1:20 AM 5/24/96
Kentucky Trip- Handles mature themes
Concept bum and Harli, story by bum, Harli and Byran.

In LA TRIP we had Angelo go back to LA with Paige, he developed a very minor crush on her and all, and they found out that he may or may not be the father of a boy named Alonzo born a few months after he left LA. This story picks up a month or so after the two of them have served their sentances. =) .
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"HAYSEED! Get outta the shower! Others of us gotta use it too!" Jubilee shouts as she messes with the tuner on her radio, not able to find a song that'd make Paige want to leave the bathroom. Paige ignores Jubilee's shouts and concentrates on the warm water running down her face. Paige Guthrie normally does not have to take showers, her mutant power allows her simply to shed her skin at will to reveal a new form underneath. However this time the comfort of a warm shower reminds her of a time before she found out she was a mutant, back when she wished she was a mutant. Now she looks back and realizes that the wish may not have been the best of wishes. "PAIGE!! COME ON! I WANNA GET SOME SHUT EYE! What's with ya? Like you NEVER take a shower unless you get a bad grade..god forbid a B or something." "There's no law sayin' I can't take a shower like the rest of you." "YEAH there is! When ya go and hog the shower when I wanna use it!" Paige sighs and turns off the water and grabs her bathrobe, not caring that her blond hair is tangled. She leaves the shower and enters her room, She looks in the mirror and notices her hair needs to be combed. She sighs and husks off her skin and hair, and throws on some comfortable clothes. She looks around the room and then grabs a suitcase and starts to pack. Angelo Espinosa throws his head back as he inhales the night air. He flicks his last cigarette and watches the burning embers black out as it lands on the ground below him. With a smile he pokes his head back into his room. Friday nights have to be the best, You can stay up as late as you want and not have to worry about classes the next morning. He starts to climb into the window when a rustling sound is heard below him. He looks down and around trying to focus his eyes in the night. It could be Penance up and around. With a shrug he decides to go outside to investigate. He steps out the door and there standing at the entrance of the boys dorm is Paige Guthrie. "Que, what are you doin' here chica?" Paige grabs Angelo and drags him to an area beyond the lighting of the dorm. "Ah.. I need your help with something Angelo." Angelo looks surprised //Oh... thank you God!!!!// "And what might that be amiga?" "I have to get home. And I need someone to distract Banshee so I can." "Uh. Okay." //Damn.// "Why me and not Jubilee.. Jubilee's a much better distracter than I." //Cause she's so annoyin'// "Jubilee.. would go off about how 'when she was with the X-men they would never-" "Paige. Why do you have to go back home?" "Nothin." Angelo does his best annoying voice he can, "Paaige! Tell me!!" Paige sighs, "I was watchin' the news an.. well they were discussing Humanities Last Stand an'" Angelo's brow knots up. "And you are going down there to take them on again? Alone?" //Not on my life chica. Heard of that group, they'd wipe the floor with ya.// "I just want to make sure that my sister is safe, that's all." "Oh really. Paige, these guys are big time." "Honestly. Look Angelo are you going to help me out here?" "What's the plan?" "I need someone to cause a diversion so Banshee won't notice I'm gone till I am." Angelo frowns. "Paige did you think this thu?" "Honestly? No. Does it sound like I did?" "Not really. I'm going with you. You've helped me out before, its payback time." Paige runs both hands thu her hair as she leans up against the wall, she looks lost in thought. Angelo looks down at the ground. //Caramba, I hate when she does that.// "Be sure to pack. I'm not sharin' my clothes with you." "Wouldn't dream of it. By the way, how are you planing to get down to Kentucky?" "Was gonna hitchhike." Angelo hits the ground laughing. "Yeah.. okay.. hitchhike all the way down to Kentucky?" "Don't believe I could get a ride?" //Madre de dios, you'd get more than a ride from some guy if he picked you up.// "I didn't say I didn't think you'd get a ride, I just rather know you were safe on a bus or in a Jeep." "Sean's jeep has been thu enough already Angelo.." "So have we with roadtrips... but you came back for more." "I'll meet you in 10 minutes in the garage, I have something I have to do." Paige simply says as she enters the boys dorm. * * * * * * * //Gal, you are a sick puppy. Ah mean you know Angelo has a crush on you, heck he told me, he just doesn't know I understand. And here you are going to give Jonothon a note so he doesn't get worried over you. Face it Paige, you're messed up.// Paige thinks to herself as she scrawls out a short note to Chamber and slips it under his door. She then heads to the garage. "Argh!" Angelo nurses his scratched hand. He can't believe it. Banshee has put "the club" on his jeep's wheel. There's nothing to do but remove the wheel. "You ready Angelo?" Angelo points at the jeep, "Does it look it? Now what?" "Well, we hitchhike then." "Well for starters, not only is hitchhiking illegal, but it's very dangerous, and in case you haven't guessed senorita, no one's gonna pick me up." Paige sighs, "Oh forget it. Sam can handle it. He can handle everything." Angelo flops down on the ground. //Oh great, now her ego's crushed, if she has to call her brother and tell him that she's worried about her family.// "Fine we hitchhike then. But I'd like to inform you I am NOT for this idea." "Angelo.. we survived LA, we can survive this." "How much of what happened DO you remember Paige?" Paige frowns, Emma said it was physical strain that made her forget what all happened, somehow she doubts that was all behind her forgetting what happened in LA. "Enough." She whispers. "Just enough." He puts his hands on her shoulders and pulls her over to him. "S'okay, Country Mouse. It's not something I want to remember either." He hugs her tightly, she returns the embrace for a moment. //Guthrie, you lead him and you're lower then low...// "Thanks, Angie." She said, and he released her. He slung his new duffel bag, the last one having been ripped and ruined on the last trip, and looked at her expectantly. "Well? We ready to go?" She nodded. "Yeah." She grabbed her own bag. "Lets go." And they headed off the campus under cover of darkness. * * * * * * * * * * * * Five hours later, they were on the highway in a rural area, and headed away from the school. And they were tired and SORE. Finally, Paige collapsed at the side of the road.. //Maybe this wasn't so smart. Maybe we should have talked to Banshee. Maybe-// "You okay, Country Mouse?" She looked up at Angelo. "Uh, yeah. My feet are killing me..." He nodded, and sat down beside her. "Mine too." "Gettin' tired, too." He nodded. "I think we should have BUSED." He said sarcastically. Anything but WALK." She laughed weakly. He looked around at the woods surrounding the road. "Maybe we can find a place to sleep in the woods?" She shrugged. "Maybe." He slowly got to his feet and then pulled her to her feet as well. "Good thing I had the sense to pack a couple of blankets." He said with a smile. //Didn't think about THAT.// "Good job, Angelo. Lets go find a place to crash." He nodded, and they looked for a fairly quiet place away from the road clear enough to sleep in. They found a clearing and slept for a few hours. Angelo awoke first, his arm draped around her waist, his skin extended like a covers, despite the fact that he had brought blankets. //Just when I was starting to get used to NOT sleeping beside you.// He sighed, and buried his face in her hair for a moment, and then slowly got up. //Now, do I let you sleep, or do I wake you up?// He looked at the sun, which had risen high in the sky. //Nope. Gotta wake her up.// "Paige? Country Mouse? Wakey, wakey." She mumbled in her sleep. "Wha?" "Get up Country Mouse." She moaned. "Fiiiine...I'm up." She got up and brushed a twig from her hair." We ready to go?" He nodded. "Paige, you didn't pack anything to eat, did you?" She shook her head. "Just cash." "I'm glad I hit the kitchen before the garage." He said with a grin and he unzipped his duffel bag, He pulled out two apples, and tossed one to her. "Here." She gratefully took the apple. "Thanks." And bit into it, not minding that the juices dribbled down her chin a little. Skin giggled, and took a bite of his own apple. Then, he couldn't take it anymore. He reached into his bag, pulled out a small package of Kleenex, and stretched out his fingers and wiped her chin. "You look like an idiot. A cute idiot, but an idiot none the less." She put her hands on her hips, keeping the apple in hand. "And you don't think that stubble makes you look any better?" He shrugged. "I don't do it to GROW the damn thing. I do it cause I just don't SHAVE that often, chica." "Why?" "You ever tried to keep six extra feet of skin taut enough that you can run a razor over it and NOT get cut?" He said with a wry smile. She laughed. "No. I haven't. I don't HAVE to shave. I just get to husk it all away." "How wonderful for you, then." He looked over at the road. "Ready to walk?" She nodded. "Yeah." They headed out to the road again, and then began their long walk, Paige walking with her hand and thumb extended. //C'mon. Lets have some nice guy pick us up and take us right to Kentucky. Right to my home town, even...// As the sun begins to set finally, Paige saw a large camper pull over, and a teenage boy pokes his head out the window. "HEY! You need a ride?" Angelo looked at Paige and back. "Uh...Chica, this is your call..." Paige simply smiled and walked over to the camper , and noticed that a whole legion of campers and trucks were pulling over. The man smiles and pulls a strand of blond hair out of his face. Paige catches her breath. //Gawd, he's..he's-// "Uh.. Hi." Paige puts on her best charming smile and starts to explain her and Angelo's need to get to Kentucky. "Yeah, were headin' that way, we can let you off along the way so you can pick another ride or something." The embodiment of Paige's dreams says with a smile. Paige doesn't need anymore to be said, she grabs Angelo's hand and climbs into the side door of the camper. The man holds out a hand and Paige eagerly takes it, The ride is full of an uneasy silence for a few long minutes when finally the man breaks it. "My man is Karl. I'm a mutant so you know." He says as if admitting to being a mutant was something you do every day. "Mah.. My name is Paige and that's uh umm.." Paige searches for the name for a second. "ANGELO" Angelo snaps. //Madre de dios, she's drooling over him.// "Yeah.. Angelo.. He's a mutant too." Karl smiles mildly amused "I would have never guessed." He points to the sunglasses wearing woman. "That's Becca. She's got a handy image inducer, maybe we can have your friend use one." Angelo frowns. //Great, talk like I'm not even in the room.// Paige smiles and her and Karl engage in a meaningless conversation. She hears Angelo making a small grunting sound as he sits down. Angelo starts to bite one of his fingernails. //How convenient that they happen to come along and just HAPPEN to be ending up going most of the way to where we are goin'. WHO Besides us would be going to Kentucky! It's KENTUCKY!! And what's in the other trailers?// Karl got up from the bed and walked over to Becca. "You ready to trade?" She nodded, and pulled over, got up from the drivers seat and he got in and buckled himself to the seat. She leaned over, and kissed him. "Thanks, hun." She said, after releasing his mouth. Paige's jaw dropped. //The God is datin' someone? Aw, hell!// Angelo just leaned back and smiled. //Gracias, God. you just made my day...// He thought with a grin. Becca came back into the camper, and undid a necklace at her throat. Suddenly, the image of a slim, pale teenage girl was dropped, and in her place was a mutant. She fanned her black, leathery wings to the best of her ability in the cramped camper, and then folded them to her back. He ears, pointed, stuck out of her hair, and Paige and Angelo saw VERY impressive, though retracted, claws at the tips of her fingers as she took of her sunglasses. She had vertical slits for pupils, much like a cat. "Gotta wear them during the day," she said, placing the glasses on the table. "Or I'm pretty much blind." She sat down at the table, next to Angelo, and kicked off her boots. Her toes were longer then normal, and they ended in claws too. //And I thought I was freaky....Hell, this chic out does me AND Jono...// Paige's jaw dropped again. //The God is dating batgirl? BATGIRL? That's like me and...and... Angelo or Jono....// Her eyes dropped in shame at her thoughts. "I'm gonna turn in for the night." She said, and crawled over to the space where Karl had been sleeping earlier. Becca nodded. "Good night." * * * * * * * "Welcome to Kentucky Angelo, We still got a ways to hitch but at least we're in the right state" //Like it's easy to hike thu the BIG cities of Cumberland County.