Damian closed his hazel eyes as he inhaled the crisp smoke. His brother was going to kill him. He rested his forehead lightly on the cold bars of his cell. Guards and prisoners came and went as he debated whom he should use his one phone call to contact. Besides his brother, he didn't really know anyone in rural upstate New York, but GOD he didn't want to call his brother. He drummed his fingers on the cot-like bed he sat on. He removed the stylish black glasses he wore and rubbed the bridge of his nose, before replacing them. He lit his third cigarette in a row, finally resigning himself to the fact that, like it or not, there was only one person he could call.

Damian's father had left soon after he was born. Damian's mother had died of cancer seven years ago, leaving Damian in the custody of his eighteen-year-old brother Alex. Since Alex had primarily raised Damian thus far in his life, due to his mothers constant illness, it wasn't much of a change, until days after Damian turned eighteen and was arrested for Grand Theft Auto. The court deemed that since this was the first mar on Damian's record, and he had just moved out on his own, he would be put under house arrest under his brother's supervision, until he was twenty-three. That had been almost a year ago, and as far as the police knew he'd been straight ever since. In actuality, Damian had gotten into quite a bit of trouble, his brother had just managed to get him out of it in time to keep him out of jail. Damian had dabbled a little in drugs, he drank too much, he got into fights, and he was a mutant. Hated and feared for an inherent part of his DNA, Alex was terrified of what might happen to Damian if he were to go to prison. Any time Damian touched a piece of electronics or machinery he knew what it was supposed to do, he could manipulate it, become a part of it This ability had gotten him the nickname of Hacker. There wasn't any computer system he couldnt gain access to with but a trifle of a manipulative thought. If he didnt fear the multitude of police officers in the surrounding rooms, he could have opened the mechanical cell doors. He imagined the looks on the officer's faces as he nonchalantly strolled out. Then he realized that they'd probably open fire or something equally unpleasant. He sighed waving at an officer to get his attention. The man strode to the bars stiffly.

"Yes?" he demanded.

"I'm ready for my phone call," Damian explained, preparing to face his brother's wrath. The man nodded, loosing a little of the apprehensive look he wore. The officer led him to the pay phone where he dropped in his quarters and took a deep breath.

Ring.

Ring.

Ring.

"Hello?" Damian recognized his brothers friendly tones.

"Alex, it's me," his breathing trembled.

"Where the Hell are you?" Alexs tones were no longer friendly.

"I got caught at an ATM," he muttered. He brother groaned on the other end.

"You're in jail," it wasnt a question.

"Yeah," Damian acknowledged. He heard his brother sigh.

"How much is bail?" Alex asked. Damian tried to pull himself together, this was the worst part.

"Um, because I was using my powers to commit the crime, they said I'm a danger to society, and...they won't let me...leave," he stifled a crack in his voice. There was silence on the other end.

"They can't do that," Alex protested.

"Well, they are," whispered Damian.

"Okay, just hang in there, I'll be there as soon as I can," Alex promised.

"K" his little brother murmured.

"It's gonna be okay," Alex tried to calm him, "I'll get you out of there, then Im gonna kick your ass, but I promise, I'll get you out." Damian nodded at the phone.

"Yeah okay, just hurry, okay, some of the guys are lookin' at me like I might taste pretty good or somethin'"

"I will, bye."

"Bye," Damian hung up the phone. The guard led him back to the cell. He slumped in the corner and tried not to cry.

Alex hung up the phone and began pacing the room. What could he do? He suddenly remembered the meeting of Congress they'd shown on television, and the man who had been speaking pro-mutant rights. What was that guy's name? He'd been in a wheelchairsomeone of consequence...he'd heard the name before... Xavior? Yes, that was itCharles Xavior. He opened his phone book and scanned down the pages. Finally in small, insignificant type he found what he was looking for. Charles Xavior's School for the Gifted. He just prayed that Mr. Xavior was home. He dialed the number and settled onto the couch. The line was picked up almost immediately.

"Xavior's School fur de Gifted," a distinctly Cajun male voice answered.

"May I speak to Mr. Xavior please?" Alex asked. There was a pause.

"Can I get your name?" he asked.

"My name is Alex Soward, he doesnt know me, but I was hoping maybe he could help me," Alex explained.

