Lifestyle Changes: The Rewrite

by Wallace

Reason: Well, many of you will have seen X2. I¡¦m trying to adjust things to fit, and simultaneously slim down the story a little. The big alterations start round about chapter three.

Author: Wallace ([email protected])

Chronology: This is set in 2001 just after the end of season two of Angel and season five of Buffy. For those who are defeated by the recent lack of continuity, this means that Buffy is currently extremely dead, and Angel has headed off to either Tibet or Sri Lanka to deal. Wesley is still clean-shaven, but tough and capable and good friends with Gunn. Gunn still has his rough edges. Fred is still being Crazy Lady in the attic. On the down side, mutant thief Gwen Raiden hasn¡¦t turned up yet, though I may be able to wedge in a reference somewhere. There will be spoilers for most episodes that have featured Faith, but not much more.

This story takes as an assumption that in 1999 the ¡¦near future¡¦ was 2001. Therefore, this is just after the events of the two X-Men movies. There will be heavy spoilers, especially for the end of X2. Seriously, if you haven¡¦t seen it, and don¡¦t want the ending ruined, stop reading right now.

Disclaimer: The vast majority of the characters and concepts utilised or referenced herein are owned by people and companies other than myself. Personally I always feel that they belong as much to the actors who play them as to the hacks who write them. That said, I¡¦d like to confiscate Storm from Halle Berry.

Casting: The original version of this story ¡¦which will be removed when this version overtakes it ¡¦made much mention of casting, since it¡¦s a crossover between a movie world and a TV world. That said, the Jubilee in my world will always be a 5¡¦4, elfin, blue eyed thief, with a smart mouth, psychotic tendencies, and horrible taste in clothing. Otherwise,

            Faith (Wilkins)                                       Eliza Dushku

            Wesley Wyndham-Price                         Alexis Denisof

            Cordelia Chase                                      Charisma Carpenter

            Charles Gunn                                        J August Richards

            Veronica Sawyer                                    Winona Ryder

            Scott Summers (Cyclops)                       James Marsden

            Robert ¡¦Bobby¡¦ Drake (Iceman)                Shawn Ashmore

            Henry Philip ¡¦Hank¡¦ McCoy (Beast)          The voice of Kelsey Grammer, coupled with SFX

            Warren Kenneth Worthinton III (Angel)     Jared Leto with the dye job from ¡¦Fight Club¡¦.

            Marie D¡¦Ancanto (Rogue)                        Anna Paquin

            Remy LeBeau (Gambit)                          John Leguizamo, minus about twelve years

            Lucas Bishop                                        Keith Hamilton Cobb

            Logan (Wolverine)                                  Hugh Jackman

            Kurt Wagner (Nightcrawler)                     Alan Cumming

            Katherine ¡¦Kitty¡¦ Pryde (Shadowcat)         Katie Stewart

            Professor Charles Francis Xavier             Patrick Stewart

Random Pop Culture Fact: Trapper John¡¦s real name is John Francis Xavier McIntyre. Coincidence?

Feedback: Feed my addiction.

Archiving: Yes, please. Pimp me.

¡¦So . . .¡¦ He says weakly. ¡¦Now that you¡¦re dead, what are you going to do with the rest of your life?¡¦

She manages a smile. They¡¦ve been to hell together, though by different routes. They brought each other here. The least she owes him is a smile.

She finds a cigarette in her pocket. She holds it up to him in a mock salute. A few days before, he lit up from her burning hand. Today?

The cigarette hangs from her mouth. The clock ticks down, stops for a moment, starts up once more.

She waits.

1993

¡¦You don¡¦t have to. Not yet.¡¦ Lucas tells her.

¡¦I am gonna have to tell him, sooner or later.¡¦ Shari points out. ¡¦You can¡¦t build a relationship on lies, big brother.¡¦

¡¦What will you do if...?¡¦

¡¦If he turns out to have issues?¡¦ His younger sister shrugs at him. ¡¦If he can¡¦t take dating me, we break up. That¡¦s all.¡¦

¡¦And if word gets out?¡¦

¡¦That I¡¦m a mutant? Then I have to put up with the mutant-haters as well as the racists, I guess. It¡¦s no big deal, Bish. This is nineteen ninety-three, not eighteen ninety-three. It¡¦s not like we¡¦re gonna see a lynch mob chasing me down or something.¡¦ She smirks at the ridiculousness of that thought. Her brother remains grim-faced as ever.

1999

¡¦Well, look at you.¡¦ She says. ¡¦All dressed up in big sister¡¦s clothes.¡¦ She is the big sister, too. Buffy may be two years older, have been doing this two years longer, but before that? Faith¡¦s already older than the blonde will ever be, inside.

¡¦You told me I was just like you. That I was just holding it in.¡¦

They¡¦re standing face to face now, and once again Faith isn¡¦t sure whether she wants to kill the other girl or fuck her senseless. Even with the new attitude, which reminds Faith far too much of herself, Buffy still has that effect on her. She can¡¦t help but smile.

¡¦Ready to cut loose?¡¦ She asks. All good things come to an end.

¡¦Try me.¡¦ This isn¡¦t a capture. It¡¦s a confrontation, although only one of them realises it.

Faith¡¦s still smiling. Buffy¡¦s not here to bring her in, dead or alive. She¡¦s here to establish once and for all who¡¦s better.

¡¦Okay then. Give us a kiss.¡¦

2001  

Agent Sawyer¡¦s desk is a mass of too much paperwork. Assigned to retroactive cases going back before she was born, she¡¦s been unable to work her way through the backlog. She isn¡¦t expected to.

After all, you don¡¦t want boat-rockers having time on their hands.

When she volunteered for the Task Force they were happy to have her. She was one of the FBI¡¦s bright young things, fresh, intelligent, and very capable. She had an excellent record, if a little short on experience, and was known to be a fairly ordinary, well-balanced individual, her tendency to obsess over explosions and shootings in high schools aside.

Unfortunately, she turned out to be a little too well balanced. Suddenly the Agency had a sympathiser on their hands. So they partnered her with the other worrying member, and assigned them to working their way through old cases. It was intended to stultify them both.

To Veronica Sawyer, it had proved fascinating.

***

Perhaps it was her memories of high school that drove her to pay special attention to files like the one she now held in her hands. Perhaps it wasn¡¦t, but all things considered, the odds are against it.

¡¦Hey, Luke!¡¦ She called, and her partner looked up. Two metres tall and massively muscular, the hugely intimidating African-American had served in the US Marine Corps and NYPD before joining the FBI. Like her, he was rather more open-minded about their topic of investigation than most members of the Task Force. Like her, also, his record was far too impressive for them to simply drop him.

¡¦Another incident in a high school?¡¦ He asked, nodding at the file. They¡¦d been working together long enough to know one another¡¦s obsessions.