\\ "Huh? Que?"" "WAKE UP!" "M' awake.. Que tal?" Paige unwraps a twinkie that Karl's little brother Winger passed her. She takes a bite out of it and then hands it to Angelo. Angelo looks at the baked good, then to Paige's face. "Oh.. Gracias." He says sarcastically. Paige just shrugs. &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& "...but don't worry, Jonothon. I'll be back soon. I just have to make sure she's all right. Oh, and if Mr. Cassidy looks like he's about to lose it, try and convince him that I'll be fine. Thanks, Jono. Love, Paige." Jonothon Starsmore placed the note down on the chair closest to the door. He had just arrived back from a twenty mile walk, and all he wanted to do was throw his exhausted self down on the couch. Instead, he finds a note on the floor, a note he obviously missed as he rushed out the door that morning. //I can't believe she bloody ran off again. Ya'd think the gel would 'ave learned 'er lesson after she an' Angie took off fer Los Angeles.// He picked up the note, re-read it one last time, then crumbled it up and threw it away. //Now yer got a dilemma here, Starsmore. Paige got roughed up pretty bad last time she faced "Humanity's Last Stand," and now she thinks she c'n take 'em on again. This is the second time she left without tellin' Cassidy or Frost. Do I tell 'em or do I respect 'er request?// Jonothon re-read the note one last time, then crumbled it up and threw it in the garbage. //Maybe she talked t' Angelo before she left... she's been talkin' to 'im quite a lot lately.// Jono tried to convince himself that he wasn't feeling jealous, but to no avail. Truthfully, it had been getting more and more difficult to deny his attraction to Paige Guthrie. He looked in the mirror and despised what stared back at him. How could he, a guy with no jaw and a gaping hole in his chest, confess his feelings to her? He couldn't. But it had been getting more and more difficult to convince himself that he is the heartless monster he appears to be. He closed his door and headed to Angelo's room. He knocked on the door, and to his surprise the door just creeped open. "Angelo?" Are yer in 'ere? Angelo wasn't in the room, but he noticed Angelo's drawers wide open and random clothes on his bed. //Looks like 'e left 'ere in a hurry. Maybe he went with... no, he couldn't 'ave. Not after what 'appened in Los Angeles. The two of 'em wouldn't be bloody stupid enough t' do that again...// He closed the door and searched the campus. Everett hadn't seen Angelo yet that morning, and neither had Mondo. He left the boys dorm and saw Jubilee roller- blading, as usual. Paige had been gone when she woke up that morning, but Paige always was up early on Saturdays. She hadn't seen Angelo yet, either. After a full-scale search of the campus, Jonothon was convinced that Angelo was gone with Paige. //Damn. Now what, Starsmore?// ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Angelo stands out side the camper and smokes A small town that looks oddly historic is within view. This is where Paige and he part company with the camper line. He looks at the other campers in the line. //I have to find out what's in the other campers, we've been on the road for how long now? And I've only managed to see the people in the other campers next to nada times. What is in those campers?// "Smoking Angelo?" Angelo inhales quickly out of reflex surprise and then palms his cigarette. He holds his breath as he shakes his head no. Paige sits down next to him. "You weren't smoking?" Angelo drastically shakes his head no, fighting the urge to cough. "Cause you know.. smokin' will kill you." Angelo frantically nods yes. //Madre de dios, she knows.// "You sure you haven't been smoking?" Angelo nods frantically yes, his face slowly turning red. Paige raises an eyebrow. "Okay if your not smoking, then you wouldn't cough if I do something like this." She says as she runs a hand thu his hair. Angelo swallows hard , instantly his eyes are on fire and his lungs are burning, He starts to cough violently. [THAT WAS LOW! I would never do that to anyone!] He screams in spanish. Paige stands up. [Don't lie Angelo. I'm not stupid.] Angelo continues to cough, he dries his eyes. "What are you tryin' to do-" His coughing breaks up his comment, "you tryin' to KILL me?" Paige gets down on one knee in front of Angelo. "I don't have to. You'll doin' it perfectly fine yourself." "To think I gave up a night of watching Psychic Friends infomercials to help you out." Paige stands up and heads back to the camper, "Get your stuff Angie, it's a short walk home, if we hurry we can make it back in time for you to see that infomercial." //Granted it's ON the one station we have here. I spose I should have told Angelo more about my home "town"..and the fact it's over a day walk..// Angelo continues to stay seated. He looks at his palmed cigarette, takes one last drag off of it and puts it out in the dirt. He exhales thu his nose an looks back at the campers //The faster we get out of here, the better. One ride takes us all the way to a town somewhere in the Kentucky all the way from the north. Right.// Suddenly he hears a earpeircing scream. He looks around. No one else seemed to notice. It clearly came from one of the trailers, he starts to walk towards the campers and then thinks better of it and goes to get Paige. Paige looks at Winger for what she thinks may be the last time. She grabs her backpack and is about to talk with him when she overhears Karl talking into a CB radio. "Yes Mr. Essex, well they are leaving right now? No. I'd figure she was going home...No. Becca would be furious if I. NO I won't do that, don't even joke sir." Paige tries to hear what was said, but couldn't make anything out. "Eves dropping Paige? How...Jubilee of you." Paige gasped and whirled, and then glared at Angelo and the smirk on his face. "Don't you EVER sneak up on me like that again, Espinosa!" "Then don't try and kill me when I smoke. In fact, don't bug me at ALL about my smoking, okay?" "I wasn't trying to kill you." She said as she folded her arms. "Ah'm just tryin' to get you to realize-" A small, boy appeared in front of them. "Hello." He said softly, and Paige noticed a slightly German accent to his speech. "Hi." She said, smiling down at him. "And what can we do for you, little guy?" //Little guy?// Angelo shot her a funny look, but Paige paid him no attention. "My sister, Magda, wants to see you." He pointed at the tent that was just away from the campers near the buildings that rather resembled a fantasy wizards tent then anything normal. "Ten bucks she's a fortune teller." Paige whispered to Angelo. "Sure. We'll be RIGHT over." The little boy ran off and entered the tent, and Paige and Angelo began to walk slowly over. //I didn't see that a few minutes ago..\\ "Fortune teller? And you believe them?' Paige laughed. "No, silly, It's all in fun!" Angelo nodded. "Ahuh. I know what's in my future..."//Alot of pain and heartache and bein' alone for the rest of my life, THAT's what in MY future...// "What, Angelo?' "Nothing I'm gonna enjoy..." He looked down, suddenly intently studying his shoes." Well... except... Maybe Alonzo." She nodded. "How is he doin' with the Thomas's, anyway?" "Fine, fine. His first week was kinda hectic, but other then that, he's okay..." He kept staring at his shoes. "Angelo?" "Hmmm?" "Are you okay?" "Yeah..." "Yeah but what?" "Yeah, but well...I'm 16, I have a son, and I have very little say in his life currently. I am NOT ready to be a parent, and I REALLY don't want my son getting caught up in the middle of my currant 'X' life, you know?" She looked over at him. "Not really, but I can understand where you're coming from." They walked the rest of the way in silence, Paige wondering what was running through Angelo's head. //I wish he'd let me in sometimes. I hate how he keep it all locked in. It got to just eat him alive, sometimes...kinda like Jonothon....// He thoughts turned back to the scarred, angst ridden Jono. //To bad I can't tell him how I feel...I hate having THAT bottled up inside me...// They walked up to the tents entrance, and the young boy popped his head out. He pointed at Paige. "You first." Then he looked at Angelo. "You second." Angelo looked nervously at Paige, but she just smiled and said, "Angelo, relax. This isn't LA. We CAN trust people around here." He snorted derisively. "Yeah. Right." And watched her walk into the tent. * * * * * * * The first thing Paige noticed was the scent of incense, rich and spicy, and then a solitary table, with what seemed to be a gypsy woman sitting at it, a deck of cards in her hands. "Uh, Hello." She said. "Hello, Paige." The gypsy woman said with a smile. "Please, take a seat." She motion from the chair at the table that was directly across from hers. "How did you know-OH okay...You talked to the other people in the other campers. Becca and Karl." She shook her head, and Paige could hear bells jingle with the movement. "No. But how I know is of no matter. I am Magda. And I will give you a true reading." She passed that deck of cards over to Paige. "Please shuffle till the cards feel right in your hands." Paige smiled. //I LOVE this stuff...so weird and mystical...Really neat.// She began to shuffled the cards, and suddenly, she felt a jolt run up her arms that said, 'All right. We're ready. Stop shuffling.' She passed the cards over to Magda, who proceeded to lay them out in the Celtic cross formation. She turned over the first card, at the center of the cross. "The Paige of Wands." She said. "Quite appropriate for Paige Guthrie. It symbolizes you: A girl with both enthusiasm and ambition." Paige blushed . //Well, ambition? I DO want to lead the team, but...// "She is also quick to love." Magda said, turning over the second card, which lay over the Page of Wands. "Your obstacle, symbolized by the Nine of Wands, inverted." Paige looked at the upside down card that lay over the first. A man, beaten and bruised, and nine staves all about him. "There shall be MUCH struggle in the time to come. Prepare yourself for the worst." Magda intoned, and went to the next card. "Your Goal: The Magician. Achievement. Ambition. Knowledge. Happiness." Paige smiled. //Not at bad goal at all.// Magda just kept on with the reading. "The Distant past." She said, turning over another card. "The Chariot." "Triumph over adversity. Success and travel. You went to some place far from home, and made new friends." //I went to the Massachusetts Academy...// "Yeah, I did..." Her hand moved to another card. "The recent past. The Heirophant, inverted. a priestly looking man was upside down next to the Page of Wands and the Nine of Wands. "Someone failed to live up to your expectations. You opened yourself to a new experience, a new place." //Sound like Angelo and LA...// She thought, considering the gypsy's words. Her hand moved again. "The near future: The Tower." Paige looked at the disturbing card. It was the image of a tower being shattered in a storm, bodies flying from it. "Lovely..." She muttered. "There is chaos and disillusionment coming. Be prepared. There will much pain and suffering for you, and soon." Paige looked up to Magda's placid face. "What did you say?" Her hand went then to the row of four cards next to the cross formation. "The present:The Seven of Swords. there is a plot about you, that you know nothing of. Stay on your guard." Paige suppressed a shudder. //She sounds like Angie...// "The card of influences." she moved to the next card. "The Three of Swords, inverted. There will be strife in your romantic life, and your heart will be torn. But do not follow your emotions here, Paige, or it will lead to nothing but ruin..." "Ruin? What?" Magda ignored her and moved on to the second to last card. "Hopes and Fears." She turned it over. "The Lovers." "Lovers???" "Yes. A choice must be made." She said simply, and then turned over the final card. "The outcome." "Yes?" Paige was on the edge of her chair. This fortune teller's reading had been eerily accurate. "The Nine of Swords." She said softly. "There is much pain and dispair for everyone involved. But you cannot stop what has been set in motion. But do remember, Paige, time heals all wounds..." Paige looked at her oddly. //Pain, suffering? Ah don't think this gal's a fake..and now 'm scared...// She whispered. "Are you finished?" She nodded. "Please sent in Angelo, when you leave." * * * * * * * Angelo sat down in the chair and looked the gypsy over. //What DID you say to Paige that made her come out whiter then a sheet?// "Here." She passed the cards over to Angelo. "Shuffle them till they feel right in your hands, Angelo." He didn't let the fact that she knew his name phase him. He just began to shuffle. //Fine. TWO can play at this game...// Suddenly, he felt the same jolt Paige had felt. 