"Hold jus' a secon" The Cajun instructed. A few moments later the line was picked up again.

"This is Charles Xavior," came the pleasant voice.

"Hello Mr. Xavior, my name is Alex, and well I need your help," he proceeded to explain his brother's situation, and the man on the other end listened intently.

"Mr. Soward, I will do what I can to ensure your brothers release on one condition. That he spend some time attending my school, where I hope to be able to teach him to better control his powers. You're welcome to keep him company here if you'd like, but I don't feel right releasing a criminal mutant without being given the chance to rehabilitate him." Xavior paused after his monologue waiting for the wayward mutant's brother to respond.

"Mr. Xavior, I'd not only allow it, I'd condone it. I'll do anything to help my brother keep out of trouble," Alex praised his good luck.

Damian stood outside the ominous looking building cursing his bad luck. Professor Charles Xavior had stepped in and somehow managed his release, with the condition that he attend the mans "school for the gifted". He didnt know what to think. The place was huge. It hardly looked like a school at all, more like an enormous Mansion. He lifted his backpack, which contained his clothes, to his shoulder as he shut the door of the cab. He ruffled back his short spiky black hair nervously as he made his way to the doors. Should he knock? What was the protocol in private schools? He tentatively used the knocker, creating a louder sound than he intended. The door opened and before him stood a willowy African goddess, with hair the color of snow.

"I um, I'm Damian Soward, Mr. Xavior told me I should..." The woman smiled, interrupting him.

"Of course, youre the new student, Professor Xavior told us all about you," she motioned for him to enter the establishment.

"My name is Ms. Monroe, I teach Geography," she looked around as if searching for something," I'll just have one of the students show you to your room." She strode to the wall and pressed an intercom button.

"Robert, John, are either of you in your room?" she asked the static. After a good pause an answer came back.

"Who wants to know?" two young male voices asked suspiciously in unison.

"Robert Drake, St. John Alderyce get down here this instant!" she demanded, looking somewhat embarrassed. A few seconds later two seventeen year old boys came hurtling down the staircase. One was tall and mid-weight with curly brown hair and a mischievous grin, the other was lankier with red-blonde hair; they both looked like trouble.

"This is our new student, Damian Soward, will the two of you attempt to behave long enough to show him to the boy's dorm?" Ms. Monroe asked warningly. The brown haired boy smiled innocently.

"Sure, Storm, no problemo." Ms. Monroe seemed perturbed by the odd nickname he'd called her by. The boys motioned for Damian to follow.

"I'm Bobby, and this is John," the brown haired guy began, "we'll introduce you around later, but first, "he paused for dramatic effect, "here's the boy's dorm." He opened the door to display a large room, furnished with plush looking beds and a myriad of different tastes.

"We do the decorating ourselves, but the Professor will buy anything we need, like lamps and stuff, oh this is Freddy," he interjected, spying a large brown haired boy sitting on one of the beds. The boy turned upon hearing his name. His large face broke into a grin.

"New guy?" he asked, as his friends nodded he extended his hand in welcome, "Names Fred, but they call me the Blob," he laughed, causing his rotund features to jiggle. Bobby and John exchanged a look.

"Oh yeah," Bobby looked as though hed forgotten something, "I'm called Iceman." John nodded.

"An' they call me Pyro," he explained in an Australian accent. Bobby leaned toward Damian looking decidedly malicious.

"So, What do you do?" Damian blanched.

"Do?" he asked innocently. The boys circled closer around him.

"Yeah-" Bobby was interrupted by a tall dark brown haired man in red sunglasses, opening the door.

"Hi," he greeted Damian, "I'm Mr. Summers, boys it's time for lunch." He waited while they followed him down the corridor. The boys looked disappointed.

The rest of the school was already at the table, and Damian got his first look at the student body of Xaviors Academy. The table grew quiet as Damian approached.

"Students, this is Damian Soward," Professor Xavior began, "If you'd all like to introduce yourselves..." A red-haired woman in her mid twenties, probably a teacher Damian realized, spoke first.

"My name is Dr. Grey," she smiled at him warmly. Beside her a tall lanky boy, somewhat older than the other students but still younger then the teachers, with red/brown hair slouched.

"Remy LeBeau, but you can call me Gambit," he muttered in a strong Cajun accent.