¡¦You could say that. It got blown up.¡¦

¡¦Blown up?¡¦

¡¦As in, bomb go boom. Blown up. Destroyed. Levelled.¡¦

¡¦And there¡¦s no explanation¡¦¡¦

¡¦There¡¦s already been an investigation. No, what interests me is one of the peripheral details.¡¦

¡¦Which would be?¡¦

¡¦Included among the casualties was the local mayor. No body found, but still officially very dead, though reports are confused as to whether or not he was already dead when the bomb went off. He happened to have an adopted teenaged daughter.¡¦

¡¦Left homeless?¡¦

¡¦Not quite. A couple of days previously she was badly injured and left in a coma. He¡¦d already made provisions to keep her hooked up to life support no matter what, so that was okay.¡¦

¡¦She manifested?¡¦

¡¦It¡¦s complicated. The records on her are very incomplete, but at the time she was wanted for questioning in connection with five violent deaths. About a year ago she woke up ¡¦which was eight months after daddy dearest was killed ¡¦and didn¡¦t stop to talk to anyone, just busted straight out of hospital.¡¦

¡¦It sounds as if she¡¦s resourceful, but otherwise . . .¡¦

¡¦The doctors agreed that after the first month her chances of regaining consciousness were zero.¡¦

¡¦So she beat the odds. Coincidences happen, Sawyer.¡¦

¡¦Luke, what have I told you about calling me that? Anyway, that isn¡¦t the end of it. She was picked up by the local police at the home of one of the people investigated in the destruction of the school, and promptly broken loose en route to the station house by unidentified assailants. She reappeared in LA, where she beat up a couple of people before handing herself over to the police and making a full confession, not just to several assaults and violent crimes, but also to three of the five killings, despite there being no evidence to link her to the commission of said crimes.¡¦

¡¦Sentence?¡¦

¡¦She got unlucky, and pulled a bad public defender. No date of birth, but she said she was seventeen and what few records they had confirmed that. With all that and her full confession the lack of evidence wasn¡¦t enough to get her below Murder Two. Twenty-five to life, and she¡¦s been sitting in California State ever since.¡¦

¡¦I still fail to see the significance.¡¦

¡¦First, if she is to be believed she killed a college professor named . . .¡¦ Sawyer paused to check her paperwork. ¡¦Lester Worth when she was sixteen. This guy was stabbed to death. The coroner¡¦s original report concluded that the crime was committed using a sharp knife wielded by an exceptionally strong individual of below average height.¡¦

¡¦How strong?¡¦

¡¦There were clean incisions through his ribs, spine and left shoulder blade. They reckoned the force required to inflict that kind of damage would require a body builder on PCP.¡¦ Luke nodded. ¡¦Second, she went into the coma from critical injuries, including being stabbed in an identical manner to Professor Worth ¡¦same strength, same knife, which was found at the scene ¡¦and falling off a tall building. She had multiple broken bones, massive blood loss, brain damage enough to leave her a permanent vegetable, and the knife wound to the stomach had pretty much minced her internal organs ¡¦we¡¦re talking never eating solids again.¡¦

¡¦It all healed during her coma?¡¦

¡¦It all healed within a week, excepting the brain damage. That¡¦s what took the eight months. Third, and this is the big one ¡¦at the age of sixteen, seventeen, she perpetrated several confirmed assaults on rather larger targets, and left them looking like they¡¦d been hit by a truck. Healing and strength, Luke.¡¦

¡¦And you want to investigate this girl... what was her name, Sawyer?¡¦

¡¦Faith Wilkins. And could you please call me Veronica. Or Ronnie. Or Ron.¡¦

¡¦Call me Lucas, then, not Luke. Luke is a Jedi Knight.¡¦

¡¦Lucas is a weirdo in a black turtleneck.¡¦ He looked puzzled at that. ¡¦And, yeah, I want to investigate her. At the very least we can go visit the pen, ask her some questions.¡¦

¡¦About her abilities, not the destruction of the high school.¡¦ Her partner reminded her. ¡¦Very well, you¡¦d better go pitch it to the AIC.¡¦ He leaned over to grab the file from her hands, dropped the hard copy back onto her desk, and slid the accompanying floppy disc into his laptop. ¡¦I¡¦ll get to reading.¡¦

She stood, and headed over to the door to the inner sanctum of the Task Force. The sign on it read:

Cameron Hodge
Agent-in-charge
Mutant Investigation Task Force

Behind her Lucas Bishop opened his private E-Mail account, and sent the entire contents of the floppy disc to an old friend.

Chapter One

¡¦Looking at this file . . .¡¦ Lucas began.

¡¦Yeah?¡¦ Veronica asked. She was driving, and in the current rainy conditions had to concentrate on the road.

¡¦It would make sense not to limit our inquiries to the girl alone.¡¦

¡¦Duh.¡¦ She overtook a particularly badly driven lorry, and pulled back into lane. ¡¦Who else you got in mind?¡¦

¡¦The obvious possibility would be the arresting officer.¡¦ He was tapping keys, and she heard the faint beeping of his satellite hookup. ¡¦Kate Lockley. Currently...¡¦ He paused, and then. ¡¦On indefinite suspension without pay. Undergoing psychiatric evaluation. Has been since about five months ago. Apparently she¡¦d gained an obsession with what this report calls ¡¦unusual crimes¡¦, but no mention of mutant involvement.¡¦

¡¦We got a home address for her?¡¦ The turnoff sign loomed through the rain, and she jerked the wheel over hard. Lucas picked up his laptop from the footwell and started tapping keys.

¡¦And phone number.¡¦ He pronounced. ¡¦We can call her when we get to the motel, try and see her first thing tomorrow.¡¦

¡¦No rush, Luke.¡¦ His partner pointed out. ¡¦It¡¦s not like the girl¡¦s going anywhere.¡¦

***

On the other side of the continent . . .

In fact, in Westchester County, New York State, at Xavier¡¦s school for Gifted Youngsters.

Scott Summers finished reading and looked up at his mentor.

¡¦Beta class?¡¦ He suggested.

¡¦It looks that way.¡¦ The Professor agreed. ¡¦Do you think she¡¦s worth investigating?¡¦

¡¦Well, it sounds as if she¡¦d be a useful addition to the team. On the other hand, if she really did commit these crimes it seems unlikely that she¡¦d fit in to the school. An eighteen-year-old convict . . .¡¦

¡¦Is exactly what Remy would be if we hadn¡¦t got to him before the police did.¡¦

¡¦Remy is a thief. This girl claims to be a murderer.¡¦

¡¦True. And I suspect that she was also telling the truth. I also believe that killers are made, not born. A mutant in the correctional system will not receive the attention necessary to rehabilitate her, while a mutant here . . .¡¦

¡¦A human in prison isn¡¦t much better off, Professor. Why should she get special treatment from us?¡¦

¡¦To make sure that she does not get special treatment from them. Styker may be dead, but his legacy lives on, and we can¡¦t afford to let someone like this fall into the wrong hands. I¡¦ve already made a few calls.¡¦ He passed a long and complicated legal document across to Scott. ¡¦This is a pardon, signed by the Governor of California. It¡¦s a forgery, but with a little help and some counterfeit identification it should be enough to get her released. It would be best if you could persuade her to come to the school before having her freed.¡¦

¡¦But?¡¦

¡¦As you pointed out, she might well prove a disruptive influence.¡¦

*Like Jubilee and Bobby aren¡¦t* Scott found himself thinking, and quickly shot a glance to the other man¡¦s face to see if he had picked up on that. It appeared he had not; he was still talking oblivious.

