "Major
stupidity on my part. Of course these boys would know English." 

Cortez: "They say he's busy. If I boost your powers, can you get us in
without to much of a scuffle?" 

Jodlin: "Ah. I knew we'd do this the HARD way." Jodlin reaches out with
his powers, sensing every lifeform within range of his sight. "I can
freeze their nervous system easily enough, but if we run into something
that isn't human, I can't affect it. So if he's got robot guard dogs or
something, you'd better have a way past them. Otherwise, yeah, I think we
can." 

Cortez: "Good. We'll just search the guards you dump for weapons, maybe
even pick up a flak jacket or two."
	They wave over the guard at the gate...

American Airlines Flight 2144 to Tokyo 

Jubilee is listening to her headphones, snapping her gum. Logan is taking
a nap. 

Jubilee: Takes her headphones off. "You know Wolvie. You never tell me
anything about you. I didn't even know about Mariko until our last trip
to Japan. And then I never got to meet her, but you know all about me and
about my parents." 

Logan: Opens his eyes. "Okay kid. Wouldya believe I gotta foster
daughter." 

Jubilee: "NO WAY! You really have a daughter?" 

Logan: "Foster daughter. 

Jubilee: "Okay, foster daughter. What's her name?" 

Logan: "Akiko." 

Jubilee: "Pretty name. Let's hear the scoop." 

Logan: "A ways back, a dragon attacked Tokyo. The X-Men weren't much help
in stoppin' her, in fact, Lockheed ended up chasin' it off. There were
some casualties. While rescuin' them from the wreckage, I found Akiko and
her mother. She had shielded Akiko when the roof had collapsed. Before
she died, she asked me to look after Akiko. I told her I'd see Akiko
raised as if she were my own. Mariko was better suited to take care of
her so she took her in."

Jubilee: "Where's she stayin' now that ... you know ... now that Mariko
... is ... de--?" 

Logan: "Its okay to bring it up, kid. Akiko was off in private school
when Mariko died. I had her relocated after Mariko died. She stayin'
with some old friends of mine. Didn't want Matsuo hurtin' her to get back
at me." 

Jubilee: "So, are we gonna visit her?" 

Logan: "Nope. Got too many enemies. Can't take the chance of bein'
followed. The only way that I can assure her safety is to stay away. 
Maybe when Matsuo is out of the way. Speakin' of Matsuo, stay alert when
we get off the plane. Matsuo's probably got people watchin' the airport
for me. We might see some action before we even start lookin' for Betsy."

Jubilee: "Sure thing. You know Wolvie, I think you'd make a pretty good
father. A little daughter going around calling everybody bub ..." 

Logan: Smiles. "Put your headphones back on, kid." 

Hong Kong International Airport 

In the San Francisco stopover, Wolverine changed his plans and transferred
to flight out to Hong Kong.

Jubilee: "I know you said the Tokyo airport was dangerous, but couldn't we
have taken a boat or something? Why here?"

Logan: "I've still got contacts that I can deal with here. The rest of the
Asian rim is changing too fast, too many players, not enough yen. Hongkong
never changes."

Jubilee: "Until the Chinese take it back you mean.'

Logan: "Global Politics huh? Chuck's tutoring must have been wearing you
down, you learned something."

Jubilee: "So I got a D in history. I'm still Chinese, and I keep up on
things."

Logan: "Well pay attention. You're gonna learn stuff about your
countrymen that will never make it to print."

Jubilee: "That sounds like a slur."

Logan: "There's good and bad everywhere kid. But Here, it's all bad."

Jubilee: "Alright, we're here. What next?"

Logan: "We visit Rose." 

 Landau, Luckman, & Lake in Hong Kong 

Logan: "Good to see ya Rose." 

Rose: Gives him a hug. "You're certainly looking better than the last
time I saw you, Logan. And Jubilee, you're becoming a lovely young lady."

Jubilee: "Thanks." (To herself) "If she pinches my cheeks, I'm outta
here." 

Rose: "You remember my granddaughter Ruth?" 