"Allison," giggled a pretty blonde beside him.

"Rogue," said a girl sporting auburn hair with a white streak down the center.

"Hank," blushed a very large proportioned muscular boy.

"Kitty," smiled a friendly brunette.

"James," nodded a Native American boy.

"Theresa," a lovely Irish red-head grinned.

"Betsy," greeted a British girl with purple hair. Beside her sat a green haired vixen.

"Lorna." An Oriental girl in pink sunglasses cracked her gum.

"Jubilee."

"Alex," a blonde added.

"Rahne," a meek Scottish girl spoke.

"Warren," A boy with shoulder length blonde mane told him.

"Amanda," A regal blonde smiled.

"Piotr," said a large Russian boy.

"Tabitha," squeaked a blonde with huge earrings.

"Danielle," A Native American beauty finished. A short heavily muscled man with enormous quantities of body hair entered. He sniffed the air and turned to stare at Damian, then at the table of quiet students. He then proceeded to turn to the table and snatch a large drumstick from Bobby's plate.

"Hey!" the boy protested. The man growled.

"That's Wolverine," The Oriental girl whos name Damian had already forgotten announced. The room laughed. Damian took a seat beside one of the blonde girls and the lanky Cajun. Professor Xavior smiled his welcome and added.

"This is the portion of the student body closest to your age, they all attend the same classes, the younger students are eating with Ms. Monroe in the other dining room." When he sat beside him he noticed the Cajun had black eyes with red pupils, it was unnerving.

"So," said the chatty blonde, "like, where're you from?"

"Brooklyn," he muttered, spooning a portion of macaroni into his mouth.

"Really? I'm from here in New York too," she smiled at him. He nodded, feigning interest. When the meal had ended, he knew the girl beside him was Allison Blaire, that she was a singer, and an actress, she loved the color blue, she thought Johnny Depp was dreamy and that she couldn't stand cauliflower. He excused himself outside. Bobby and John followed him.

"So, dude, you never answered us..." began Bobby.

"I don't think I quite got the question," he reached in his pocket drawing out his cigarettes.

"What do you do?" repeated Bobby.

"Do?" Damian pretended like he didn't understand.

"What's your power, man?" Damian crossed his arms over his chest. He was beginning to understand what was going on. This wasn't just some boarding school, this was a school for mutants.

"You first," Damian demanded returning the cigarettes to their original holding. Bobby sighed exasperated. The air suddenly turned very cold, that mid-September day. A pillar of ice began to form from Bobbys hands, reaching to the ground.

"I told you, I'm Iceman," he grinned. Damian turned to John. The boy retrieved a lighter from his pocket, creating a flame that suddenly grew into a massive bird that flew in slow circles over their heads.

"Pyro," he stuffed the lighter back in his pocket. Damian shuffled his feet.

"Well, my friends called me Hacker," he thought carefully about how he could display his powers.

"Is there any mechanically locked doors or files or anything around here?" Bobby laughed.

"This place is like Area 51, c'mon!" The boys took off toward the school. They reached the downstairs area that had a large AUTHORIZED ACCESS ONLY sign baring entry. Damian stepped toward the door placing his hand upon it. Suddenly it was as though he could see the inter-workings of the mechanical door. He knew exactly which parts he had to push, pull and manipulate to get the door to open. With a whirring hum, the door slid open. The boys entered the large dark gymnasium.

"Lights," said Bobby, and the lights came on. A computerized voice asked, "Continue Program Wolverine Training 3?" Damian had a split-second to see Bobby's wicked grin, before the Iceman said, "Continue." Both John and Damian roared," NO!" at the same time. It was too late. Suddenly they were standing in a dense forest with an angry Sabertooth barreling toward them. They ran in three different directions. Damian, of course, had no idea who the howling snarling beast-man after them was, but it hardly mattered. Sabertooth reached Bobby first and lifted him into the air by his pants.

"Scream for me," came the hot snarling breath on his face. Bobby screamed for all he was worth.

"Program end, override code Cyclops 439," Mr. Summers stood, arms crossed glaring at the boys as the hologram situation faded away. Bobby fell to the floor with a loud thump.

"Just what in the Hell do you think youre doing?" he demanded. The boys looked at each other and shrugged.