¡¦Therefore I think the final decision should be left with you. Go to Los Angeles and talk with her, perform an on-the-spot evaluation. My contact will keep the FBI from reaching her until late tomorrow.¡¦

¡¦You want me to go alone?¡¦

¡¦No, but I¡¦m honestly not sure who you should take with you. Not Logan, if that¡¦s what you¡¦re thinking; he¡¦s hardly likely to pass as a government agent. And not Bobby, either; I honestly can¡¦t imagine the consequences of sending him in to a women¡¦s prison, but I am certain the experience would be anything but beneficial.¡¦ Scott had to smile at that. He also now had a good idea where the Professor was headed.

¡¦Remy has proved he can convince as much older than he really is. He¡¦s also undeniably charming, and has a lot in common with this girl. If he can be persuaded to tone down that atrocious accent of his, he¡¦d probably be perfect for this mission.¡¦ Xavier nodded, as if this wasn¡¦t what he¡¦d been leading up to.

¡¦You can brief him in flight.¡¦ He said, and then slid a false ID across the desk. ¡¦Here¡¦s a card for Remy.¡¦ Scott stood.

¡¦Tell him to meet me at the hangar.¡¦ He said, and Xavier, eyes closed, simply nodded.

***

Kate Lockley had been politely unhelpful. She was clearly deeply resentful at the system of which she was no longer a part. However, she had told them that the full story could be best obtained by interviewing a local private investigator named Angel. He could be found, she told them, at a disused hotel, called the Hyperion. She even gave them his phone number.

The phone was picked up by the most English-sounding Englishman Veronica had ever talked to. She had managed to avoid making any mention of her job and aims, while asking for directions to the place.

She had scribbled down the instructions in her usual massive, untidy scrawl, and Lucas was having an extremely difficult time deciphering them. Veronica, sat beside him, had managed to strip down her gun into a newspaper held on her lap, and was now rebuilding it.

¡¦You think it¡¦s dangerous.¡¦ He said.

¡¦No.¡¦

¡¦Then why?¡¦

¡¦English people make me nervous.¡¦ She told him, snapping pieces back into position.

¡¦He can¡¦t really be English.¡¦ He pointed out.

¡¦Why not?¡¦

¡¦How would a British citizen qualify for a licence in California?¡¦

¡¦He could be naturalised.¡¦

¡¦He moves to California.¡¦ Lucas sounded slightly amused. ¡¦He stays long enough to qualify for American citizenship, by which time he¡¦s still young enough to join an appropriate law enforcement department. Then he retires, and sets up as a private investigator, earning enough money to buy himself a disused hotel. In all this time, he has not picked up the faintest trace of normal speech patterns?¡¦

She slid the magazine home, and racked the weapon¡¦s slide. For some reason she always insisted on carrying it cocked. He wasn¡¦t going to argue; she was better with a gun than he was, and he¡¦d been considered no slouch back in the Corps.

***

Scott had landed the blackbird with the maximum of discretion, nearly thirty miles from their destination. They were met by a tired-looking man with greying hair, who handed over the key to a rental car and said as little as possible. No introductions were made on either side; Scott locked down the Blackbird, and then insisted that Remy drive them to the prison, as he¡¦d been up most of the night piloting.

Remy was not happy about this; he never felt comfortable in a suit, Scott had made him go back and shave for a second time that morning, and every time he pushed the vehicle above sixty-five the other man woke up and ordered him to slow down. It didn¡¦t help that he¡¦d missed the faculty¡¦s annual Monty Python movie marathon night to come on this mission. Also, being anywhere near prisons made him edgy.

After twenty minutes he asked who it was had met them.

¡¦Mutant Underground.¡¦ Scott replied, and turned his head sideways, appearing to be asleep behind his visor.

When they arrived they presented themselves and their credentials as Special Agent William Holland and Special Agent Avery Broussard, both of the FBI, and were granted access to the girl.

***

Seven o¡¦clock in the morning. What do you want to do today?

Faith¡¦s morning began like any other; get up with the lights, shower, breakfast, all maintaining her carefully intimidating air that, coupled with her reputation, discouraged anyone from coming within fifteen feet of her, then back to her cell where she planned to practice tai chi chuan until lunch.

After a couple of hours, the guards turned up and announced that the feds wanted to talk to her.

The two guys shown into the meeting room looked almost like a birthday present; both were tall, lean and gorgeous. They were dressed identically, in black suits and wrap-around shades, but otherwise were quite dissimilar. Spook one had short brown hair and the shoulders of a body builder. His jaw line was grim, his bearing stern. He stood and moved like a soldier. His shades, incongruously, had red lenses. His companion was slimmer, built wiry, and with a narrow, beautiful face of indeterminate ethnicity framed by dark red-brown hair that was almost ¡¦but not quite ¡¦long enough for a ponytail. Even standing still, he looked like he was dancing. He also looked a lot younger than his companion, barely into his twenties at the oldest. When he saw her he gave her a charming smile. Faith scowled back. She didn¡¦t feel like being charmed.

¡¦Agent Holland, and this is agent Broussard.¡¦ The older man told her, then, despite the shades, managed an extremely forceful glare at the guards beside her, who both got up and left.

¡¦So... what do you guys want?¡¦ Holland placed a file on the table, and then opened it. He removed a single sheet of paper, and held it out to her. Faith snatched it from his hands and glanced at it.

It was a coroner¡¦s report on Alan Finch.

As the piece of paper dropped from her hand, Holland spoke up.

¡¦A sharpened wooden object, just under two inches thick, forced cleanly through the breastbone in a single powerful movement. If you really did kill this man, as well as Professor Worth, you must be exceptionally strong.¡¦ She looked up at them. He had removed two more documents from the file, and now held them up for her to see. They looked like complicated medical reports. Her name appeared at the top of both. ¡¦In one week you made a complete physical recovery from injuries that should have been absolutely impossible to heal. It appears that you are a remarkably gifted young woman, Miss Wilkins.¡¦

¡¦Yeah?¡¦ She answered. ¡¦Is this the part where you tell me you represent the most covert anti-terrorist task force in the world?¡¦

Broussard leaned forward, and took off his shades. Behind them, his eyes were glowing red dots in pools of blackness. Even with that, he was beautiful, and the more so when he smiled.