Ruth: "Hiya Jubilee. Still like to shop?" 

Jubilee: "You know it. I could use some extra clothes. Didn't get a
chance to pack anything before leaving the States. You probably want to
talk to Rose alone anyway, right? You care Logan?" 

Logan: "Nah, go ahead kid. Be careful tho, were not in West Chester
anymore." 

Jubilee: "Sure thing." (To herself) "Yep. Definitely could be a father."

Rose: "I heard about Mariko. I am sorry. I know you loved her very
much." 

Logan: Accepts the hot tea that the servant has brought in. "Thanks. 
You'd think after all of these years, I'd learn my lesson. Whenever I
love a woman, she gets hurt ... or worse." 

Rose: "Maybe. Yes, my heart has grown whole Logan, but you did not have to
leave." 

Logan: "It worked out for the best. Your husband was a good man. You
raised two children and your granddaughter is a good kid." 

Rose: "Yes, she is. It will make you happy to learn that Matsuo has lost
honor from your attacks on him. He has lost whatever honor he gained from
killing Mariko. You need to be careful. Jubilee does not share your ...
strengths." 

Logan: "I know, darlin'. She was the only backup available. I'll try to
keep her out of the hairy stuff." Takes a sip of tea. "Have you heard
anything 'bout a friend of mine who's gunnin' fer Matsuo. That's why I'm
here." 

Rose: "No, I have not, but I'll see what I can find out. I do have news
about an old -friend- of yours. Sabertooth has been leaving his trail
about the rim. I do not know what the matter is about, but I have heard
that the Clan Yashida has suffered. My sources also say that Shinobi Shaw
is consolidating the lesser crime clans in a cabal with Yashida Clan. An
effort to stave of the effects of Japan's new administration's promise to
be strong in the face of crime." 

Logan: "Sounds like Keniuchio is keepin' busy. I might be in Japan longer
than I figured." (To himself) "Hope Cyke doesn't give my room to
Magneto." 

A Wharf - Hong Kong 

Amongst the modern ships remain the ancient ships, the Junks. Most of them
are used as apartments and seldom leave their moorings. Amongst these is a
low barge, made to look far leakier than it is.

Jubilee: (Wearing more native clothing and carrying a bulging satchel) "Oh
come on, we're not riding in that thing."

Logan: "I've been promised that the driver is the best, and at this point,
stealth is everything."
	The click of a rifle echoes out from the boat. Jubilee jumps, but
the danger room has trained she, she only jumps to change into a stance
that allows for better aim for dodging and "Paffing," Logan just stands in
the warm light rain.

Voice: (Accented chinese) "American Dollars, up front. No games, you
live."

Logan: (Broken Chinese) "You watch to many movies." Throws a case on to
the boat. Silence for a moment, than a plank slides out.

Jubilee: (whispering) "I don't like this."

Logan: "Me neither, the scent here's familiar."

Deck of the "Freedom Trader"

A beautiful, young Korean woman, her full beauty lost in the fatigues of a
poor docksman, keeps a rifle aimed Logan. Two youths scramble about the
deck, coiling rope and pushing off. One dusts off a cloth that conceals a
running motor that is strangely silent.

Logan: "You can put the gun down Karma. I'm not here to mess with you, I
just want passage to Japan."

Karma: She spits at his feet. "I am X'an Coy Minh. All other names belong
to dust."

One of the Children: "No one can get you there safer than we."

Karma: "I have devoted my gifts to the safe passage of refugees, and in
the prevention of their abuse. It is a cause I believe in. You interfere
X-Man, and I will kill you. Great healing or not, you have a mind, and it
can be possessed. Understand?"

Logan: "Perfectly, but-" Wolverine is cut off as gunfire criss- crosses
the deck. The children automatically duck into cubby holes that lead below
deck. Karma, hit once, shrugs it off, flax vest exposed, and returns fire.
Jubilee hits the deck behind a barrel. The wind blows from the docks
carrying the strong, sweaty scent, of the gunman on the wind, and Logan
knows this scent too.