'We're through. Put us down.' He handed the cards back to the gypsy and looked at his hand funny. They still tingled. She smiled as she began to lay the card out in the same Celtic cross spread. "Never have I had two with such destinies in my humble tent." He shrugged. "Comes with the territory..." She turned over the first card. "This is you. The Knight of Swords." Angelo cocked an eyebrow. "Me? A knight? Yeah..." She chuckled. "Deny the warrior inside you all you want, Angelo. It will emerge in the end. The card represents you. A young man with a good heart and courage. But not to be confronted, for he is stubborn." He snorted. "A huh. Stubborn. That's me." She smiled and moved to the card that over lapped the first. "Your obstacle is another person. The Knight of Wands, reversed. He is a scorned lover. Someone who compete with, unknowingly. For someone's affections." She looked over his shoulder and out to the concourse where Paige sat, tugging on her shoelaces. He shivered a bit, but suppressed it. "Okay. Next card?" "The next card is the Goal you seek." She turned it over. "You seek the Page of Wands." //No, I seek the Paige of Guthrie. There's a difference.// "She is a young girl, with blonde or red hair, and ambition and enthusiasm." He looked up sharply at Magda. "That card tells you all that? I don't believe you." "Of course you don't Angelo." She said with a smile, and went to the next card. "The distant past. The Nine of Swords, reversed. There was pain and suffering in your life, but you left it behind and have begun to experience happiness for the first time in your life." Angelo nodded. "Si. You are right on that one." She went to the next card. "The Recent past. Death. There was an ending, but a new beginning...I see...a child, and the loss of a loved one." Angelo blanched. "What did you say?" "The situation is resolved. You are moving on, but you fear the change that it brings to your life." He swallowed hard. "Por favor, continue. You have...caught my interest." She smiled. "I thought I would." And moved on to the next card. "The near future. The Star. This is a card of healing, but not for you. For someone else. They will be hurt, suffering, in pain, and you will need to reach out them, extend all the love in your heart to them, or they will not survive." He nodded. "The present." She said, moving the row next to the cross once again. "The Seven of Sword. There is danger about. Stay on your guard." She smiled at him. "As if I have to tell YOU to stay on your guard." He chuckled at her words, and swallowed his fear. //I will NOT let this mystic mumbo jumbo get to me. I WON'T.// "The card of influences. The lovers." He nearly choked. "The what?" "The lovers. There will be a union, and a choice. But it is not your to make." He nodded. //Does this mean I have a chance? Or that I never had one in the first place?// "And the next card, senora?" He said nervously. "The next card is the card of hopes and fears. The Ace of Cups." She said. "You hope or success with her affections. Your love will be tested. And soon." Angelo shivered again. //She keeps talking about me and love and I'm gonna get up and walk out of this tent...// "And the final card?" He asked tentatively. "The outcome." She said, but as she turned the card, Angelo heard a shriek from outside. "PAIGE?" He cried, and was out of the tent before she could finish. Magda shook her head, as she turned over the final card. "Strength. He will rely on his inner strength and overcome. But at what cost?" She murmured a soft prayer, wishing her hands were clean of the travesty about to be committed. "Watch over them, God, guide them. They'll need it." ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ //O.K., Starsmore. Face it. Paige an' Angelo ran off again. Now what are ya gonna do about it, ya ruddy plonker?// Jonothon debated inside his head as he walked towards the grotto where he hoped to find Banshee. He felt honor bound to respect Paige's wishes and let her help her sister. But he knew deep down that Paige and Angelo could not face Humanity's Last Stand on their own. Plus, if they went all the way to Kentucky, there was no way the two would be back in time for Monday's classes, and Banshee would find out anyway. He made his decision. //Yeah, Paige'll be mad at me, but what's more important? 'er trust or 'er safety? She's got t' be alive t' trust me, anyhow.// Jono approached the grotto, fully intending to tell Banshee about the note he found, and the suspicions he had that Angelo was with Paige. He was about to knock on the grotto doors... "I don't believe that to be wise, Jonothon Starsmore," a voice boomed from behind him. Jonothon spun around to see an image of a man standing directly behind him. He tore off the bandages to reveal the glow of the psionic energy overflowing out of his chest. "Who the bloody 'ell are you?" "My name is Sinister. And I don't believe knocking on that door to be wise at this time." "Right. Yer said that already. What do ya want, "Sinister?" "It's not what I want. It's what you want. Why don't we start by having you calm down. You can't hurt a holographic projection." Slowly, Jono began to re-wrap his bandages. "Ya still 'aven't told me what yer doin' 'ere." "Of course. I believe we both know your friends Guthrie and Espinosa decided to take a field trip of their own to Kentucky. Visit "Humanity's Last Stand", perhaps?" "How do ya know about that?" "Never mind. What is important is I know. And I can tell you that if you knock on that door, your friends will be dead before Sean Cassidy can leave these grounds to find their mangled bodies." Jono stood still. "How do I know yer tellin' the truth. As far as I'm concerned, yer just a hologram projectin' nuthin' but empty threats." "Oh, come now, Starsmore. Do you really think I'd waste my time on empty threats?" "Only one way t' find out, gov'nor." Jono turned around and lifted his hand to knock on the door of the grotto, where he knew Banshee was holding a practice drill. "Go ahead, Starsmore. Remember, there are two of them. I can easily kill one to satisfy your doubt. I think I'll begin with young Guthrie..." Jono paused. "Or maybe Espinosa. I don't know. With their mutation, each of them would be fun to... play with." Jonothon turned around again to see an image of Angelo smoking a cigarette outside a camper. Suddenly, Paige entered the image and Angelo attempted to hide his cigarette. "Well, Starsmore. Which would you like as proof?" Jonothon lowered his head. "What do yer want me t' do?" Sinister smiled. "Outside the grounds of your school awaits a taxi cab. The driver knows what to do. Go now, and speak to no one else. So orders Sinister..." And with that, Sinister disappeared as quickly as he appeared. He looked at the door to the grotto one last time. Then, he turned and determinedly walked outside. Outside the gate he saw the taxi cab Sinister promised would be awaiting him. He opened the back door and got in the back without saying a word to the driver. As the cab pulled away, Jonothon glanced back at the academy. //What are ya gettin' yerself int' now?// And the taxi cab, license plate "ESSEX," drove west.... $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ "Unnnnn..." Came a soft moan as Angelo woke up. He opened his eyes and found his self chained to some sort of metal slab, resting in a slightly slanted position. "Paige? PAIGE?!?" He looked about frantically. //Please God where is she?// "Angie?" She mumbled. She was just to his right, chained down as he was. As soon as she woke, she strained against her cuffs, but to no avail. "I feel like such a idiot." She said, as she collapsed against the slab. "I shoulda listened to you. GOD! How could I have been so gullible! So stupid!" He stretched out his fingers and wrapped them around her limp hand. "Shush, Country Mouse. You're just...inexperienced." he smiled at her, trying to raise her spirits. " You're lucky your not as jaded as me." He turned his attention to his surroundings. "Now all we have to do is get out of here." They both looked around, taking in the technology and equipment that was all around. "You know, I don't like this at all." Paige said. "It's like being in Frankenstein's laboratory..." The was a deep rumbling chuckle. "How oddly appropriate..." They both turned their heads at the sound, and saw the pale white face of their captor. Mr. Sinister. He stood there, cold and calmly gazing at their chained forms. "Angelo, this is BAD...I've heard Sam and Sean talk about Mr. Sinister! He's trouble..." "Indeed I am. For you." He walked over to Paige, and cupped her chin in his hand. "So much potential in the Guthrie family. And most of it packed into this little frame." He said smiles a cruel smile. Then he turned his attention to Angelo. "And here...Genetrash. Totally useless. And to think that you have already passed it on." Angelo snarled. [Genetrash? You lousy son of a bitch.. I'll show you genetrash!] Sinister smiled again. "Temper, temper, Mr. Espinosa. If keep your mouth shut while I work, I'll leave Alonzo totally alone." Angelo went a paler shade of gray. "You threaten my son? You wouldn't..." Sinister sneered. "I would. Cooperate and I won't touch him." Angelo shook violently for a moment, and then Paige heard him. "All right. I'll cooperate." Sinister smiled. "I thought you would see things my way." He turned away and began to work furiously at some equipment. "Angie? Angelo?" Paige tried to get his attention. "Angie?" "Yeah, Paige?" He rested his head against the metal slab. "What?" "Angie..." //How do I remain optimistic chained to a metal slab and prisoner of one of the X-Mens deadliest enemies?// "We'll be okay..." "Yeah, Country Mouse, we will. You just keep hoping." He cast his eye upward, praying silently. A soft whirring sound caught his attention. "Paige?" She looked over at him, and then upwards. Above them both hovered a large, hypodermic needle. They were slowly lowering themselves into position just above the immobilized Generation Xers. Paige and Angelo tightened their grips on their others hand. "Be strong, Country Mouse. Remember, we have survived worse." And Sinister laughed. "No, you haven't." And the needles shot forward, Paige's deep into her lower abdomen, soliciting a scream from the depth of her soul as some burning liquid is pumped into her system. Angelo's penetrated his heart, and he gasped in pain, not willing to give Sinister the satisfaction of his scream. "For you, Miss Guthrie, that was a special fertility drug, mixed with a sedative and a drug to keep your form stable underneath your skin. If I were you, I wouldn't try to 'husk' in the near future. You could kill yourself." He turned to Angelo. "For you, Mr. Espinosa, it was simply a sedative. You have...already PROVED your fertility." Angelo chuckled groggily, the sedative being pumped through his blood by the force of his heart. "Yep, I have, haven't I? Me an' Aleela..." And he slowly lost consciousness. Paige felt her body solidify for a moment, under her skin. //He nullified my powers? How?// she felt fear creep up in her heart. //Did he say, fertility drug?// "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go meet young Mr. Starsmore. He should be arriving any moment now." "Jono?" She mumbled, fighting off the sedative, "What's Jono got to do with this?" "Everything, Miss Guthrie, EVERYTHING." He laughed coldly, and then left her alone with the unconscious Angelo. She tried to keep a hold of Angelo limp, extended hand in hers, but couldn't. His gray fingers slipped through hers, and she lost consciousness against the slab. * * * * * Jono was rushed out of the cab and into a trailer. //Odd lookin' group we got 'ere.// He looked over at Rebecca and Karl. //Batgirl, a good lookin' chap,// and then over at Magda. // And someone looks like she came from a old vampire movie.// "Where's Paige an' Angelo?" He asked softly. "In due time." The gypsy woman intoned. She turned to Rebecca and Karl, saying, "Leave us. We must speak alone." They looked hesitant, and then left the camper. "Awful brave of yer, knowin' I could rip the information I need outta yer brain." Jono said. "But you won't, because you are a good man." She sat down at the camper's table. "Sit, Jonothon Evan Starsmore." She said. "And I will give you a true reading." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "And what you need to defeat Sinister." "What? You WORK fer the ruddy plonker! Why should I trust ya?" "Because Sinister had long ago broken the compact between my clan and himself, and now is the most opportune moment to revenge my family. And because you have no choice." He handed her deck of tarot cards. "Shuffle them, Starsmore." He sat down at the table with a sigh, and began to shuffle, and then felt the same jolt that both Paige and Angelo had felt before. 'Set me down. You're done shuffling.' He handed them back. "Interestin' set of cards yer got there." She only smiled, and turned over the first card. She chuckled. "You are the Knight of Wands, inverted. The lover scorned. Do not let your jealousy factor at all in your decisions in the trials to come." She locked eyes with Jonothon. "But I don not think that will be a problem for you, will it?" He shrugged. //A knight, eh? No shining armor, 'ere.// "The second card is your obstacle. The King of Cups, inverted. A cruel, crafty man, who under his calm veneer, hide a violence unheard of." "Sinister." "Yes." She moved to the third card. "Your Goal: The Eight of Swords, inverted. Freedom from bondage." He was gaining a vague interest in her words, and could sense no deception from her. "Go on." "The fourth card. The past. The Sun. You had a beautiful, happy past, Jonothon Starsmore, filled with love and life." //Gayle in me in London...