¡¦¡¦S funny you should say dat.¡¦ He told her.

***

The lobby of Angel Investigations was large, impressive ¡¦and empty.

¡¦Hello?¡¦ Veronica called. There was a faint sound from upstairs, as of someone running barefoot over a threadbare carpet. Lucas dropped a hand to rest on his hip, just above his gun butt.

¡¦May I help you?¡¦ The speaker looked as if he had just emerged from the basement. A little above average height, lean built and casually, but neatly, dressed, probably the most noticeable thing about him was his accent ¡¦every bit as English as Veronica had described.

Moving his hand away from his gun, the big agent pulled instead his badge.

¡¦Agent Bishop, and this is Agent Sawyer. Are you the owner of the agency?¡¦

¡¦Wesley Wyndham-Price. No, but I¡¦m in charge. It¡¦s complicated.¡¦ He smiled, slightly nervously. ¡¦If you¡¦re looking for Angel I¡¦m afraid he¡¦s on sabbatical.¡¦

¡¦Maybe you can help us.¡¦ Bishop continued, ignoring Wesley¡¦s proffered hand. ¡¦We¡¦re investigating a girl named Faith Wilkins.¡¦ They could see the Briton¡¦s expression slam closed.

¡¦I¡¦m afraid I don¡¦t know anything really helpful...¡¦ He began.

¡¦I think you do.¡¦ Veronica interrupted from just behind him. He turned. ¡¦According to the report filed just after her arrest she confessed to the assault, kidnap and torture of one W.W. Price, referred to by her as ¡¦Wes¡¦. Unfortunately, ¡¦Wes¡¦ refused to give evidence or even a statement, and she was not charged.¡¦

¡¦I really don¡¦t see what interest . . .¡¦

¡¦How strong is she, Price.¡¦ Bishop rumbled, and the smaller man once again turned around.

¡¦Stronger than you.¡¦ He said quietly, before cutting himself off abruptly.

¡¦And her healing?¡¦

¡¦I really don¡¦t see what interest this is of yours, unless she¡¦s taken it into her head to escape.¡¦

¡¦And if we told you she had?¡¦

¡¦Then I¡¦d be inclined to be a little more forthcoming, but she hasn¡¦t.¡¦

They couldn¡¦t get any more out of him.

***

Faith asked for some time to think. The two mutants had given her the full pitch on the school, with Remy adding far more detail than Scott would have approved. As soon as they were alone he turned on the other man and demanded,

¡¦What did you tell her all that for?¡¦

¡¦De p¡¦tite has a right to know what she getting¡¦ into, ne?¡¦

¡¦And enough with the accent. Remy, you offered her a place. Without consulting me.¡¦

¡¦You were going to take her. Remy, he could tell that de moment she came in.¡¦

¡¦What makes you so sure?¡¦

¡¦Summers, you never been able to resist dat kind of look. Faith, she look like something died inside.¡¦ Off the older man¡¦s look, he added, ¡¦It worked for me.¡¦

¡¦You¡¦re right.¡¦ Scott conceded. ¡¦I think the school would be the best place for her. But it¡¦s her choice, and suddenly she knows enough to make her refusing a really bad idea for us.¡¦

¡¦She ain¡¦t de talkative type.¡¦ Scott looked at him for a moment, and then glanced up as Faith was led back into the room.

¡¦I still say I¡¦m not a mutant.¡¦ She told them.

¡¦It doesn¡¦t matter.¡¦ Scott told her. ¡¦We¡¦ve got several nonmutants at the school already, although all of them have mutant relatives.¡¦ Siblings, to be exact.

¡¦So you want to give me a free education, a place to stay, no strings attached.¡¦

¡¦On a probationary status. Faith, I appreciate that you¡¦re probably a reformed character, but one violent incident ¡¦just one ¡¦and your feet won¡¦t touch the floor on the way out, I promise you that.¡¦

¡¦What¡¦s in it for you?¡¦

¡¦De pleasure of your company?¡¦ Suggested Remy.

¡¦I asked the same thing, once.¡¦ Scott overrode him. ¡¦In my case, I ended up teaching at the institute and serving on the field team, and that¡¦s what the Professor got from me. From most of his pupils, though?¡¦ She was staring at him. ¡¦Charles Xavier is perhaps the single most remarkable man it has ever been my privilege to meet. He is a true philanthropist, and he genuinely wants only to help people. Meaning you and me. As to what I get out of it? I don¡¦t know yet.¡¦

Faith looked from one man to the other.

¡¦Wasn¡¦t it a mutant tried to kill the President a couple months back?¡¦

¡¦Wasn¡¦t it a white guy shot the President, back in 1963?¡¦ Replied Scott. ¡¦Does that mean you have a problem with white people?¡¦ She laughed.

¡¦Okay, I deserved that. I¡¦ve been thinking I¡¦d do more good out there than in here, anyway.¡¦

***

Early afternoon. Wesley would not have come back to the Hyperion, except that he had needed to check a reference in one of Angel¡¦s volumes. His research finished, he descended the stairs to find FBI Agent Sawyer was back.

¡¦Have you discovered some cunning new argument?¡¦ He inquired, looking down at the young woman ¡¦about his own age, slim, trim and pretty, with short black hair and a worried expression. She looked back up at him. ¡¦I see you decided to leave the more intimidating face of government harassment behind.¡¦ He went on.

¡¦He¡¦s doing paperwork at the prison.¡¦ She responded. ¡¦At around half past eleven this morning two men with fake names, fake FBI ID and a fake pardon walked out of California State Women¡¦s Penitentiary accompanied by one Faith Wilkins. She¡¦d been released into their custody, and the paper trail for that is already a dead end. We need to know who took her, and why, and we need to know fast.¡¦

Wesley already had his cellphone in his hand. Descending the stairs he hit the speed dial button.

¡¦I¡¦ll call the rest of the team.¡¦ He told her. ¡¦I need everything you¡¦ve got on the two men who took her.¡¦

***

¡¦Cyclops and Gambit report that she¡¦s accompanying them.¡¦ Xavier told Lucas over the phone.

¡¦Sawyer is going to investigate.¡¦ He was told. ¡¦I can¡¦t stonewall too obviously.¡¦

¡¦Do you have any suggestions?¡¦

¡¦She is open-minded. It might be best to simply . . .¡¦

¡¦No. The more people know our secrets, the more we have to fear.¡¦

¡¦Very well. But left to herself, she may at the very least discover my links to the Mutant Underground.¡¦

¡¦For the moment, that¡¦s a risk you¡¦ll have to take, Bishop.¡¦

Chapter Two

Faith was certain that Xavier¡¦s was the biggest privately owned building she had ever seen. The place was massive, and empty.