	"Maverick."

X-Men Mansion - Hangar Bay

(Gambit has been attempting to put the Blackbird back together after it
was beat to hell and gone, in Israel. He's doing this in order to take
his mind of Rogue. It isn't working.) 

Gambit: "I can't believe the gall of that li'l tramp. I mean, Magneto of
all people. Seems like evry'ting's goin wrong now. Xavier dyin, Magneto
here, Rogue makin moves on Mags...I can't deal wit' dis. Might be I need
to be lookin' at takin a little vacation... or maybe a permanent one."  

Cyclops: (via Comm Badge) "Gambit, ixnay on the Blackbird repairs, roll it
out, we've got company that needs a clear runway. It's Excaliber, they've
got Bishop and he's hurt bad. Everyone else, in the War Room in 10
minutes."

Gambit: (into comm) "Right Cyke. On it."
	(Off Comm) "One t'ing after another. Bishop wounded, eh? Hmm..." 
	Gambit gets the tow cables attached to the Blackbird and starts to
pull it off the hanger floor.  
	"Don't bear bishop any love, but I s'pose I should break out the
med kits. After all, I wouldn't want to see 'im die fore I get my shot at
'im... Sides, I wonder if he'd do dat much for me... but i'll help 'em. 
I wouldn't want to see Jean's pretty li'l daughter get hurt." 

Grounds of X-Men Mansion, the pond. 

Rogue's brooding has been interrupted by the brooding of Renegade. Rogue
didn't take it to well, and the two were on the verge of a scuffle when
Cyke's message comes through, and the Excaliber jets screams through the
air into the hangar.

Rogue: "This'll have to wait. In fact, why don't ya join me." With a bit
of roughness, Rogue leaps into the air, yanking Renegade up with her by
the shirt collar.

The War Room

Gathered around the table in order are Cyclops, Gambit, Renegade, Bishop,
Rouge, Nightcrawler, and Phoenix. Shadowcat and Colossus enter, obviously
disentangling themselves from being arm in arm.

Nightcrawler: "Mmm, so that's where you've run off too."

Shadowcat: "Ilyanna's sleeping. Has anybody seen Beast?"

Bishop: Interrupting and continuing his argument with Nightcrawler. "My
wounds are inconsequential. It is imperative that we begin formulating a
plan."

Nightcrawler: "Der Brute has been like this the whole way."	

Phoenix: "Cyke said start at the beginning, not bicker like children."

Nightcrawler: "Unt, vell, Cyke. Excaliber was on Holiday, deciding what to
do without Britain. Kitty obviously came here, and Rachel and I were
sampling Austrian cuisine."

Phoenix: "Drinking beer and checking out the Neo-nazi movement against
mutants."

Nightcrawler: "That's when Rachel got der message."

Phoenix: "It was throughout the rapport -mother- and I have. If you
weren't with Xavier, -dad-, then you would have felt it too. It was a cry
for help."

Nightcrawler: "We tracked the signal to Genosha, and found the friendly
resort island locked in a civil war."

Bishop: "Ororo had tracked the Upstart, Fabian Cortez, to Genosha. We went
in under deep cover and found out that Cortez had just been elected the
new Magistrate in the first democratic elections in Genosha. The Genoshan
old guard, aided by the Friends of Humanity, and its upstart leader
Graydon Creed, had urged the humans to rebel. We were caught up the
resurgence." 

Phoenix: "They were using some kind of weapon that scrambles the X-Factor.
We got that much from the natives."

Bishop: "The team went down, and I was separated. I made an effort to free
them, but only succeeded in receiving a psionic message from Jean that
help was on the way. I went to where Jean suggested, and was ambushed."

Nightcrawler: "And we freed him."

Bishop: "I was holding my own."

Phoenix: "They shot us apart as we escaped. We were going to stay in
Genosha, but I felt your anguish - dad. I reached out to you and learned
Xavier was dead."