"How did you get in here?" was the mans next question. Bobby and John both pointed at Damian instantaneously. Damian sighed, as Mr. Summers led him down the hall to the Professors office, one hand clamped firmly on his collar. First day and he was already in trouble. It figured. His only consolation was that his partners in crime had not been excused. Mr. Summers had a very firm hold of Bobby's arm and was dragging him down the hallway, while the ever-quiet John trailed behind.

"Boys," those safety locks are there for a reason," Professor Xavior explained to them, "If we thought you were ready to use the Danger Room, we would allow you access there. And may I remind you, Mr. Soward, you are here under probation and if I decide to discontinue your welcome here, you will return to jail," Bobby and Johns jaws dropped.

"You're all grounded for two weeks, and if any of you are caught in unauthorized areas again the penalty will be far less lax I assure you," he watched the boys fidget under his scrutiny, "Alright you're excused." The three tore out of the room as fast as their legs would take them.

"You were in jail? What for?" Bobby asked.

"I was taking money out of an ATM...using my powers," he shoved his hands deep in his pockets, "Look I think I'm just going to go for a walk." Bobby and Johns faces fell.

"Okay, or if you want we can introduce you to the girls," Bobby tempted.

"Yeh we 'ave some right luvly ducks about," John agreed.

They paraded the yard watching the girls in, as Bobby called it, "their natural environment", Hank soon joined their crusade.

"That's Allison," Bobby said pointing out the only one Damian was familiar with, on a swing, "She goes by the codename Dazzler."

"More like Spazzler," snickered John. They all laughed. They rounded a corner of the building coming in view of the pool. Damian slipped his glasses off. Three of the female students splashed about in the Olympic sized swimming pool.

"Lorna Dane, Rahne Sinclair and Amanda Sefton," breathed Bobby in awe at the skimpy two-pieces they wore. Hank placed enormous hands over his two friend's eyes.

"I hardly think that this is a mature undertaking," his face exploded in a grin. Just then the auburn haired girl with the white streak came into view as she headed toward the pool.

"That's Rogue," explained Bobby, as the girl began to take off her jacket and ankle length skirt. Underneath, her bathing suit stretched over her whole body, looking more like a leotard than swimwear. Even her feet were adorned with water shoes, and her hands with gloves. Damian gave the guys a funny look.

"Modest?" he asked incredulously.

"Rogue suffers from an unavoidable need to keep her epidermal layer unhandled," Hank excused. A raised eyebrow from Damian caused Bobby to explain further.

"See, when Rogue touches people with her bare skin it like, sucks the life out of 'em, steals their powers too, if they're a mutant." John nodded sadly.

"She can't touch anybody?...Ever?" Damian asked. The three shook their heads. Rogue dove in the water sending sprays toppling over the other three who squealed in derision. When Rogue resurfaced Lorna and Rahne ambushed her with splashes. Amanda swam to the side, maintaining her dignity, and dropped down comfortably into a pool chair. Rogue squawked angrily and began a heavy splash war. The boys nodded from their hiding place in appreciation. After about half an hour of watching they reluctantly moved on. Making their way stealthily to the kitchen they caught sight of the Oriental girl in the big pink sunglasses instructing her classmates on the correct ingredients for a sandwich.

"Okay, like, that chick from Breakfast Club had the right idea. You take a nice handful of Sugar Bombs, or some equally high sugar cereal, and squash it in like this," she demonstrated, pressing the cereal into a slice of bread, "then you get your syrup: strawberry, caramel, or my personal favorite chocolate, and drizzle it on like so. Then comes the m&m's. You could use chocolate or peanut butter it doesn't matter, and just sprinkle randomly. Then when you're all done, you just press down the other slice of bread on top and...Viola!" The other girls wrinkled their noses in distaste as she took a large bite.

"Jubilee," sneered the Native American girl, "that is so disgusting." The blonde with the huge earrings turned away from her view of the television, suddenly taking interest in the discussion.

"Danielle, everything about Jubilee is disgusting, I mean, just look at that wardrobe," she sneered, rolling her eyes at the Oriental girl. Jubilee looked down at her red tank top, jean cut-offs, long yellow rain jacket, and blue Doc Martins, then at the blonde in her short neon blue skirt, pink and blue top, with matching pink keds and tube socks. Jubilee looked as though she might attack.