// "I did." Her hands moved to the next card. "The recent past. The Nine of Swords, inverted." She said. "There was much pain, but you are finally beginning to heal." "Maybe, gel, maybe." She turned the next card. "The recent future. The Devil." "Lovely." "Evil influences are all around, and you shall feel evil yourself, but know that it is no part of you that is corrupt. Beware of despair. Do not let it conquer you." Jono nodded. "The card of your present is the Five of Swords. There will be danger, a struggle and a defeat, but you cannot stop the coming storm." //That doesn't sound too good. God...I wish I could DO something...but instead I just get t' sit and wait 'ere like a bloody idiot, cause if I do anythin' I could jeopardize Paige an' Ange.// "The card of influences: The Ten of Swords. Pain and disillusionment has made them loose hope." She said softly. //Then seein' me turn meself over t' Sinister won't help will it?// "Your hopes and fears: The Two of Cups. You wish for a reunion, one in friendship, one in love. You may or may not receive what you seek." "Ya know, I really don't like yer speakin' in riddles." She smiled. "I know. No one likes it.", and she turned her eyes to the final card. "The outcome." she turned it over. "The Tower, inverted. You will gain most of what you seek, but at a great cost. To yourself and to them." He nodded. "And about you aidin' me with Sinister?" "All in due time. You will be aided when the time comes." "Really? And what if I don't believe yer?" "Then you are a fool. I give you my word, Jonothon Starsmore, and I seal it with my blood." With that she produced a dagger from the folds of her desk and ran it across her palm. She let drops of it stain her cards. She rose up from her seat and opened the trailer door. "Wait outside. Sinister will be here for you in a few moments." Jono nodded. "Thanks." He said sarcastically, and stepped outside. Sinister was waiting for him. "Come with me, Mr. Starsmore. Desinty awaits." "Puh." And began to walk where Sinister directed him. ############################################ #################################### Jonothon Starsmore would take a deep breath if he could. He can't. That's what makes him special. It's part of him curse as a mutant. "So I followed yer. Now what." Sinister chuckles "It all depends on you Mr. Starsmore." He snaps his fingers and a loud thud is heard. "You see Mr. Starsmore, I have a present for you. And we will find this mutually beneficial." "Can it Sinister, I'm not interested in yer ruddy deals. Where's Angelo n' Paige?" Sinister steps into the shadows, only his red eyes and a the reflection of red light off of his teeth are visible. "You'll find one of them shortly, the other's fate depends on what you do and-" "ENOUGH! I'M NOT PLAYING YER GAMES!" Jonothon says. The psionic energy that pours out of his chest turns from blue to bright yellow and orange as he rips off the wraps surrounding his lower face and chest. "WHERE ARE THEY?! SO 'ELP ME I'LL BLOW YER PLONKIN' 'EAD OFF!" Again Sinister laughs. "Temper temper Mr. Starsmore. I simply need you to do something I'm sure you long desired to do. Have a simple union with your fellow classmate." "Union? What are yer on about?" Jonothon telepathically growls. //He couldn't mean?// Sinister again laughs. "Yes, Mr. Starsmore. That's exactly what I mean." "YOU! I would never-" "If the life of Mr. Espinosa rested on your choice?" "It ain't my choice, not alone it it's not." "You could do this simple deed, and you and Mr. Espinosa are free to leave." "What about Paige?" Sinister's eyes dim slightly. "With the correct procedures, slight manipulation.. She could be a factory for-" Jonothon Starsmore screams in a mix of anger and pain at what Sinister is implying. With a flash of light, a bio kinetic blast races from Jonothon's chest out at Sinister. Sinister flashes and disappears. //Another bloody hologram. Why'd th' gel get 'er self into this? No, it's not 'er fault. Sinister 'as no right t' black mail us like this. What sick way is he gettin' off with this? I can't do this, not to Paige I can't-// Jonothon's words are cut off as he falls over something laying on the floor. Still on his stomach, he turns himself around. The light in the room is only generated by his psionic energy. His eyes are met with Paige's very terrified blue eyes. "Paige? Are yer.. Look gel. It's going t' be okay. I'm not gonna to hurt yer. We're gettin' out of 'ere and takin' Angelo with us." He puts his hand on Paige's face. She responds only by moving her eyes to look at his hand. //Great. she can't even move a muscle. I can't sense anything from 'er psionicly sides the fact she's scarred outta 'er blumin' mind. I'm gonna murder Sinister slowly for degratin' the gel like this.// "Paige. Can you 'ear me? Can yer move at all?" Paige closes her eyes tight and for a second her right hand clenches into a fist. Her breathing increases suddenly and a tear rolls down her face and hits the cold concrete floor. Jonothon takes off his leather jacket and covers Paige in it. "See Sunshine, yer gonna be able t' move soon 'nuff, then we're walk out of 'ere t'getter." "Au contrare Mr. Starsmore, what's happening to your beloved female friend there is a reaction of the fertility drug, so nicely placed into her bloodstream. In case Mr. Espinosa's life means nothing to the two of you. Perhaps the fact that unless certain hormones are generated within a certain time, it turns rather toxic, and unfortunately, in addition to being in a perfectly set form for conception, Ms. Guthrie's form is also very susceptible to the toxin." Jonothon slams his forehead into the ground next to Paige, he grabs his hair in both fists, strugling to contain the emotion and pain building within his frame. He does something he hasn't done since his accident in which he lost his chin and chest. Jonothon Starsmore prays. Unfortunately, he has no response, all he can hear is the sound of Sinister clicking off a microphone and Paige's now shallow breathing. Jonothon gets up on his knees and brushes the hair out of Paige's face, and Jonothon Starsmore cries. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ //Madre de dios, what a headache....// Angelo lifted his head slowly and opened his eyes. Paige was NOT beside him. "PAIGE? PAIGE?" He began to call out her name and search the room with his eyes, hoping she had some how gotten free. But the only person he was the the cold white face of Mr Sinister. "Calm yourself, Mr Espinosa. Miss Guthrie is....indisposed at the moment." [If you've hurt her you motherfucking son of a bitch I swear-] "What did I say about your temper, Mr Espinosa? Your son could be next." Angelo clenched his jaw shut. //Please God please, I know I've been a lousy Catholic and I have done wrong but please please please don't make Paige SUFFER.// A loud beeping suddenly came from console behind Sinister. He turned and looked at the information flashing across his screen and then he laughed. "YES! With those two combined genes, cross-bred with the Summers samples, I could really have it!" He flipped a switch and spoke into a microphone at the console. "Mr Starsmore, you may now exit. Please bring Miss Guthrie with you." Angelo watched as he flipped on the switch and waited. //What? Jono and Paige? What is going on?// Suddenly, one of the door in the chamber slid open, and Jono stood there, Paige unconscious in his arms, wrapped in his leather jacket. "Alright Sinister. Yer got what yer wanted." His voice was soft and Angelo could feel the pain and suffering that it carried with it. //Madre de dios, what happened while I was out?// The slab where Paige had been strapped suddenly lowered itself to a horizontal position. "Please lay her on the table, Mr Starsmore." Jonothon did as he was told. He laid her unconscious form on the table, and then clutched her hand desperately. //I'm sorry, luv, I'm sorry...// Sinister walked over to the table and casually pushed Jonothon back. Angelo could see his fists clenched and the rage and pain in his eyes. "WHAT HAPPENED?" Jonothon just turned and shook his head, as if denying Angelo, denying Paige's unconscious form, denying Sinister's presence. Angelo turned his eyes from Jono to Sinister, who stabbed a VERY long needle into Paige's uncovered abdomen. He turned and looked at the screen as it flashs information. Then, he retracted the needle. "There. The first of many." He said with a silibant hiss. He walked over to a cylinder filled with liquid. "Jonothon? Care to see you 'son' or 'daughter' as it were?" "No." Angelo looked back and forth between Jono and Sinister. //Son? Daughter? Jono and Paige?// "Oh, God, Jono tell me you didn't...?" Jono couldn't look at Angelo. His heart ached and the self loathing that filled his young frame threatened to tear him apart. //Please, Angelo, don't start now...// "Are you sure, Jonothon?" Sinister mocking tone finally wore away the last shreds of his willpower. "YES I'M BLOODY SURE!" He roared, ripping the bandages off, loosing control of his emotions and his powers. The psionic flame was no longer concealed and it shot forth, destroying everything in it's path. Angelo watched, helpless, as everything was engulfed; Sinister, the cylinder, and the equipment was all swallowed up by Jonothon's rage and power. Jonothon took to oppunity to rush to the equipment and smash the console, and the cuffs that held Angelos wrists and ankles fell loose. "Run. Take 'er with ya." He said, Grabbing Paige and depositing her into Angelo's arms. He then turned to the rapidly recovering Sinister. "YOU WANTED ME POWER IN A CHILD? WELL 'ERE! WHY DON'T I GIVE IT T' YA DIRECT!" And he let loose with another massive blast. Angelo ducked out of the chamber and began to run as best he could, still half-sedated, down the corridor, looking for a way out. * * * * * * * * * * * * Angelo couldn't tell how long he had run or which direction he had gone. //Where are we? How do we get out of here? Por favor, God, some assistance would be appreciated!// He looked down at Paige, and check her for lifesigns. //Don't know why I keep doing that. I KNOW she's alive, but...// He kept stumbling on. * * * * * * * * * * * * It was time. Magda ushed her younger brother into a camper, and then turned to Rebecca. "Are you sure you won't reconsider? We could use your blood in our family, dispite the fact that you are not a Gypsy." She shook her head. "No. He's my father of sorts. I can't betray him." She nodded. "Alright. But you will not hinder our escape?" "No..." "Thank you." She turned and headed into the camper the covered the entrance to Sinisters underground compound, and summoned all of her strength. * * * * * * * "YOU!" Angelo stopped dead when he saw the gypsy woman. "What are YOU doing here?" "Coming to help you." She said. "Go, straight out the corridor. Rebecca will tell which camper to enter. Go there and wait for me." He didn't question her words or her instructions. He simply did as he was told. Magda continued down into the complex. * * * * * * * * * * * * Magda came upon the battle in progress. Jonothon was almost exhausted, he leaned wearily against the melted remains of a wall, and Sinister stood, regenerating, but doing so rather slowly. She turned to Jonothon. "Give me your hand, Starsmore, and we are free." "No...not after what I did t' Paige...I don't deserve t'..." "No, Jonothon. You saved her life, unknowingly. Give me your hand." Jonothon slowly reached out and took the proffered hand. Magda turned to Sinister. "Touch these children again, Sinister, and you shall feel my wrath." She said. "And the wrath of all my blood, through out the generations. Remember that, when you consider breaking another pact." And then, in a flash of light, they were gone. Sinister turned to the cynlinder. //The decoy worked. I STILL have what I want.// !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Angelo holds his friend close, He can hear distant thunder rumbling. "Perfect." He holds the jacket close to her form, He crosses hiself //No.. Jonothon had no choice.// He closes his eyes; Normally he'd smile at the fact that Jonothon's jacket covers very little of Paige, but as he uses his extra distended skin to cover her, he feels a mix of anger and guilt. He couldn't do a damn thing. One minute he was holding her hand and she was assuring him that everything would be okay, and now. Now the only sound save that of his exausted breathing as he runs is that of the patter of rain on the rocks and dusty ground around them. [Paige, I'm so sorry. I hope you were asleep. I. I know you and Jonothon.. But.. well. Noone should ever have to.] Angelo chokes down some tears. //DAMN IT! With all the drive bys and stabbings.. I CAN'T cry!// He lays Paige down on the ground, and straightens the jacket so it covers her as best it can. No sooner has she touched the ground then she starts to curl up into a ball. //What the? Is this a reaction to that seditive?