Nightcrawler: "We feared that we were caught up in a larger plan, and
decided to fall back and regroup."

Cyclops: "This is bad, people. They are going to need some real help. I
don't feel that I can order you to come along, but I need all of you. 
Who's with me?" 

Gambit: "Getting dem out is a solo job. I vol-uhn-teer. Who better to
break in den a t'ief, neh?"

Nightcrawler: "You're the man Cyke, always were. I'm in."

Phoenix: "I'm in."
	(To herself) "It's my mom and dad, how can I say no. I wanted a
chance to talk, but not like this."

Colossus: "Dah. In any chance to crush a government that harms its
peoples, Colossus will be ready. To this I owe my parents. However, my
comrade and leader, I cannot promise that I will be making careful with
mine fists."

Shadowcat: "Uh, me too." Whispers something to Peter, and then nods to
Kurt, giving him the secret Excaliber hand signal.

Bishop: "Vengeance will be mine."

Rogue: Noticing that everyone is looking at her. "Yeah, me too ah guess.
But after savin' the team Ah'm gonna want a break. Being an X-Man just
isn't any fun anymore."

Cyclops: "Ms. Blevins, or if you prefer, Renegade, will you join us?
X-factor didn't work out the way we hoped, but I'd like to think that we
helped you a little, and I'm calling that marker. We need all of the help
we can get."

Renegade: "Mags walked out on me, and I'm in the same room with Bishop.
What more could go wrong. I guess I'll go, what's one more war?"

Bishop: "It is you! The number one mutant on the XSE bag list. We shall
talk, later."

X-Men Mansion - Rogue's Room

    While the nap by the lake offered a little respite, Rogue is
feeling drained of all energy. She couldn't very well tell the rest of
the team that she wasn't going to help get everyone out of Genosha, but
all she wants to do is take a break from the madness that's going on. 
    And now they're going to Genosha, as if things weren't bad enough,
they have to go and get worse. She remembers the first time she ever
"visited" that place, her and Logan. They were kidnapped and stripped of
their powers. 
    The guards had treated her more like a piece of meat than a human
being. Rogue recalls that she was lucky, getting out of there without
anything horrible happening to her. She was threatened, she knows that she
could have been raped and the idea of being that vulnerable scared her. 
It still does. Relying on Carol Danvers stolen powers, she had forgotten
what it was like to be vulnerable. 
    Carol. That first time in Genosha Rogue had not been able to face
the situation. She let Carol take over. Carol got her and Wolvie out of
Genosha alive, but from that point, the barrier between Rogue's psyche and
Carol's started to crumble.
 Carol wanted some sort of life back and she was going to use Rogue's mind
and body. Silently, Rogue thinks it was an apt punishment for what she did
to Carol Danvers. 
    "At least that little bit of hell is gone from my life," Rogue
thinks.
	 The Seige Perilous, and Magneto, solved this for her. Indeed,
she would have been killed by the manifestation of Carol's psyche if not
for Magneto.
	 Even with two psyche's running around in her head, Rogue never
felt like a complete person. Her life was tainted, never knowing whether a
thought was her own or Carol's.
   "Carol is gone now...forever. I can get past that," Rogue thinks as
she makes her way back up to her room to get her leather bomber jacket,
and uniform for the mission. As she enters her room she sees the smashed
window and feels shame burn in her cheeks; her past flare of anger really
didn't get her very far, even if it did feel good to let it all out.
	 She was sure the professor would have had a little "talk" with
her about the incident, that's if he was here. 
    Rogue smiled a little as she thought about him, the first time she
had cause to smile all day. He *was* dead, but somehow she knew that his
impact would never cease to live; she had seen it in the eyes of all the
X-Men, and past X-Men, in the war room. They also looked a little scared,
as if they didn't know what to do without him. Rogue didn't know really
what direction the teams would take from this point, but she knew for
certain that they couldn't be allowed to fall apart, and they might. 
Wolvie had gone off on his own, Remy wanted to go solo, and Scott looked
tired and harried with the whole situation. 
    "That's it, one step from collapse," she whispered aloud. "That's
all it's ever really been. But we always knew how to walk that line." 
	They always take care of their own, that was the glue that would
bind them, and it started with going to Genosha. Afterwards it would mean
dealing with the virus and who knew what else, but Rogue knew that they
would be strong and stick together. 
    Rogue wanted to tell all this to Scott, to reassure him, to
apologize to him for taking off to the lake. It was a selfish act;
everyone needs to be selfish at times, but it was inappropriate for her to
be when things had to be dealt with and taken care of. 
    She felt bad about Remy too. He didn't deserve to be snubbed by
her when Xavier died, but she wasn't thinking straight. She had come to
care... a lot... for him and she was blowing it. "Damn, girl," Rogue said
aloud, "you really need to use your brain! Well maybe it isn't too late."