"C'mon now girls," The Irish girl interjected, "les' not call names, 'ere."

"Outta the way, Theresa," Jubilee growled, stepping toward her target, arms outstretched. The blonde opened her eyes wide, clenching her fists at the ready.

"Tabitha, Jubilee, Mr. Summers will be furious if you fight," shrieked a timid looking brunette. The girls didn't seem to care.

"Cool," whispered Bobby from their hiding place, "chick fight." Suddenly, with a fierce battle cry, Jubilee leapt foreword, sending bright multicolored sparks at her enemy. Tabitha screamed in pain and let loose with yellow orbs that exploded inched from Jubilee's face. The Oriental girl threw her body in a backward handspring seconds before detonation. Tabitha glared as the other girls shrieked for them to stop. Suddenly a very angry Scott Summers stepped through the door.

"What the Hell is going on here?" he roared. Jubilee froze in mid flying kick, causing her to careen into the ground, and Tabitha had just let loose with more volatile energy emissions, which now had no place to detonate. She panicked and detonated them in the sink. Dirty dishes and water rained overhead as the students and their teacher made a mad dash for the front door. The demure brunette screamed as a broken plate came flying toward her head. She used her power to phaze and let the stray portion of dishware fall harmlessly through her. The boys were hysterical by now. They toppled out of their hiding place behind the bar.

Half an hour later Jubilee and Tabitha had joined the grounded brigade, and decided to make the best of it by getting to know their new resident hacker. The two girls had persuaded all four of the boys to take a dip in the swimming pool with them. When the boys arrived clad in their swimwear the girls were already waiting. Amanda still lay tanning at the side of the pool, while Lorna, Rahne and Rogue all continued to swim. Jubilee and Tabitha sat on opposite sides of the pool glaring at one another. When Rogue saw the crowd coming she pulled herself out of the pool.

"Getting a little bit too packed fur mah likin'," she explained as she headed toward the school. Jubilee shook her head.

"She's scared somethin'll happen and she'll touch somebody," she told them. Tabitha, dressed in a hot pink string bikini, dove into the pool. Jubilee snorted, she was clad in a sensibly stylish one piece. Making her way to the diving board, she quickly performed a back flip with almost no splash. The boys clapped when she surfaced. Tabitha stuck out her tongue.

Damian took the plunge and leapt into the pool in a modest cannonball. Lorna clapped appreciatively as Rahne dug a elbow into her side.

"I saw him first," the green haired goddess grumbled to her red-haired friend. Rahne snorted angrily, but smiled when she noticed Damian was watching them. Bobby dove in next, followed in unison by John and Hank.

"Chicken fight anyone?" Bobby asked, in what he though was a very sneaky fashion.

"OKAY!" Jubilee shrieked. Not to be outdone the other girls agreed reluctantly.

"I'm with Damian," Lorna declared, swimming toward him. Jubilee shoved her aside.

"No way, Broccoli Head, we shouldn't stick the new guy on the losing team," she smiled sweetly at the open mouthed Lorna Dane. Before Lorna could try to turn Jubilee into oatmeal, Bobby stepped in.

"Lorna, Babe, won't you be my partner?" he put on his sad, puppy-Bobby face. Lorna smiled.

"Of course I will," she replied shooting a haughty glance at Jubilee, who was busy climbing onto Damian's well-muscled shoulders. Rahne ended up with John and Tabitha with Hank. John grinned as the attractive Redhead balanced on his shoulders. Bobby shot him the thumbs up sign.

"Ok everybody," Bobby began, "ATTACK!!!!" It was chaos. Jubilee and Lorna were having it out, the boys they sat atop groaning in displeasure. Rahne had already managed to dump Tabitha in the water, thanks mostly to Hanks fear of holding on too tight, lest his superstrength cause her injury. Finally Jubilee caused Lorna to topple off Bobby's shoulders with a loud splash. In a very irritatingly loud voice Jubilee began to sing "We are the Champions." Lorna glowered at her.

Half and hour later they were all relaxing in front of the television, relishing the tail end of their weekend, before school began again the next morning. Lorna and Jubilee, still perturbed about the pool incident, were having it out over control of the remote, when John got fed up and sent a ball of flame hurtling toward the thing. Both girls turned on him and he ran screaming down the hall. Damian smiled. This place wasn't so bad.

BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP

BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP

"What in the Hell?" mumbled a sleepy Damian into his pillow. Similar groans could be heard around him.

BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP

"Oh God, make it stop," shrieked Bobby, throwing his pillow at the offending alarm clock. Damain pulled himself into a sitting position as Hank politely switched off the alarm. He glanced over at the already snoring Bobby, who's bed was oddly enough, draped with icicles. Damian shot John an odd look. John shrugged.

"'appens sometimes," was all he said. Damian groggily pulled on a T-shirt.

"It's too early," he complained, while trying to yank on his socks. The other boys all grunted in agreement. A knock sounded at the door and Mr. Summers entered, already dressed and looking far too cheerful.

"Alright guys, time for class," he grinned. His eyes roamed over the assortment of slowly dressing boys and came to rest on the still sleeping Robert Drake. Scott frowned.

"Bobby?" he asked in a normal voice. No response.

"BOBBY," a little louder. Still nothing.

"ROBERT DRAKE!" Scott roared. Bobby leapt up so fast he fell out of bed. Half tied up in sheets, his hair in disarray, he looked up at his teacher blearily.

"I prefer Iceman."

"Get ready for school," Scott ordered as he closed the door behind him. This was not the way to begin a new year.

The day was fairly uneventful as far as Damian was concerned. John lit the teacher's desk on fire, Bobby kept falling asleep in class causing icicles to form around the room, Rahne got mad at Danielle and morphed into her werewolf form, the normal stuff. It was only as he walked the halls on his way to his last period that he noticed something was odd. The teachers were whispering in a corner, looking worried. Damian watched them from a distance. Suddenly an alarm overhead sounded. Damian looked up as though trying to decipher its meaning. Dr. Grey was suddenly at his side, clutching his arm.

"Damian go back to the dorms, hurry," she let him go and raced down the hallway.

Mortimer Toynbee stalked the School's hallways. Beside him strode Mystique and Sabretooth. Mystique turned to her allies.

"Look around for the children, but if you can't find them,loot whatever mechanics look interesting and keep the X-Men occupied while I do my work," she hissed. Toad nodded, grinning like a madman. Sabretooth bared his teeth, and the trio split. Mystique's body quietly flowed into the image of one of the students. A young male. The prankster boy, that no one would suspect of being out when there was danger. She smiled baring his perfectly white teeth.

Toad crawled along the ceiling, searching stealthily for his prey. A young woman, Oriental, paused beneath where he hid. Before she could realize her danger his tongue had swept out and carried her to him. He clenched his hand over her mouth and kept her body firmly pressed against his.

"One sound, peaches, 'an I'll break yer neck," his British accent threatened. Jubilee thrashed against him, but he held her tight, laughing in her ear. Damian watched them from down the hall, his breath catching in his throat. He didn't know who the freak holding Jubilee was, but he did know that if he could hold her, there was trouble. He carefully backed up away from them. A head on confrontation with this guy wouldn't help anyone. He raced down the corridor in search of the authorized access only area. Finally he found it, and oddly enough he saw Bobby standing outside as though waiting to get in. Damian opened his mouth to speak when he noticed something very curious about Bobby's form. He was kneeling in front of the doorway and suddenly Damian could have sworn that his eyes changed color. He froze in place as the computer greeted his new friend.

"Welcome Professor." Then Bobbys body turned an odd liquidy blue color and hardened into that of a female. Damian gasped as he leapt quickly behind the wall. A shape-shifter. Damian knew he had to get her out of there. His eyes spotted a comm link on the wall to his right. Very quietly he pressed it whispering.

"Rahne? Kitty? Tabitha? Rogue? anybody there?" A voice came back, equally as quiet.

"Damian, what are you doing? You're supposed to be in lock down!" Damian sighed in relief. It was Kitty.

"There's an emergency, these people are in the school. One of them has Jubilee and the other one just went into the Authorized Access Only area. I need your help." A pause and some whispering.

"Okay, we're coming," came Lorna's voice.

"Guys, this is a mistake," Kitty interceded for the third time. Rahne turned to her friend.