// He reaches out and touches her shoulder. He feels her shaking underneith his hand. "Paige?" "Can't move. Can't. Oh gawd. Can't move." He can hear her whispering. "Paige.. please, Amiga, don't do this to yourself." The sound of the rain hitting the ground harder drowns out anything else Paige is whispering. * * * * * * * Jonothon Starsmore comes upon the scene. He knows Angelo hasn't seen him. He sits down the rain running down his face. He runs a hand thu his hair, ignoring the blood from the small scratch he got when he slammed his head into the ground during the angst of only a half hour ago. //We 'ave to get outta 'ere. But what am I spose t' say? If I weren't attracted to the gel in the first place it wouldn't have been cappable but I'm such a-// His thoughts are broken off by hysterical screaming. * * * * * * * * * * * * [Paige.. calm down. Please! It's okay.. it's okay.] Paige isn't listening to Angelo, shes' now sitting up, with her arms wrapped tightly around her legs, her face hidden from view as she screams into her knees. [Shit. What the hell can I do?] Paige looks up, just her face moving, her hair, now soaking wet is sticking to her face, her eyes are bloodshot. It instantly reminds Angelo of when Paige was dying of the Techno Organic Virus when they first met. "GET AWAY FROM ME!!!" She screams, her voice cracking. "Paige.. we have to get away from here." "LEAVE ME ALONE!!" Paige jumps up and runs away from Angelo. "No we have to-" "I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!!!" Paige screams as she grabs a rock and pulls back her arm like she's about to throw it. Instinctivly Angelo sends out strands of grey distented skin and wraps it around Paige's wrist and fist. "Que? Paige. Please. Calm down!" "WHERE WERE YOU?! It's your fault!" She continues, the rain drops masking her tears and the roar of thunder drowning out the sound of her sobbing. "It's your.." She sinks down to her knees and her head drops into her hands. Angelo looses his grip of her wrist, but doesn't let go of her hand. He cautiously goes closer. Then takes Paige up in a hug, she continually shakes in his embrace. He sees Jonothon over Paige's shoulder. For the the first time in a long time, Angelo Espinosa can't say anything. ############################################ Jonothon makes eye-contact with Angelo, and neither of them can say a word. //Yer've done enough damage around these parts, Starsmore. Leave it be.// Without so much as a nod, Jonothon turned and walked away. //Get yer mind off the subject. Think of a way outta this mess...// But he couldn't. He paced consistently, but all he could think about was the rage growing inside him. It was a side he had surpressed for some time now, but now the rage was growing so rapidly he couldn't ignore it. A tear ran down his cheek as his most recent actions occurred over and over again in his mind. And then he remembered: "The card of your present is the Five of Swords. There will be danger, a struggle and a defeat, but you cannot stop the coming storm." He looked off towards the direction of Sinister's lab. //I'll give 'im a storm...// With that thought, he stormed off towards Sinister's lab, but at that point all rational thought vanished to leave but one word... //Revenge//. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ Angelo made no move to stop Jonothon, he merely Picked up her cold, wet body and walked over to Rebeecca, who stood outside Magda's tent. "She said you would help us. " He grated at her. Rebecca nodded, and guided him to Magda's camper. Her little brother stood there, holding the door open, and waiting. Stepping inside the cabin was stepping into another world. Incense, silks; it was like a real, old fashioned, gypsy vardo. "Lay her there." He pointed at the bed above the drivers compartment. Angelo climbed up the ladder with Paige in his arms as best he could, extending skin to steady himself. He laid her gently in the bed, and she curled up into a ball after contacting the soft, smooth covers. "Give her this to drink." The young gypsy boy said, handing Angelo a steaming cup of what looked like grass tea. //Please, let this HELP her...// "Paige? Country Mouse? Sit up a little. You need to drink this." H supported her head with on his arm, and eventually managed to get the hot mixture down her throat. Then he turned to the little boy. "What was in that, anyway?" "An herbal tea, to aid in sleep." He said. "Now, go help your friend. He needs you." Angelo looked at Paige, hesitant to leave. "But-I- She-" "She will be fine with me. Now GO." Angelo sighed. He had to go get Jono. He left the camper and headed back into the heart of Sinister's lair... ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Sinister's lair. And a very unhappy young individual. Jonothon Starsmore looks over the structure which now represents all of his nightmares come true. He has no plan of attack, for he is no longer capable of rational thought. The thought of revenge acts is Jono's power source now, and nothing will stop him from expressing his wraith. "Don't." A quiet, but familiar voice said from behind him. "It's not worth it, amigo." Jonothon continued to stare straight away at the complex. "Are you hearing me, chico? Let's walk away while we still can." "We're past that, Angelo. You know it and I know it." "Know what? I know that stormin' back in there will get us killed." "That's why WE'RE not goin'." Angelo was surprised by this comment, and caught off guard. He heard a coldness in Jono's voice that he'd never heard before. This wasn't going to be easy. "You really don't think I'm gonna let you go in there by yourself, do you?" Jono was still staring straight ahead. "The way I see it, yer don't 'ave a choice. Someone's got t' stay an' look out fer..." He couldn't even bring himself to say her name. "No, Jono. We'll both look out for her. And each other." "This is where it ends, Angelo. We leave now, he c'n do it again. Who's next? Ev and Jubilee? I don't think so. This is where it stops." "There's other ways, Jono. We'll call in back-up, let the big-leaguers take care of it," Angelo answered. //Why won't he even look at me?// "I was 'elpless in there before, Angelo, but there's nothin' holdin' me back now. Now it's just me an' 'im." "Jono, you can't..." "Good-bye, Angelo." "There are other ways..." "Good-bye." And as Jonothon continued towards his destination, Angelo could only watch him go. //He wouldn't even look at me. But he's right, someone has to be there for Paige, and he couldn't risk following Jono into what seemed to be certain death... * * * * * * * * * * * * Jonothon walked through the ruins of Sinister's laboratory. He made no attempt to be hardly inconspicuous in his approach, as he wanted Sinister to find him. A young man filled with determination, he knew both of them would not walk away from this confrontation. And for a moment, knowing the probability of his loss eased his mind. "Starsmore. Once again, you haven't failed to live up to my expectations." "Sinister." Jono grew more tense just at the mention of the name. "We 'ave some things t'... discuss." Sinister let out a loud, menacing laugh. "You are a unique individual, Starsmore. And I am not speaking only your physical appearance. You would make a very interesting ally." "Not on yer life. I'm 'ere t' let yer know that yer can't manipulate people and get away with it." Sinister laughed out loud again. "Can't I? I have been doing it for centuries." "And it stops.... NOW!" Jonothon released a large bio-blast, tearing a hole through Sinister's stomach. Sinister looked down at the hole in his stomach, and grinned as he watched his body sow itself back together. "I hope that is not all you have to offer. You're going to have to do a lot better than that..." * * * * * * * * * * * * Angelo walked slowly back towards the camper, feeling quite defeated. //[You did what you could, Angelo. Jonothon is just one of those stubborn Englishmen.]// He stared ahead at the camper which currently acted as a medlab to Paige Guthrie. Wasn't it just yesterday that the two of them were together again, sleeping under the stars? He was getting so close, gradually working up the courage to tell her his feelings straight out. Life has a way of making things difficult, as most of the members of Generation X had already realized. //[Just keep walking, Angelo. Paige needs you now. She was there for you.]// He approached the camper and was about to enter when a new thought entered his mind. A thought he had produced not long ago. //We're students... members of Generation X -- at Xavier's School For Gifted Youngsters. Means we're in this together. Till the end.// "Till the end," Angelo said aloud, as he headed back towards Sinister's laboratory. * * * * * * * * * * * * "I've just begun, Sinister," Jono sneered as he sent out another bio-blast, this time eating through Sinister's chest. "Thank you anyway, Starsmore, but we have already seen this look, and believe me, child, you wear it better than I," Sinister mocked as his body repaired itself. "However, you are beginning to bore me. I have much work to accomplish." Sinister streched out his arm and blasted Jono from the palm of his hand, sending Jono across the room. As Jono smashed against a wall and fell to the ground, Sinister continued his work as if no one else was in the room. //He can't keep fixin' 'imself ferever. I'm wearin' 'im down.// Jonothon brought himself to his feet, his rage giving him all the power he needed. Sinister was examining a cylinder and completely ignoring him. //I thought that was destroyed! I won't let him win!// "Sinister! I ain't half through with ya!" he exclaimed as he sent another bio-blast straight at him. The cylinder took the majority of the blast and disentegrated with Sinister's outstretched hand. "Agh!" Sinister cried as he watched the cylinder disappear. Again, he pointed his palm at Jonothon and hit him directly with a blast double the strength of the last. Jonothon flew back against the wall, leaving a deeper dent in the wall. Jonothon lay still on the ground, with only more rage building up inside him. "You are foolish, Starsmore. I have been studying you for quite some time now. I know enough about you to know that your power souce is depleted. You now have no defense. Perhaps even more foolish is the fact that you destroyed the cylinder. I have you already. I see that I will have to go get young Guthrie again." Jonothon pushed himself up to his knees, tears of fury pouring out of his eyes. He felt an energy build-up unlike any he had ever felt before; not since his initial "accident." "I have to admit, you did put up a fight. I respect you for that, Starsmore, for whatever that may be worth. Few have taken as much out me as you have today. But, no matter. I will have what I want." * * * * * * * * * * * * Angelo pushed his way through the complex towards Sinister's lab. //I hope I get there in time. Knowing Jonothon he probably used the direct approach. But what will I do when I get there? What match are my mutant abilities to Sinister's?// Through a broken wall, Angelo could see the shape of Sinister. He approached closer... * * * * * * * * * * * * Jonothon felt a pain in the center of his torso. By now, his powers should be spent, but his rage and hatred pushed his body further than ever. He worked himself to his feet, sending out a concentrated stare at Sinister. Sinister faced Jonothon. "Now that the cylinder is destroyed, I will have to begin again. I will send for Guthrie, and you will... perform again." Jonothon only stared down Sinister. "Oh, come now, Jonothon Starsmore! Are you going to pretend that you didn't enjoy it?" Angelo was in perfect view of the two of them now, and worked his way closer, still not knowing how to intervene. Jonothon gazed at Sinister with a look of pure hatred in his eyes. "Perhaps that is why you destroyed the cylinder? You long for another round with the girl? You didn't have to destroy the cylinder to have another turn. All you had to do was ask Sinister..." "NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" A huge psionic blast erupted from Jonothon's chest nowhere near the likes of anything Angelo had ever witnessed. Angelo watched in awe as the blast totally enveloped Sinister and shredded him down to nothing. The blast continued through Sinister and obliterated the wall behind him as well. As the blast ceased, Jonothon fell to the ground, curled up in a ball. Angelo ran to him, then glanced over to where Sinister had stood. All that remained were scraps of what once resembeled the Sinister figure. He turned to Jonothon and spoke. "Jono! Amigo, you did it! He's not gettin' up from that! Where did that come from? Jonothon gave no response, but remained curled up. "Jono? Are you alright? Jono?" Angelo kneeled down and gently rolled Jonothon over to face him. He was horrified at the sight befoe him. "Madre de dios..." Jono lay before Angelo trembling like a leaf. The hole that existed in Jono's chest... the vacancy that left Jonothon with the codename, "Chamber," had grown larger... much larger. Speechless, Angelo stared at Jonothon, trying to comprehend the fact that his friend had just destroyed much more of his own body... ()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()() ()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()() Angelo carried Jono out, not heeding the burns he sustained on the exteneded skin he used as a sling. Terror and fear drove him, his survival instincts that had been honed to perfection in the Los Angeles barrio drove him on. He stumbled to the camper, the gypsy waiting for him outside the door. She lifted Jono out of his arms and placed him on a makeshift bed where the table had been earlier. Then she singnaled to her brother, who only seemed to be ten yers old, to start drving. Unfortunately, Angelo was too mentally, emotionally and phyically exhausted to care about who was driving. He only sat in shock. Finally, realization set in. //I should have been able to stop him...MADE him come back...Gotten us all out of here. But NO. I had to make sure she was okay! Cause I love her, dammit....