X-Men Mansion - Gambit's Room

Gambit lays down on his bed and stares at the ceiling. 

Gambit: Here we go to Genosha. After all we been through dere, I'd think
we might not be so eager to go back. But I s'pose our friends need us
neh? But might be Rogue's got the right thoughts. It's been too long
since I seen my family. I don't bear my clan no love, but I miss Henri. 
But first, I pay my debts. Gambit donlike owin nobody."
	 Gambit is awakened by Cyclops' departure announcement. He puts
on his uniform, grabs his staff and cards, as well as the metal spheres he
has taken to carrying. As an afterthought, he also grabs his set of
lockpicks, and two boot knives. "If what dey say is true, I prob'ly won't
have my powers to rely on. Good t'ing I kept up de ol' tricks of the
trade." 
	A knock at the door. 

Rogue: "Can we talk?" Rogue asks, smiling quietly. 

Gambit: (To Himself) "Let's wait for the lst minute now."
	(To Rogue) "I don' see what we need to talk about, chere. I think
actions speak louder than words, don' you?" Gambit moves to leave the
room, but Rogue blocks his way. If she can press 50 tons, she can keep
Gambit around to talk to her. 

Rogue: "Ah may deserve that, Remy, but we need to talk. Please, don't
walk away... how're we supposed to resolve anything if y'all won't even
listen?" 

Gambit: Gambit shrugs and throws his gear down on his bed. Sitting down,
he looks up a Rogue as she leans against his doorway. "What you wanna
discuss?" 

Rogue: "Ah'm sorry for the way Ah've been behavin' lately...with the
prof's death and everything, it's all hit me harder than Ah ever thought
it would. Ah guess Ah haven't been all that attentive to your feelin's." 

Gambit: "Dis about Magneto, chere?" 

Rogue: "Ah guess...Ah don't want to hurt your feelings Remy, but he and
Ah... heck, Ah don't even know what happened between the two of us in the
Savage Land. He saved mah life Remy, just when Ah had gotten some of it
back, after Ah stumbled out of the Seige Perilous. Carol's psyche would
have killed me if it weren't for him. Ah just guess we grew to care about
each other; Ah think Ah understand him," Rogue says. Her feelings were
just as confused back in the Savage Land as they are now. She would be
amused at the thought of how little things change sometimes were it not
for the importance of the situation. 

Gambit: "Is that all, Rogue? You understand 'im? That still doesn't tell
me how you feel about him, does it?" 

Rogue: "Ah care about him! Ah'll admit that."

Gambit: Quickly stands up and grabs his gear. "I don't wan' to hear dis
now, girl. We gotta mission to think about." He moves past her and out
the door. Rogue merely watches as he heads down the stairs, hurt that he
won't even stay to hear her out. She wasn't finished. 
    Dammit Remy, she thinks, we're gonna deal with this now! Rogue
quickly flies after Gambit, picking him up by the scruff of his neck.

Gambit: "Hey!" 

Rogue: "You and Ah are going to talk, and we're going to talk now!"    
Rogue swiftly flies down the stairs and through the front door of the
mansion, Gambit in tow. 

Gambit: "What you playin' at girl?"