"Look, Kit Kat, Jubilee's in trouble, we gotta help her," The redhead put her hands on her hips and growled deep in her throat. Kitty jumped.

The girls made their way stealthily down the halls, each wondering where the X-Men were. A glance out the window of their deserted school told them that Magneto and Sabretooth were keeping the team very busy.

"That means its Toad and Mystique that are inside," gasped Theresa.

"You got one right, luv," an English accent quipped, before Toad dropped down from the ceiling behind them. Jubilee struggled in his grasp. The girls screamed. Then they all took various fighter stances.

"Bring it on," growled Rahne, already in her werewolf form. Toad smiled.

"Sure, kiddies, this'll be fun." Theresa motioned for the others to stay back.

"Fun?" she asked the amphibious mutant. He grinned at her. She opened her mouth as if to say something and the loudest scream Mortimer had ever head issued from her voice. The force sent him flying backwards into a wall. The other girls firmly pressed their hands over their ears. Toad was on his feet again in seconds, looking decidedly less comical and more dangerous.

"They call me Siryn," Theresa told him defiantly. Jubilee had dashed away from Toad the second Theresa had caused him to let go. She stepped foreward looking grim.

"Yeh, and I'm Jubilee, I blow stuff up," she pointed her hands at him and let loose with the fireworks she was so famous for.

"That bloody 'urt," Toad complained as he struggled to regain the upper hand.

St. John Alderayce drummed his fingers on the table beside his bed. He heard a loud explosion downstairs...should he check it out? The other boys were on a tie and his vote would be the deciding one. They looked to him expectantly. John sighed.

Damian waited by the door until Kitty Pride rounded the corner.

"Hey," she said, gasping for air, "the others are holding off Toad..."

"Toad?" Damian asked bewildered.

"Oh Right, the guy who had Jubilee," she quickly explained. Damian nodded.

"Is it just you and me then?" he asked. The brunette nodded.

"We have to get in without her noticing," he told Kitty, pointing to the large ominous doors.

"Leave that to me." Kitty strode toward the door, not stopping when she reached its solid entrance. Her heel disappeared and suddenly the well-oiled door opened a slit. Damian hurried forward and slipped inside. The woman, whoever she was, hadn't bothered to turn on any lights, so it took a moment for their eyes to adjust. They silently crept through the maze of hallways to the main computer area.

"The computers control the whole compound," Kitty explained. Damian had figured as much. There was no sign of the woman. He stole over to the large mainframe, placing his hands upon it. He could see the roadways that controlled every inch of the school.

Allison ran as fast as she could down the hall the other girls on her heels. Toad, looking especially malicious, was bounding after them. Spotting the open door to the Authorized Access Only Area, she sprinted inside. Everyone followed, including the superbly hyper Mortimer Toynbee. This was a fun workout as far as he was concerned.

"Well?" asked James impatiently. John cringed.

"I...I don't know, let me think!!!" he demanded. This was hard.

Damian was busy working at the computer station when Mystique returned. Kitty screamed as the blue vixen slunk forward. Just then Tabitha came crashing into the brotherhood's only female member. She screamed. Damian looked up, irritated.

"I need to concentrate..." his jaw dropped. Jubilee, Rahne, Betsy, and Danielle were trying their best to clobber Toad, while Tabitha, Allison, and Theresa were throwing themselves at Mystique. Amanda cowered in the corner, and Rogue tried her best not to touch anyone, since she wasn't fully covered. Damian touched the computer again, putting their area into lockdown.

The X-Men were exhausted when they strode down to change in their Authorized Access Only Area, their only peace from the students at the school. When they opened the door, which oddly enough had been under encoded lockdown, a surprise met their eyes. Mortimer Toynbee alias Toad was cowering in the corner, screaming about the nightmares he saw, while Danielle stood over him smirking, and Mystique was holding her bleeding ears, sitting on the floor whimpering. Theresa was chewing gum a few feet away. The X-Men gaped at their pleased pupils.

"Er, what's going on here?" a flabbergasted Scott asked. Just then the boys came racing down the stairs and into the Authorized Access Only Area. Seeing the scene before them they all turned on John.

"YOU MADE US MISS IT!" they shouted. John groaned looking at the floor, and another day in the lives of Xavior's students went by.

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