// A few moments within the initial realizatrioin, Skin had collapsed weeping, unable to encase him emotions in the cool, calm facade he had maintained the entire year at Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters. //Why couldn't I help her? Help him? THEY NEEDED ME!// Magda came over to him, and helped him over to the other side of Chamber's makeshift bed, and laid down his sob wracked body. "I warned you. Remember the card, Angelo, the Star. You must now help her heal. Remember the Ace of Cups? Your love will be tested. She needs you now more then ever." "She-Blames-Me." He choked out between ragged sobs. //You have to stop this! Have some guts for once!// He tried to get a reign on his tempestuous emotions, but to no avail. They raged beyond his ability to control them. "She does not blame you in her heart of hearts." She said. "Now stay still." She pulled some jar of salve from a cpboard and began to massage it into Angelo's blackened skin. The burn marks were everywhere; across his chest where he had clutched Jono, his arms, his hands, even racing up into his neck and jaw where Jono' psionic energy had licked up and 'kissed' his skin. "N-No. Gotta be there for her...when she wakes up." She hands were insistant, preventing him from rising from the bed. "Sleep, Angelo Espinosa. SLEEP. You can do her no good in this condition. She will sleep for at least a day, with the tea she as given, most likely more." Angelo felt his spent body give way under her hands, and her mercifuly slipped into unconsciousness besides Chamber. * * * * * * * * * * * * Angelo awoke the next day, and he steeled himself for the coming pains. //Jono hasn't woken up. Neither has Paige. I guess I have to just sit...and wait.// And the waiting was like slowly dying. He could see chamber tremble occasinally, the now truely massive gap in his body a swirl with color. Not just blue, or orange, bbut it fluctuated, changeing like the aurora borealis had been caught in his chest. In a odd way, it was probably beautiful, but the only sensations that Skin really receive was dull feelings off horror and self-loathing. He kept watch on them both the first two days, staying awake non-stop, till eventually, he lost consciousness again, slept for a few fitful hours, and then took up his vigil once more. Magda consulted her cards and her crystals on the destinies of these three young children of the atom. //No matter what, these three shall be intertwinced. In love, in hate, in happiness, in sorrow, in life and in death.// And she waited for the other two to wake up. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% "YOU LOVE HIM!! What's your problem! Are you that damn stupid? Do you think Sinister is really going to let you go? He's gonna come after you again and kill everyone in his way. You heard what he and Jonothon said. You would have enjoyed it too. ..You know you wanted to do this with Jonothon anyway? What's the problem? If you weren't druged, you would have jumped at the chance, but now here it happens and you feel all violated. If you weren't so trusting of everyone with a pulse, you would have never gotten into this in the first place. You deserve what happened to you. You're so STUPID. You deserved what you got. Did you expect Angelo to save you? The ol' damsel in distress? Can't you take care of yourself? You shouldn't be even labeled a-" "GET OUT OF MAH-" Paige screams as light pours into her eyes. "Head?" she looks around, she's in some sort of camper. She wipes the sweat off of her brow and looks around the camper. She shudders, Chills without being cold. She clenches her teeth as she rubs her forehead. Across the room Angelo Espinosa lay sleeping. Near him is Jonothon covered now in a blanket, there are spots of blood on the blanket. She pulls her blanket closer around herself. She's dressed in long skirt and a silk blouse, not exactly her style, but at least it's something. On the floor next to her is Jonothon's jacket. She picks it up and looks at it. She then looks over at Jonothon. //No.. ah can't think about that. Can't think about it.// She starts to stand up, she's greeted with pain. She turns away from Jonothon and Angelo's sleeping forms and unbuttons one button right below her navel on her shirt, She looks at two small brusies on her stomach. She quickly rebuttons the shirt and retucks it back into her skirt. //Okay. Piece this togetter gal. One of those is most likely from the shot when Sinister gave me the seditve and.. that other stuff. The other could be from? Ah don't know, I passed out from the toxin half way thu..oh god. I'm alive, Sinister said the toxin would stop if certian hormones were produced and.. I'm alive.. that means." Paige looks back at Jonothon. //Oh gawd, he.I was preg. No.. Can't think about it.// Paige picks the jacket back up off the floor and goes over to Jonothon, she is about to remove the blanket off his sleeping form when someone's hand clamps itself over her wrist. Paige quicky lashes out to punch whoever dared to touch her. Her fist is met with an open hand. Paige looks into the face of Magda. Magda pulls Paige away from Chamber and forces her to sit back down on the other side of the camper. "Now is not the time." She says simply. "What do you mean 'now is not the time'? Ah just wanted to-" "I know what you believe, it is not so." "What?" "You are confused." Paige glares at Magda, "If you weren't talking in code, I'd be able to understand you." "You do not understand me because you are confused at this time. The full effects of the toxin will wear off later than sooner." Paige takes a deep breath then looks Magda straight in the eyes, "I'm NOT in the mood for your games." Magda hands Paige an apple. "You have not eaten in a few days, you must eat." Paige pushes the hand offering the apple away. "I'm NOT hungry. Get out of my way." With that Paige stands up. Magda grabs her around the waist and forces her to sit back down again. "You don't know who to blame, you don't know what to do, and that anger is eating at you, and if you don't stop this now, it will consume you." "I'm NOT confused. I know what happened, what's going on. So just leave me alone okay? I appreciate the clothes, and the ride back home, but I'm not a kid, I can handle what-" "Then why are you refusing to think or talk about it?" Paige slams a fist into the wall as she jumps to her feet, "AH don't NEED to! That's why not!" Magda stands and bows slightly, "then I will leave. Just know this. One in four. Do you want to know how many of those ones end up with lasting problems because they contain their feelings?" With that Magda turns and walks to the front of the camper, shutting the door behind her. Paige turns and looks out the window at the scenery as it speeds by, "Not me." She mutters under her breath. She doesn't turn from the window, She looks at her hand that she slamed into the wall, The skin is split on her knuckles. She looks at her hand confused as a small like of red works it's way from two of her knuckles down her arm. The anger and guilt again builds up and Paige screams and plants her fist again into the wall, this time leaving a small imprint in the wall. Even though she feels one of her joints in her middle finger pop out of location, it no longer matters, she slams her fist into the wall again, then looks at the shattered row of knuckles and screams and punches the wall again. Angelo wakes up to the sound of pounding. //Que, I hate when they build when I try to sleep It's so-// Suddenly as the camper hits a pothole he's reminded of where he is. He opens his eyes and sees Paige, he doesn't move. He just watches, her back is to him and she's slammin' a fist into a wall of the camper. She pulls her fist back again to slam it into the wall again and he's aware that something is dripping from between her fingers. He doesn't even have to get a closer look , he quickly launches some of his skin and grabs her arm before she can punch again. He cringes in pain as she instincitly starts to strugle, He falls out of his makeshift bed and onto the floor. She continues to tug at the skin around her arm, "Let go! LET GO OF ME!" She starts to scream as she digs her nails and teeth into his skin. "PAIGE STOP!" Angelo shouts as he send out another tendril of skin, this time it wraps around her forehead as he tries to pull her head away from biting his hand. It works for only a second but then she starts to claw at the skin around her head with her free hand. [I didn't want to have to do this, but, i've seen people snap before in the barrio and you're headin' there.] Angelo lunges forward retracting his skin as best he can, and slings shots himself into Paige. With a thud she falls back onto the couch that she was previously sleeping on. Angelo retracts his skin as best he can. "GET off!" She starts as she raises her right hand and shoves it in Angelo's face trying to push him away from her. Angelo quickly complies. Paige sits up, and seems to instantly calm down. She quietly looks at Angelo then down at her bloddied right hand. "Oh god, what's happening to me?" she mutters to herself. "It's called being human Paige." Angelo thinks to himself as he looks around and sees Jonothon's covered body. //She doesn't know about Jono yet, how will she handle that?// "'m sorry." "Que?" "It's mah fault yo' here. That you and Jonothon got dragged into this. Ah ah wish ah nevar-" "Don't go there Paige. That's not going to solve anything." Angelo responds as he wipes off his face, not sure he wants to know why someone as collected as Paige has been shattering her hand on a wall. "Paige, can you husk off that wound?" he asks as he points to her hand. "Who cares." Angelo raises an eyebrow, he's about to respond when something catches the corner of his eye. Jonothon Starsmore for the first time in as long as they've been on the trip back, moved. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++ Angelo couldn't let go of Paige, he was afraid of what she might do. //She wouldn't be dumb enough to think...suicide, would she?// And then he looked back at Chamber, who had stopped stirring. //Damn...he might have been conscious...I wanted to know how he was doing...// He looked back at Paige, and then took her wounded hand gently in his. "I know a LITTLE first aid, okay? Im gonna try and wrap your hand, till your okay enough to husk it away, okay, Paige?" There was no answer, she just leaned back against the bloody camper wall and let her hair fall, tangled, into her face. Angelo supported her hand with one of his own, and then used the free hand to tear a strip from his already ragged shirt. He rinsed it off in the camper sink and then wrapped her bloody hand. "There, chica, all better." He said softly. She still said nothing. Angelo laughed nervously, and said, "Hey, Paige, we're gonna be back at school soon...." Still no response. Angelo sighed. //Alright...You didn't pry about mi padre, I can...respect your pain. And need for privacy.// He went and sat down on his makeshift bed and glanced nervously down at Jono. //Okay. Just Stay alive till we reach Mass, okay? Gracias.// He got up and walked over to Paige. //God, why can't I HELP her?// "Paige? Country Mouse?" He reached up to brush away her tangled blonde hair. * * * * * * * //What did ah do to deserve this? Ah'm so sorry. this is payback for me getting drunk. Ah know it is.// Paige's thoughts are interupted, by someone carrasing the side of her face. Suddenly her head is racked with images. Jonothon carassing the side of her face as he pulls her hair out of her eyes, off of her face. She can feel everything, but can't move a muscle in her body It's taking every ounce of strength just to keep her eyes open. Jonothon is crying. Paige tries to move, tries to say to Jonothon that it's all okay, they'll be okay. She tries to reach out her hand to take his, but she can't move at all. Her eyes feel like someone is trying to force them shut. She refuses to simply passout. Suddenly another flash and She feels her body racked with pain, contracting on itself as Sinister laughs to Jonothon about how she is dying. She wants to scream in anger and pain. But she can't move. The only warmth is that of Jonothon's jacket. Sinister talks about how she's the answer to his problems, how she's going to be some sort of lab equipment. //That's why he forced Jonothon to.. NO!\\ You were awake, you forced yourself to be awake, you passed out half way durin' the //NO!// you passed out. But you KNOW what he.. both of them did to you. "HE DIDN'T!! NOTHING HAPPENED! IT'S NOT REAL!!" Paige screams to the voice in her head, not caring if people can hear her. In front of her is something blurry and grey. The tears in her eyes obscure her view. //Sinister. He did this to me!! He degrated me in front of my two best friends!!