Rogue: "Ah'm sick of lettin' things happen to me instead of actively doin'
something about them. Ah couldn't just let you walk away from me." 
    They fly to the top of the mansion, where Rogue gently sets Remy
down on the roof and just as gracefully alights next to him. She looks at
him and sees the sadness in his eyes. He's expecting the worst, she
thinks. Until now, she'd never seen Gambit let sadness creep into his
features...he had always put up a good front, no matter what the
situation. "Am Ah doin' this to him?," she thinks. 
	"Now, Ah will say mah peace, once and for all," she says. 

Gambit: "I don't want to hear anything about how you're 'sorry to have to
tell me this, but I just don't feel the same way about you as I do
Magneto' sorta of thing, Rogue. I know you feel about him..." 

Rogue: "But you don't know how Ah feel about you, Remy Lebeau! If you
could stop runnin' off at the mouth for once, and let me say what I wanna
say to you, then we wouldn't be here, standing on the roof, arguing!"
 
    "Ah care about Magneto, but that's all it can ever be. We're two
very different people, he and Ah. The ghosts in mah past don't even
compare to the ones he has runnin' around. 
    "But as for you, cajun...Ah've never felt like this about anyone
and it scares me a little because Ah know it's a lot to ask of you to
stick around me with mah power being the way it is right now, but for some
reason, no matter how infuriatin' you are sometimes, Ah still..." she
stops. Its still a bit hard for her to say, because once it's said, it
can't be taken back. She turns away from him. 

Gambit: From behind her and he puts his hands on her shoulders. She tenses
a little, but then loosens up. 

Rogue: "Ah think Ah'm fallin' in love with you Remy," she whispers. She
crosses her arms in front of her and lets her head sag a little. There,
she thinks, Ah've finally said it...it's all up to him now. 

X-Men Mansion - Bishops room

He has just finished re-examining his wounds, unsatisfied with the job
Gambit did on them. 

Bishop: (To Himself) "Gambit... I must remember to review his file, and
see if he has any medical training. It would almost seem as if he was
purposely sloppy in his treatment of my injuries. My injuries... the
memories Genosha brought back, so much like home. War, strife, constant
battle. It is hard to believe I am not dreaming, or locked in a Sentinel
virtual-prison. Now, I am going back in. Hmmmph. Stealth mission
indeed. How can the legendary Cyclops know so little about warfare? 
Genosha is in the midst of a revolution and we would just be one more band
of warriors, nothing out of the ordinary. We will see. I will follow his
orders... for now." 
  He gets up from bed, begins pacing room as he puts on thin-armor.
  "Nightcrawler... Kurt... presented himself well. Yet, I am uncertain
if he is the one who should lead this team. He was one of the first to
die, or one of the first _yet_ to die, in my own time. Will he fare
better here?" 
  He picks up his standard issue XSE Shaw-Fujitawa hand cannon. 
  "I will need more than my weapons, advanced as they are..." 
  He holsters the hand cannon and picks up his plasma rifle, then
holsters it as well. Stops at his dresser, opens a drawer. Takes out a
strange, metal object. It is a six-inch cylinder, covered in angular
spikes. Fine wires and circuitry dangle from its broken end. This is part
of a weapon belonging to the X-cutioner.
	"The computers downstairs claim it is Shi'ar, but cannot identify
it. Before he disappeared, the X-cutioner aimed this device at Storm, so
it must be a powerful weapon... but that is irrelevant. Perhaps I will
have Forge examine it when we return. Right now, I need something else
from this drawer...ah, here it is." 
    He puts back the alien device, pulls out a cigarette pack sized
object. It is a power pack for one of Forge's weapons, one that Bishop
has been borrowing. 
  "I may not get a chance to use my mutant power to absorb energy in
Genosha, not if they jam our powers again. But if they do, I may need a
ready power source. This power cell was meant for Forge's anti-armor
laser rifle. It should prove a sufficient "back-up." Just in case. "
  He places the power-cell in a belt pouch. Any further pondering is
interrupted by a call to board the Blackbird.