Agent Holland ¡¦ who was actually called Scott Summers ¡¦had dropped her and Broussard ¡¦Remy LeBeau ¡¦in the grounds, about a mile from the main building. The two men had spent the entire trip sitting in the cockpit, Scott focussing on piloting and Remy sleeping, sprawled across his seat with the grace of a particularly lazy cat. The short walk to the mansion was therefore her first real opportunity to find out about her new home.

¡¦How long have you been here?¡¦ She asked the tall mutant.

¡¦¡¦Bout t¡¦ree months.¡¦

¡¦So how many kids are there?¡¦

¡¦About t¡¦ree, four dozen. Most o¡¦ dem don¡¦t like to be called kids. Gambit be one o¡¦ de eldest, but not by much.¡¦

¡¦And they¡¦re all mutants?¡¦

¡¦For de most part. Sometime, a normal person come here wit¡¦ dere brother or sister, but not often.¡¦ He glanced at her. ¡¦What¡¦s de matter, p¡¦tite?¡¦ She glared at him. Although she was six inches shorter than him and Remy possessed the kind of confidence that came from never having been pushed to his limits, he found himself taking a step back.

¡¦Three things are the matter, Gambit. One, your attitude. Two, your accent, and three, don¡¦t call me petite. Comprehend?¡¦

¡¦Apologies. This thief, he likes people to underestimate him.¡¦ He smiled endearingly. ¡¦But what should I call you, then?¡¦

¡¦Faith.¡¦ She snarled, and stalked towards the mansion, managing, despite her shorter legs, a pace that had her companion running to keep up.

***

The best thing about living at Xavier¡¦s, Jubilation Lee had long ago realised, was the holidays, when it was just her and half-a-dozen others who had nowhere else to go, and they pretty much had the run of the place. Oh, there were chores and rules still, but otherwise they were free to do as they pleased, so it seemed to her utterly insane that what one of her newest friends pleased was to lock herself in her room and mope.

Jubilee had banged on Rogue¡¦s door continuously for over a minute before the older girl had responded, yelling at her to go away. After a brief impasse she had resorted to picking the lock and yelling her into action, which was how the two of them came to be headed downstairs towards the garage when the front door opened and Remy ushered Faith inside.

Rogue was quick to judge people on first impressions, and usually correct in her assumptions, while Jubilee tended to spend longer evaluating them ¡¦she didn¡¦t trust anyone easily, still didn¡¦t trust the staff of the school at which she had spent the last eighteen months of her life. Had they paid attention to Faith both of them would have felt a strong urge to befriend the older girl, whose appearance and body language practically screamed ¡¦shat on by the planet and working a tough-girl fa¡¦de¡¦ to anyone with their experiences. However, since Faith was accompanied by Gambit neither of them did more than glance at her, before returning their attention to the star attraction. Rogue flinched and moved slightly back, almost unconsciously putting Jubilee between her and the Cajun. Jubilee simply put on her friendliest, least lust-addled grin and worked very hard at maintaining the expression in the face of Remy LeBeau wearing an extremely rumpled suit.

Below them, Gambit pointed his charge to the Professor¡¦s office, and then looked up to see two of the mansion¡¦s most fascinating pieces of jailbait staring down at him.

¡¦Ladies.¡¦ He saluted them with a smile. ¡¦Goin¡¦ somewhere?¡¦

¡¦Mall.¡¦ Jubilee managed, without stuttering or drooling. Below them Remy struggled to keep from laughing out loud. He¡¦d long-since become accustomed to his effect on the more hormonal members of both genders, and in his easy-going, good-natured, way, had taken to using it to his own advantage.

¡¦Y¡¦ want to do Gambit a favour?¡¦ He asked pleasantly.

***

Inside the study Faith found herself facing a lean, impressive-looking bald man who was seated behind a large desk. It took her a moment to realise that said desk was slightly higher and wider than normal in order to fit over the wheelchair in which he sat. Standing behind him was...

¡¦Cookie Monster?¡¦ She whispered in astonishment. She was rewarded by the biggest, toothiest grin she had ever seen.

¡¦I am Professor Charles Xavier.¡¦ The guy behind the desk told her. ¡¦This my assistant, Dr Henry McCoy.¡¦

¡¦Hey.¡¦ She muttered.

¡¦Greetings and salutations, dear lady. Please, call me Hank.¡¦ Declared the big blue guy, leaning forwards and extending what was, under the fur, the longest, brawniest arm she could remember seeing. When she shook his hand, she pushed slightly, felt the give, and without exerting she could tell that she was stronger than him. He realised it too, and his eyes widened slightly.

¡¦Henry?¡¦ The bald guy said, and he looked round.

¡¦My most heartfelt apologies for my distraction, Professor. I was simply sidetracked by the strength that our guest was displaying.¡¦

¡¦Yeah. I get that a lot.¡¦ Faith said. ¡¦So . . . You¡¦re a mutant, right?¡¦

¡¦Indeed.¡¦ If he had fewer fangs, his expression could have been described as ¡¦beaming¡¦.

¡¦Most of us here are.¡¦ The Professor interjected.

¡¦I¡¦m not.¡¦ Said Faith.

¡¦How, then, would you explain your remarkable physiological capabilities?¡¦ Hank asked her.

¡¦You wouldn¡¦t begin to believe me.¡¦ She replied.

¡¦Try us.¡¦

¡¦I¡¦m the mystical avatar of an ancient power put on this Earth to defend humanity against the forces of darkness.¡¦

¡¦It does seem somewhat implausible . . .¡¦ Hank said mildly.

¡¦Yeah, that¡¦s pretty much what I said.¡¦

¡¦We can, however, perform certain straightforward procedures that will appraise both the extent and the origin of your abnormal abilities.¡¦ Hank told her.

¡¦Whatever the results, and even if you choose not to allow yourself to be tested, you are welcome here.¡¦ The Professor went on. ¡¦I would add that this is conditional on your attending classes at least until you graduate high school, and on you not harming any of your fellow students.¡¦

¡¦High school? Kind of old for that, aren¡¦t I?¡¦ All this was slightly overwhelming. Twenty-four hours ago she¡¦d never knowingly met a mutant before in her life, and now she was in a room with two of them, both clearly a lot more intelligent than she is, having been flown there by two more, both of those extremely good-looking.

¡¦Don¡¦t worry. Many of our students have been on their own for a while before they come here, and start off a little behind academically. There¡¦s something else we need to discuss, though, Faith. I don¡¦t know if you are aware of this, but . . .¡¦

***

¡¦She¡¦s a millionaire.¡¦ Agent Sawyer was working on her partner¡¦s laptop.

¡¦What?¡¦ Bishop was re-reading Faith¡¦s confession.

¡¦Her accounts have been activated.¡¦

¡¦Where from?¡¦ He rumbled.