\\ She tries to change her form but all her body manages to do is cause her alot of pain. Without a word she pulls back her still bloddy fist.. * * * * * * * Skin takes the shot in the throat, and collapses choking //God...did she knock my adams apple loose or what?// He collpases forward, unable to breath, and feel her thrash wildly beneath him. "P-Paige-!" Her nails raked down his chest and he would have cried out if he could get any air in his lungs. His survival instincted kicked in and tendrils of skin shot out from his chest and arms, wrapping her thrashing form up like a mummy. // This can't help, but I can't let her hurt me, either...Not like I don't DESERVE it, but...// "CHICA!" He cried at her, as she lay struggling against the bonds of hs skin. "Please.." his voice dropped to a whisper. "Please...calm down. Sinister is far behind us...I think Jono killed him. We are safe now. You're safe." //PAIGE! GET a hold of yourself. Ya just saw Angelo asleep. Ya'll in a camper, Sinister ain't here.. no.. but these people work for sinister. Please God, let Angelo and Jonothon get away and-// Paige again tries to move her hands but they are still pinned closely to her body. Something about this containment thing, is familiar. Paige relaxes, //If ah'm goin' to die, ah gotta buy Angelo and Jonothon some time.// "Country Mouse?" Angelo looked into her eyes, the terrified blue made his heart hurt. //God, I scared her! Like she hasn't been through enough!// She seemed to calm, and he slowly released the skin that entangled her. //Okay, please don't attack me...// He rolled off of her, and pushed himself up to a sitting position. "Paige?" "Angie? ANGIE?" She threw her arms around him, weeping, shaking again, and he tenetively embraced her back. "I-I'm sorry Cou-Country Mouse." He coughed out. She pulled back from him for a moment, feeling something warm and sticky soak through her borrowed shirt, and looked down at the blood on her chest. //It's not mine...//And then she looked at the eight parallel lines that have been grouged into Angelo's chest. "Oh, God, Angie, Ah-Ah-" "Shush" He coughed out. "Not a word." She pushed him gently away, but found it hard to break away. "Angie, Ah'll only hurt ya." Ange smiled. "S'okay, chica." He grated. "You didn't hurt me." He pulled her closer, and she didn't resist this time. She just sighed and leaned against his shoulder. //This is ALL MY FAULT. AH got them into this. AH hurt Ange...AH was the bait fer Chamber...// Then she pulled away, quickly this time, so Skin couldn't keep ahold of her. "Ah said Ah'd hurt...please don't let me." //Too late...// He looked up at at her with sorrow in his eyes and was about to speak when Magda threw open the door from the driver cabin. "We are HERE." She said, he voice carrying an edge of finality. Angelo nodded, and he helped Paige up from the camper floor, and walked her to the gate. "I'm gonna go get Jono." She nodded, and then leaned against the gate, noticing that Penance had spotted them from inside the campus, and was creeping closer to the gate. //Lucky thing. Not a care in the world. All she has to do is run 'round campus and be safe.// She thought, looking at the strange, feral girl. Then she leaned against the gate and waited for Angelo. //There's no way I can go back in there alone. The last time we ran off, Skin nearly died, and this time...what happened to Jono?// She realized...she didn't know. Skin came out of the camper with Jono wrapped up like a child in his arms. //Please, amigo, pull through. I can't loose both my best friends in one blow, okay?// He looked over at Paige. "Ready?" "No. But that's okay. Lets go." She said softly, and pushed the gate open. They both went in, broken, battered, and bruised. "EMMA! GET HANK McCOY ON THE LINE! WE'RE GONNA NEED HIS HELP!" yelled Banshee through his sonic scream as he flew towards the medlab with Jonothon in tow. He flew into the medlab and placed Jonothon on one of the beds. Jubilee followed him in. "Sean? What's goin' on?" "NOT NOW JUBILEE." "Okay, okay, sheesh, I'll come back later," Jubilee mumbled as she left the medlab. Sean stared helplessly at Jonothon laying on the bed. //What happened out there? Where the hell did those kids run off to? And why couldn't Cerebro track them down?// "Because the vehicle they arrived in is somehow psionically protected, Sean. Even this close I can't seem to scan it. It's as if it's not even there." "Dammit, woman, I told ye t' stay out of my thoughts," Banshee scorned as he turned around to see Emma Frost, the White Queen, his co-administrator he at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. Standing in the doorway behind her were Skin and Husk, both bruised and broken, physically and emotionally. "Did ye call Hank?" "Unfortunately, Gambit and Bishop are the only ones in the mansion right now. Bishop promised to send Hank over as soon as he returned." "Damn." . Paige and Angelo solemnly remained standing in the doorway as Emma crossed over to Jonothon and attempted an examination. "Amazing. There is nothing physically wrong with Chamber." "Are ye daft woman? Are ye looking at the same person as I am?" Sean looked down at Jono once again, and didn't like what he saw. Somehow, Jono had managed to destroy more of his own body. The gaping hole that once was located in his chest and lower face had somehow spread lower and wider. Jonothon's entire torso had been replaced only with raw psionic energy. "I have just completed a telepathic scan of Jonothon's thoughts. It seems as if he has shut off his own mind. Besides that, it also seems that regardless of the further damage done to his body, it poses no threat to his life." Banshee sighed. //One of the reasons we brought Jono here to the academy was to help him learn control his powers and prevent him from doing further damage to his own body. Mark one more in the "fail" column.// "What would cause him to shut his own mind off?" "Well, judging by the looks of Paige and Angelo as well, severe trauma of some sort." Sean glanced over at Paige and Angelo, still standing together in the doorway of the medlab. Paige's eyes are working there way back and forth across the room, like a mix between a scarred rabbit and a deer caught in the headlights, as she stands with her back to the wall . //They haven't said a word yet. Well, they're gonna have to talk and tell me where they were and what happened to them. They don't look good either, but at least they're conscious...// "Sean," Emma called out. "I know your not going to like what I suggest..." "Then don't suggest it..." "... I believe if I go into Jonothon's mind..." "No." "I think I may be able to help him." Sean stood silent. "Sean, we don't know when Hank or Xavier will be available. And soon, it may be too late. It may be already." Sean sighed. "Alright. Do what ye have to do. But be careful." "Of course." Emma laid down on a bed next to Jonothon's; her eyes closed and her body went still as she telepathically left her body. Sean looked over at Paige and Angelo once more. //Okay, kids, now it's time to find out the truth...// Banshee approached his broken students. |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| As Banshee approached, Angelo visbaly stiffened. //I havea feeling he's gonna yell at me first...// "Alright, where were ye? What happened?" He locked gazes with Angelo. "Ye didna try to go to LA again, did ye?" "NO." "Then were did ye go?" "Kentucky..."Angelo glanced over at Paige, and then down at the floor. "Kentucky? Paige?" Banshee looked at his student, who said nothing, and only stood there. "Paige? Lass, talk to me." Angleo shook his head. "Not no, Senor Cassidy, not now." Banshee looked at him. "I will nae tolerate this runnin' away, ye two! NOW WHAT HAPPENED?" "DAMMIT CASSIDY JUST SHUT UP AND LEAVE US ALONE!" Banshee was taken aback but Paige's sudden outburst. //Saint preserve us! What happened to the wee lassie that made her so upset? What HAPPENED to them?// "Paige...go to yer dorm. Angelo, come with me." Paige sulked off, and Angelo walked a ways with Sean. "Alright. She's gone. Now what secret are ye keepin'?" Angelo laughed harshly. "You think that if you get me alone you can get me to talk? No. This is Paige's story to tell you. Not mine." Banshee sighed. "Are ye sure?" "Si." "Ye canna tell me anything at all?" He sighed, obviously exhausted. "Si." "What?" "One word. Sinister." He looked over and Jonothon, and then said. "I'm gonna wait here with Senora Frost and Jono, okay?" Banshee nodded, and then looked his bruised body. //Where did he get those scratches?// "Why don't ye let me patch ye up, alright?" Skin shook his head. "Go talk to Paige first. She's broken a finger, I think. She's....in alot of pain." Banshee looked at Angelo for a moment, and the young man suddenly seemed very old and very weary, and not because his skin was relaxed. His brown eyes carried the weight of too much pain, and Banshee feared what he might find out when he finally got all the information out of Paige. "Alright. Ye stay here." And he walked after Paige. * * * * * * * * * * * * Angelo waited for Banshee to leave, and then ducked out of the medlab as fast as his bruised body would allow. He hit his room first, grabbing a fresh pack of smokes and changed into some clean clothes, and cleaned the eight long gouges that Paige has left him. Then he vanished into the woods behind the school for a little downtime. //I couldn't tell Sean what had happened...That's Paige and Jono's secret. If they want anyone to know, they'll TELL people.// He sat down on a log in the woods, and took out a cigarette. He lit it and slowly took a drag. He coughed harshly as the smoke filled his throat and lungs, burning all the way. //Nope. NOT yet.// He snuffed the cigarette and put the pack back in his pocket. He leaned against a tree and looked up at the sky. The had gotten back to the mansion just before dusk and now night was fallling over the Massachusettes sky. Normally, being able to see the stars was a little joy in Angelo's life; LA smog and the danger of the out of doors had kept him in at night. But right now, the clear navy blue and white speckled stars brought him no joy. //Why? Why? Why couldn't I DO anything? God, I have been nothing but USELESS to this team. I mean, I couldn't help with Penace, I nearly got Paige killed in LA, and I couldn't stop Sinister from...from using her...// He shook his head and then leaned forward, wiping his face roughly with his sleeve. "No. You had a good sob while they were all un-unconscious-and-and you-can't- start-again. N-Not now." He stammered, trying to quell the great sobs that thretaned to wrack his body once agian. "N-no..." He cried softly through clenched teeth, tears spilling down soft grey skin. He had thought he was alone, but the snap of a twig behind him made him regain his composure. "Hola? Who's out there?" He said softly. Penance's red form appeared in the brush, and she crept out into the open. "Hey, Penny. How are you, eh? Hows the school been?" She simply stared at him, creeping closer. He put out a hand, not caring if she touched him and she cut him. "Yeah, it's cool. You can come see me." She stopped just at his feet, and sat up on her haunches. Her single long, red finger came slowly toward his face, and he froze. //Okay...this is a trust thing...From what everyone told me, she did it to Jono...// He remained still. He felt the tip of her finger contact lighlty with his cheek, and then pulled slowly away. She looked at her finger, and then looked at Skin. He looked down at her hand. At the tip of one of her fingers rested one of his tears, glittering in the starlight against her skin. "You know what that means, Penny?" He said. "Probably not. Means I'm tired of life and I want to die. Everyone is getting hurt around me, and it's my fault. I dragged Paige to LA and we were almost killed. I went with Paige to Kentucky, and Jono's d-dying...It just seems like-like all of my amigos die, Penny...and I am so tired of funerals...Thats why I left LA! To get away from the violence and the death and the endless circle of hate...But it followed me here!" He rested his head on his hand, leaveing the other still outstreched to Penance. He felt something cold and smoth og his hand, and he looked up without moving his arm. Penance had laid her hand, ever so gently into his, and had not cut him. "Gracias for the gesture, Penny. Nice to know you care." She cocked her head and looked at him, her endless blue eyes searching his. Angelo rose slowly, not moving his hand; not for fear of getting cut, but for fear of scaring Penance away. She slowly removed her hand, the tips of her fingers grazing his palm, drawing blood. He didn't flinch, he didn't cry out in pain. He just said, "Let's get you an apple, for making me feel better, okay?" She cocked her head and looked at him again, and then followed him as the walked off to the kitchen in the main hall. ____________________________________________ "GeeeEz Hayseed, What's with your clothes. Don't tell me. You were abducted by aliens, lost your clothes, and had to go to a dollar 'n a dime store to get some new clothes right?" Jubilee asks as she sits down on her bed. Paige picks up her teddy bear and hugs it close while looking across the room at Jubilee. "You got it Jubilee. That's exactly what happened." Paige deadpans. Jubilee looks at Paige confused, "Shah. Oookay. Now serriously, What's goin'on? Why did Sean kick me outta the medlab, and why's your hand all wrapped up, and ya got blood on ya shirt, and like why does Angelo look like someone from "lifestyles of the raged and beaten"?" "We.. ran into some trouble. Nothing we couldn't handle. Really." Paige says as she starts to unwrap the makeshift bandage around her hand. "If you say so Paige. It's just that next to nothing cool has happened around here- besides Monet getting some new clothes... and we both know how RARE that is." Paige smiles at that. "Well, nothing happened to us. Really we just had some tough times getting to the family farm. That's all." "Did you make it?" Jubilee asks as she looks at how one of the joints in Paige's right hand is blue and purple. "Nope. We desided to turn around and come back home, if you payed attention to the news, you'd know that there was a tornado recently in Kentucky and-" "Tornado? I haven't like been glued to the weather channel but-" "Wasn't a big one, No big deal.." Paige just says as she reaches into her closet and pulls out a flannel shirt and teeshirt off the floor. She then disappears under her bed for a second and comes up with a can of Mountian Dew and a pair of jeans with holes in them. She holds up the clothes in one hand and holds them up. "Lee?" she simply says. "Oh yeah. Hey be my guest. I mean blood soaked silk ain't exactly your style." Jubilee says as she leaves the room and shuts the door behind her. Paige gets changed in record time, ignoring the pain as it shoots up her right arm. She goes to open up the door to her and Jubilee's room, but pauses half way, and sits down on the corner of Jubilee's bed. She looks at her hand, and her thoughts go back to Chamber. //What did Sinister do to him? Why didn't Angelo tell me? Okay. I've got to focus here. Nothing happened, Noone needs to know. No. Body.