¡¦New York. There was a credit card issued there two hours ago. The girl now has access to all the funds she could need ¡¦which means presumably so does whoever she¡¦s with.¡¦ Further discussion was interrupted by the reappearance of Wesley, accompanied by a tall, shaven-headed black man and a slim young brunette.

¡¦Agents,¡¦ he began, ¡¦these are my associates, Charles Gunn and Cordelia Chase. These are agents Sawyer and Bishop.¡¦

¡¦Pleasure, man.¡¦ Gunn shook hands with them, nodding his head to Lucas and smiling at Veronica.

¡¦Hi.¡¦ Said Cordelia. ¡¦Wesley says Faith¡¦s loose.¡¦ Lucas nodded.

¡¦What can you tell us about her?¡¦

¡¦Psychoslut? Likes include killing people, leather, promiscuity and violence. Dislikes include me, Wesley, and pretty much every other human being on the planet, although she may have had a thing for Buffy back before the coma.¡¦

¡¦Buffy?¡¦ Asked Veronica. Wesley was shaking his head and making furious faces at the younger woman.

¡¦Uh, just this girl I was at school with. No real story there.¡¦

¡¦But she knows Faith?¡¦

¡¦She knew her. And a month ago I would have immediately recommended calling her to help track Faith down.¡¦ Wesley paused, clearly uncomfortable. ¡¦Unfortunately, she, she died.¡¦

¡¦I¡¦m sorry.¡¦ Veronica said, and it was clear that she meant it. There was a moments silence, and then...

¡¦We may have a location for Faith.¡¦ Lucas told them.

¡¦Where?¡¦ Asked Wesley.

¡¦New York State.¡¦

¡¦Sounds like we don¡¦t have a problem, then.¡¦ Commented Gunn. Everyone turned to look at him. ¡¦What? So this chick with a grudge going for Angel has relocated to several thousand miles away. Sounds like good news, right?¡¦

¡¦Gunn, you¡¦ve never met Faith. She¡¦s unpredictable, and very dangerous. Wherever she goes, she will wreak havoc.¡¦

¡¦Okay, I get that. But if she¡¦s gone to New York, how is she our problem?¡¦ He shrugged, and then turned towards the stairs. ¡¦Just asking is all.¡¦ He vanished into the depths of the hotel.

¡¦Well, that was helpful.¡¦ Cordelia pointed out. ¡¦You were saying?¡¦ This to Veronica.

¡¦We were hoping you could help us narrow it down a little.¡¦ For some reason Cordelia seemed slightly disturbed at that.

¡¦How would I be any help?¡¦

¡¦You know her. Did you say you were at school with her?¡¦

¡¦Yeah, like Little Miss Killing Spree ever actually went to school? No, I got knocked unconscious by her once. If you¡¦re really that interested, I¡¦ll fill you in on how much fun that wasn¡¦t. I never spent much time with her, though. Ask Wesley, he was her Watcher.¡¦

¡¦Her what?¡¦ All eyes were now on the Englishman.

¡¦A sort of . . . supervisor. It was my job to try and keep Faith out of trouble. I think we¡¦re all well aware of just how successful I was at that.¡¦

¡¦Well, congratulations. You are now our official expert and source on Faith Wilkins. Feel like a trip to New York?¡¦

***

Faith emerged from Xavier¡¦s office with an appointment for examination and evaluation the following morning, and also with her very own credit card.

Gambit was waiting outside with two girls.

¡¦Faith, Remy would like you to meet two of his dearest friends. Dis is Rogue.¡¦ A slim, shy-looking girl with a white streak in her hair, seventeen trying for twelve. There was nervousness in her manner belied by the strength in her eyes. For some reason she was wearing opera gloves and military dogtags.

¡¦Hi.¡¦ She said, nervousness evident here as well. She had a trace of a Southern accent.

¡¦And . . .¡¦ Remy attempted to continue, but was interrupted.

¡¦Jubilation Lee, Jubilee, great to meet ya, chica.¡¦ Short, loud, annoying, sixteen with the eyes of a thirty-year-old, the girl in the yellow trenchcoat seemed to be taking adolescence to an extreme. As a past master of the tough fa¡¦de and behavioural smokescreen herself Faith could tell there was a lot more to both of these girls than met the eye.

¡¦De girls have agreed to take you into town wit¡¦ dem.¡¦ Gambit went on. She looked at him.

¡¦Yeah?¡¦ She asked. ¡¦What for?¡¦

¡¦You goin¡¦ to live in dose clothes?¡¦

***

¡¦So,¡¦ Jubilee asked ten minutes later, leaning forward between the front seats. ¡¦Where¡¦d they dig you up from?¡¦

¡¦Prison.¡¦ Faith said shortly. Rogue was driving. From what she had seen so far, Rogue drove extremely well, and also extremely cautiously. ¡¦Northern California Women¡¦s Facility, Stockton.¡¦

¡¦Cool.¡¦

¡¦What were you in for?¡¦ Rogue asked. She didn¡¦t seem to talk much, but then, as Faith had noticed in the preceding few minutes, no one did when Jubilee was around.

¡¦Murder two.¡¦ She was doing an extremely good impression of nonchalance.

¡¦And they just swept in and pulled you outta there?¡¦

¡¦They asked me if I wanted to go. I wasn¡¦t doing any good where I was. There were precisely two reasons why I turned myself in, and one of them died and the other one ¡¦stopped visiting just after.¡¦

¡¦Oh. Well, I guess . . . sucked to be you, huh?¡¦

¡¦Briefly, yeah. Things are looking up, though. Hey, you share a house with him, what kind of a guy is Remy?¡¦

¡¦Oh, he¡¦s just like any other man, only more so.¡¦ Jubilee told her. Rogue, for some reason, giggled.

¡¦You mean untrustworthy scum only out to get laid?¡¦ Faith asked conversationally.

¡¦Yep, that sounds like Gambit to me. ¡¦Cept he says we¡¦re jailbait.¡¦

¡¦We are jailbait, Jubes.¡¦ Rogue pointed out.

¡¦So is he, practically.¡¦

¡¦So, uh, what about the other students? ¡¦Cause you two can¡¦t be it.¡¦

¡¦It¡¦s the holidays. They¡¦ve all gone home.¡¦

¡¦So why . . .¡¦

¡¦The mansion is home.¡¦ Jubilee cut her off. Faith nodded to herself.

***

When Scott reached the Professor¡¦s office Hank had already headed back to the lab to go over the new girl¡¦s existing medical records.

¡¦Faith.¡¦ Xavier began as Scott, slightly awkwardly as ever, sat down.