\\ A knock at her door breaks her thoughts. She stands up and standing at the door is Sean Cassidy, He looks down at her. "Is it okay if I come in?" He asks. Paige looks around //Act natural\\, "Well Nobody else seems to be planning to have a meeting in here with me anytime soon." Paige turns from the open door and walks over to her window and opens it, "Let me check my calender." //Oh, just overkill the sarcasm to your teacher gal, yeah he'll NEVER know somethings wrong now.\\ Paige turns around and is looking right at Sean's eyes. "Uh." She backs up. Sean sits down on the corner of Paige's bed and leans forward. "Lass, why don't you tell me what happened in Kentucky?" "Nothing." "Then could ye start by telling me why Jonothon is layin' in t' med lab with a good portion o' his body missing?" "Ah.. Don't know.. Ah didn't even know what happened to him till ah saw him in the medlab." "I'm not finding that likely." Paige turns and looks back out the window. //But it's the truth.\\ "I'm sorry if you don't belive me then. I don't know what happened to him." "Then perhaps lass, what about Angelo, he's looks like someone took moren' a fine chunk of flesh out of him." "That would err.. have been me sir." Paige says still looking out the window. "Now you don't have to tell me.. but, it would help if we knew why you did that." Paige takes a deep breath. "Mr. Cassidy. It was an accident. That's all-" "Why haven't ye husked away the damage to yer hand then?" Paige looks at her mostly shattered right hand, "I don't FEEL like it." //Because I can't.\\ "Is that so lass? Are you sure you don't want to start from the begining and tell me about the trip the three of you took?" Paige turns around and coldly looks at her teacher, "Fine. We got into a trailer, we got to Kentucky, I was going to go home, but there was a tornado and -" "Paige, I've been watching the news. There's been hide no hair o' foul weather in Kentucky" "There WAS a tornado, it was just small, that's what happened. Do you find it SO hard to belive that it's possible for NATURE to hurt mutants?" "No lass, not at all." Sean says quietly as he stands and slowly leaves. "If'n you need anything at all. You know where to find me." "And you know where to find me. In class tommorrow." Paige mutters mostly to herself. Sean shuts the door on his way out. No part of him willing to belive Paige's story. Paige looks at the shut door, then to pile of books and strewn papers on her side of the room. She looks back at her hand, //Ah've lied to the teacher, mah powers haven't come back yet, Jonothon's in some sort of coma.\\ She starts to pick up the mess on the floor. //Gotta keep busy, don't want to think about Jonothon. He'll be okay. Ms. Frost most likely will enter his mind. And. ... and... find.. out.. Oh Lord, Ms. Frost will find out what happened! Ah.. can't let that happen.\\ Paige runs to the door and opens the knob with her right hand, Her shattered finger sends a fresh wave of pain up her arm. She grits her teeth against the pain and runs to the medlab, determined to do whatever it takes to keep Emma Frost from finding out what "never happened". ============================================ =============================== When Emma's astral form appeared inside Chamber's mind, initially she saw nothing out of the ordinary. Of course, she had to pry further. She floated slowly forward, searching through his mind for anything that might clue her in as to what made Jonothon shut his own mind off. She saw images of several campers, a taxi cab, and... tarot cards? //The boy seems to have had in interesting weekend. And what's this?// Emma stared ahead at what resembled the door to the basement of the boy's dormitory. //Hmph. Where else would he be?// Emma opened the door and slowly stepped through, but went no further then the doorway. She heard the music of a guitar and her eyes searched for the source. Suddenly, she was surprised and not surprised at the same time. Her eyes came upon Jonothon sitting on the couch playing the guitar; a pre-accident Jonothon. "'ello, luv. Do yer play?" "No. But I love to listen," Emma responded with an uncharacteristic sweetness to her voice. "Great! I've got this new tune I've been workin' on. Maybe ya can give me yer thoughts on it?" "I'd love to." //Jonothon was quite handsome. And he seems so... happy... satisfied with life. If the trauma he went through after his accident was enough to cause that much of a personality change, one can only wonder what he went through...// "Leave him alone," a voice boomed from behind her. She turned to find... Jonothon? He looked exactly like the Jonothon sitting on the couch, only darker: darker clothes, a shadowed face, and nothing stood out more than his dark eyes. "Get away from him." Emma stepped back outside, and the door closed behind her. "I'd like to speak with him." "I don't think so. Go away. Yer don't belong 'ere." He moved over to the door and pulled out a brick from thin air. He placed it down in front of the door and pulled out another brick, cementing it on top of the first." "What are you doing!?" "He doesn't need yer help. He'll be fine here," he answered as he continued to brick in the door. Emma stood still, taken a bit off guard. //This is going to be more difficult than I thought. I have to act fast...// "You can't expect him to be better off in there." "And why not?" he responded as he continued bricklaying the wall, which now stood half the height of the door. "Anythin's better than out there. 'e's much better off here. He ain't goin' anywhere." Emma stood directly behind him. "What could have been so bad to make Jonothon shut himself off?" Jonothon turned quickly to face Emma, his face expressing nothing but rage. "WHAT COULD 'AVE BEEN SO BAD? Let's take a look, shall we? Where to first? Door number one, door number two, or door number three?" Emma turned to find three doors floating in front of her. "I guess it's best to start at the beginning," she called out as she opened the first door. Emma was greeted with images of Jonothon's past, his accident, his broken relationship with Gayle, and other past hardships. "This is nothing new. He was handling this fine. He was beginning his new life and adjusting fine." "Was 'e? An eighteen year old boy with everythin' goin' fer 'im one minute, the next, an eighteen year old mutant with nothing. Do ya know what's it's like t' 'ave yer whole life changed in one moment of time?" "All too well. But Jonothon is strong. He was adjusting fine here and developing steadily." "Let's see what 'appens when ya push 'im further, eh?" Emma opened the second door and peers in. //What's this? That's Jonothon in a dark room, and Paige lying on the floor?// "What is this?" "Watch," he said as he pointed towards a dark figure. Emma scanned the area where he pointed. //Sinister?// "Au contrare Mr. Starsmore, what's happening to your beloved female friend there is a reaction of the fertility drug, so nicely placed into her bloodstream. In case Mr. Espinosa's life means nothing to the two of you. Perhaps the fact that unless certain hormones are generated within a certain time, it turns rather toxic, and unfortunately, in addition to being in a perfectly set form for conception, Ms. Guthrie's form is also very susceptible to the toxin," Sinister beamed, then disappeared into the darkness. //Oh no...// Emma watched Jonothon pound his head on the ground, wrestling with himself to find the right answer. But there was no right answer. And as Jonothon moved towards Paige, Emma said, "I've seen enough." "Yer think so? I don't think so. What about the last door?" Emma slowly approached the third and final door, sighed, and walked through. She saw Sinister standing in a wrecked laboratory, Jonothon bruised and battered staring Sinister down. //A battle? Jonothon fought Mr. Sinister?// "Oh, come now, Jonothon Starsmore! Are you going to pretend that you didn't enjoy it? Perhaps that is why you destroyed the cylinder? You long for another round with the girl? You didn't have to destroy the cylinder to have another turn. All you had to do was ask Sinister..." Emma watched as the colossal bio-blast erupted from Jonothon's body, eradicating Sinister and destroying his own body. She watched as Angelo appeared out of the darkness, horrified at the sight before him. Then, darkness. "Now ya know why 'e's better off 'ere." Emma turned and faced the figure before her, and spoke with determination in her voice. "I understand that Jonothon has been through a lot the past few days. But know this now, I am not leaving without him." "Heh You 'ave no power here. We're on MY turf. Yer can't do anythin' I don't want yer t' do." "Look, hiding away here will do him no good." "An' what does 'e 'ave t' look foward to out there? "is life is ruined. He was forced t' violate the gel 'e cares most about. 'is body is 50% more disfigured than before. How can 'e even go out in public anymore? Why should 'e 'ave t' face 'is problems when 'e 'as found peace here?" Emma thought for a moment. "Because his team needs him. His friends need him. Paige and Angelo need him." And for the first time, he stood speechless. Finally he spoke, "Yer may be partially right. But he needs t' be able t' face what's waitin' fer 'im out there. The kid's not goin' anywhere. An' I'm through talkin' t you... goodbye." "No, wait! What are you going to do...AGGGHHHHHH!" Emma screamed as her presence was forced out of Jonothon's head. She woke up screaming, then stopped, examining her surroundings. Paige had just entered the medlab, out of breath from running. //Am ah too late?// Sitting in a chair was Angelo Espinosa, feeding an apple to Penance. Then, Banshee entered the medlab quickly. "Well, woman? Did ye do any good?" "I... I... don't know," Emma responded. "He... willed me out of his head! He's never shown that much telepathic prowess before!" Suddenly, Jonothon's body stirred. The room stared in awe as the psionic energy where Jonothon's torso once was flared up. Jonothon sat up, his eyes still closed, and floated up off of the bed. His psionic flames engulfed the rest of his body as he stood upright, floating in the air. His eyes opened. "Jonothon?" Emma asked. He stared down at Emma. "Please... call me Chamber." ============================================ I hope it was as fun reading as it was writing : ) One out of every four women are assaulted sexually or in some way before the age of 18. The most deadly thing a person can ever say is it can never happen to me, or I don't know anyone that it's happened to. I've been wanting to write a story like this for a while, ever since down at the radio station one of my best friends looked me in the eye and said that he came from a small town an' none of his friends were abused. And all I did was put away the CD case and mutter "you'd be surprised." And it still bugs me about my response. Most abused women live there lives without telling anyone what happened to them. That's a fact. So before you say I don't know someone it happened to, or that it can't happen to you. Think again. It happens. Life doesn't pick by who deserves it. bum ([email protected]) ************************ (c) Generation X, and related characters are copyrights of Marvel Comic, 1996 (c) The proceeding story was created thu a joint effort between [email protected], [email protected], and [email protected], Story created on the 14th of May, 1996.