¡¦I take it you¡¦ve met her?¡¦

¡¦Yes. Obviously you thought well enough of her to offer a place here, but I¡¦d like you to tell me the details. What impression did she make on you?¡¦

¡¦She¡¦s been hurt by the world. A lot, and not just because of her powers. I got the impression she¡¦s had a bad life, and when her powers manifested things just got worse.¡¦

¡¦The fact that she admits to having been a professional killer doesn¡¦t worry you?¡¦

¡¦She worked for Wilkins. He adopted her. That, to me, suggests . . .¡¦ He trailed off.

¡¦What, exactly, do you think their relationship was?¡¦

¡¦She saw him as a father. She still does, though she also admits that he was using her. She told us, and I quote, ¡¦at least he was honest about it¡¦. I also got the impression that he¡¦s probably the only man she can remember helping her without wanting her sexually.¡¦ He paused. ¡¦Their relationship bears close comparison to ours.¡¦ Xavier raised an eyebrow at that.

¡¦Should I be offended?¡¦

¡¦Professor, she needs our help ¡¦or somebody¡¦s help. You took me in and cared for me and, though you expected my help in return, you didn¡¦t demand it. You let me choose. Faith ¡¦had a similar arrangement with the mayor of Sunnydale. I think if we can help her, and convince her that there¡¦s no obligation in return ¡¦one day she may choose to become an extremely valuable member of the team. In the meantime, we can help her.¡¦

¡¦Do you really think she¡¦s that much of a team player, Scott?¡¦ Xavier was surprised; normally Scott¡¦s judgement was second to none, but Faith had struck him ¡¦on admittedly very brief acquaintance ¡¦as even more ferociously independent than Wolverine.

¡¦Not yet. She needs to learn to trust us first.¡¦

The Professor, nodding, was about to reply, when he was interrupted by the telephone. Glancing at the caller ID, he gestured, and Scott rose and left the room.

***

¡¦Xavier.¡¦

¡¦Xavier, you¡¦ve made a serious error. Did you imagine that we would not watch the girl¡¦s bank accounts?¡¦

¡¦The credit cards?¡¦

¡¦I¡¦m just assembling our equipment before going to the airport. We¡¦re coming to New York to look for the girl, and we¡¦re bringing a couple of old acquaintances of hers along with us. A Wesley Wyndham-Price and a Cordelia Chase.¡¦

¡¦ ... Those names sound familiar.¡¦

¡¦Price is the man she confessed to torturing. He won¡¦t talk about it.¡¦

¡¦Can¡¦t you delay them somehow?¡¦

¡¦Professor, Sawyer is twice as intelligent as me, and Price and Chase are acting as if Wilkins¡¦ escape is the end of the world. Price maintains that if she refuses to come into custody with us, we stand no chance of apprehending her. He and Chase also both insist that she is not a mutant, although they will not say what they believe her to be.¡¦

¡¦The mystical avatar of an ancient power?¡¦ Suggested Xavier.

¡¦Excuse me?¡¦

¡¦It¡¦s nothing, Bishop. I¡¦ll . . . see what I can do. If necessary, I¡¦ll assert influence at higher levels to have you both reassigned.¡¦

¡¦I do not think Price and Chase are going to forget easily. Or at all.¡¦

  Chapter Three

¡¦I like it.¡¦ Said Jubilee. ¡¦It¡¦s very... tight. Slutty.¡¦ She smiled. Faith twisted smoothly and feinted a high kick, causing the brand new leather pants she was wearing to creak alarmingly.

¡¦Need breaking in.¡¦ She said, and then glanced over to where Rogue was stroking one half of a particularly nice pair of suede gloves. ¡¦She got a glove fetish, or something?¡¦ She asked, only slightly more quietly.

¡¦Rogue¡¦s skin kills people. She¡¦s got, like, the worst mutation on the planet.¡¦ The shorter girl whispered.

¡¦So what happens when she does touch someone?¡¦

¡¦They pass out, go into a coma, and die.¡¦ Jubilee told her soberly.

¡¦Shit.¡¦ Faith muttered.

¡¦Yeah, I know. We try not to talk about what she¡¦s missing.¡¦

¡¦Can¡¦t touch at all?¡¦

¡¦Any kind of skin to skin contact, but I get a couple seconds first.¡¦ Rogue had somehow come up behind them without either of them hearing her. ¡¦I drain your energy. Powers, strengths, memories, talents ¡¦and then you die and I¡¦m stuck with you in my head.¡¦

¡¦Jeez, Stripe, less of the sneaking.¡¦ Faith told her, startled.

¡¦You gonna buy those pants?¡¦

¡¦Yeah. You want some?¡¦

¡¦Go for it, Rogue. You¡¦ve got the legs for ¡¦em.¡¦ Jubilee grinned.

***

¡¦So . . . you wear a lot of leather?¡¦ Rogue asked half an hour later as they ate a slightly early supper. Her new trousers were chafing a little.

¡¦Or didja just buy five brand new pairs of leather pants ¡¦cause your new-found wealth is going to your head?¡¦ Faith smiled along with the other two, and then frowned.

¡¦Wealth.¡¦ She muttered to herself. She¡¦d inherited the money off the Mayor, because she had let him down. He¡¦d left it to her because she¡¦d turned evil. It had come ¡¦at least in part ¡¦from his crooked dealings in Sunnydale. It was blood money.

But hey, it was still money, and it wasn¡¦t like she was going to use it for evil.

¡¦What about sex?¡¦ She asked Rogue suddenly.

¡¦Like I said, I only get a couple of seconds.¡¦

¡¦Yeah, I got that. But those look like wicked fine gloves you¡¦re wearing. Give your boyfriend a pair, buy a pack of rubbers and some split-crotch pantyhose, and enjoy hours of kinky fun.¡¦

¡¦Uh...¡¦ Rogue blushed. She wasn¡¦t sure how to react to this.

¡¦Sorry if I embarrass you, Stripe. It¡¦s just, you remind me of this guy I know.¡¦

¡¦How do you mean?¡¦ Rogue was intrigued, despite herself.

¡¦If he ever has sex he¡¦ll go schizoid and turn into a crazed psycho killer in leather.¡¦ Faith explained. ¡¦Which isn¡¦t quite the same, but it¡¦s fairly close. He¡¦s scared of getting close to people.¡¦ Rogue¡¦s interest subsided; nothing that could help her. Jubilee¡¦s didn¡¦t.

¡¦So how¡¦d you find that out?¡¦

¡¦Apparently it happened once, before I got into town.¡¦ Faith shrugged. ¡¦Not my story.¡¦ She really didn¡¦t think these two girls were ready for the whole ¡¦chosen one¡¦ spiel. ¡¦Never thought it could suck to have super powers.¡¦

¡¦Yeah.¡¦ Said Jubilee. ¡¦You ever wonder what you¡¦d be like without?¡¦

¡¦No.¡¦ For different reasons, neither Faith nor Rogue wanted to go any further with that.

***

¡¦Luke. Wake up!¡¦ Veronica was prodding him.

¡¦Lucas.¡¦ Bishop mumbled, coming awake. ¡¦How long?¡¦

¡¦There¡¦s another two hours until we land.¡¦ His partner told him, and then lifted herself in her seat and craned back to look along the length of the plane to where their new companions sat, side by side. Wesley had his headphones in, and Cordelia was asleep and drooling on his shoulder. ¡¦Listen, I did some checking up.¡¦

Bishop glanced at the screen of her laptop. She had at least a dozen windows open.

¡¦How did you manage that without access to the database?¡¦ He asked.

¡¦Something Chase said rang a bell. I went back over some of my old case files.¡¦ She brought up a window.

¡¦Sunnydale? That was never a case of yours.¡¦

¡¦This is a list of pupils graduating in the class of ¡¦99. The ones highlighted in red were confirmed dead over the course of that year, the ones highlighted in blue are still missing, two years on.¡¦ There was a lot of red and blue on the list. ¡¦Almost none of these were ever solved.¡¦

¡¦What colour is Chase?¡¦

¡¦Neither.¡¦ She pointed to the girl¡¦s name on the list. ¡¦Now, if you remember, she mentioned an individual named Buffy as an old associate of Faith Wilkins.¡¦ She scrolled down, and pointed to another name.

¡¦Buffy Summers.¡¦ Read off Bishop. ¡¦What do you have?¡¦

¡¦Not much.¡¦ She admitted. ¡¦However, here ¡¦ she brought up another window. ¡¦¡¦We have a selection of witness statements taken in the aftermath of the explosion. Most of them weren¡¦t much help; none of them were ever acted upon. Look at this one here, Aphrodisia Carter.¡¦

Bishop read silently for a few moments, but was interrupted by Veronica.

¡¦¡¦... and Cordelia was still going on about the graduation robes being the wrong colour, but what would she know, all the time she spends hanging out with that psycho Summers? Did you hear she was wanted for murder once?¡¦ I actually did some checking there. A Buffy Anne Summers was briefly wanted for the murder of a still-unidentified teenage girl in 1998, but all charges were dropped.¡¦

¡¦So Chase was a friend of Summers who was a friend of Wilkins.¡¦ Bishop said thoughtfully.

¡¦It gets better.¡¦ She went on. ¡¦In 1998, shortly after the murder, the librarian of Sunnydale High, one Rupert Giles, checked in to the hospital. He had broken bones, burns and lacerations, all of which had clearly been done to him over a period of some hours. He¡¦d been tortured, rather brutally. This would seem irrelevant, except that the dead girl was found in the Sunnydale High library, which was reported to be a favourite hang-out of the prime suspect, Buffy Summers.¡¦

¡¦A possible connection?¡¦

¡¦Here comes the best part. You¡¦re never going to guess which part of Sunnydale High the explosion centred on?¡¦

¡¦You think Chase had something to do with the destruction of her own High School?¡¦

¡¦Briefly? Yes.¡¦

¡¦Sawyer, has it occurred to you that this obsession of yours could be dangerous?¡¦

¡¦I¡¦m not obsessed.¡¦ She was glaring at him. He held eye contact for a moment, and then reached under his seat for his own briefcase. He removed an old file.

¡¦1988.¡¦ He read out. ¡¦Westerburg, Ohio. A series of incidents in Westerburg High school culminates in three incidents comprising the suicides of four pupils. All of them known associates of one Veronica Sawyer, also briefly rumoured to have killed herself.¡¦

¡¦Where did you find that?¡¦

¡¦I checked up on you.¡¦ He was unapologetic. ¡¦It seemed sensible to me to find out your motivations.¡¦

¡¦This has nothing to do with . . .¡¦

¡¦Sawyer, you watched your boyfriend blow himself in half on the front steps of your high school, after laying dynamite charges below the main building, and you expect me to accept that this has no link to your current obsession with similar incidents in other schools?¡¦ She was glaring at him once again. ¡¦Sawyer, there are over a hundred names on that list you¡¦ve got there. Probably two-thirds of them could be somehow connected to the explosion that, if I remember from your files, was concluded to be due to a leaking gas main in the caves under the school. The central point of the explosion may have been the library, but it was also very definitely the epicentre of a recent earthquake.¡¦

¡¦Two years isn¡¦t recent.¡¦

¡¦It¡¦s two years since this case was closed. It was a tragic accident that killed a number of innocent teenagers and a corrupt local politician. It just so happens that two of the people involved in our current case are peripherally linked to this accident. That is all.¡¦

***

¡¦She looks kinda cute when she¡¦s asleep.¡¦ Jubilee was turned around in the front passenger seat of the car.

¡¦You used to live on the streets, didn¡¦t you?¡¦ Rogue asked her.

¡¦For just over a year.¡¦ The younger girl replied. ¡¦Hey, you hitch-hiked from Rednecksville to Canada, remember.¡¦

¡¦Yeah, but you lived on the streets in a big city.¡¦

¡¦It wasn¡¦t so bad.¡¦ Jubilee told her. ¡¦There was this gang leader, Gunn, used to look out for the kids in his neighbourhood. He was a good guy, when he wasn¡¦t on one of his crusades.¡¦

¡¦Crusades?¡¦

¡¦Yeah. Against ¡¦ other gangs. He could be kind of ruthless. He gave me some tips in dirty fighting a couple of times. I was friends with his sister. Then Cyke and Bobby came to town and asked me to head east. I was kinda reluctant, but Alonna reckoned it had to be a step up.¡¦

¡¦Did they know you were a mutant?¡¦

¡¦Gunn and Alonna? Yeah. They were cool with it, but we didn¡¦t bandy the fact around.¡¦

Rogue paused.

¡¦Jubilee?¡¦

¡¦Yeah?¡¦

¡¦Did you ever hear of any . . . weird stuff back then?¡¦

¡¦What makes you ask that?¡¦

¡¦Faith says she isn¡¦t a mutant.¡¦

¡¦So she¡¦s swimming in the Egyptian river. In denial.¡¦

¡¦What if she isn¡¦t?¡¦ Erik and Logan both have memories, she could have gone on. Parasites with twisted faces and a terror of the sun. Monsters neither mutant nor human. She didn¡¦t, though.

She¡¦d known Jubilee more than three months, and she still didn¡¦t know if she¡¦d be laughed at.

***

When they woke Faith up for the official evening meal of the mansion, she seemed as refreshed by the one-hour nap as most people would be by a full night¡¦s sleep. Carrying two hundred pounds of shopping bags without apparent effort, she followed the other two into the mansion, where she stopped dead.

¡¦Rogue?¡¦ She said.

¡¦Yeah?¡¦ The younger girl replied.

¡¦Did I just see a blue-skinned demon with yellow eyes walk into the kitchen?¡¦ Jubilee giggled.

¡¦That¡¦s just Nightcrawler.¡¦ Faith was told, before Jubilee interrupted.

¡¦Yo, Kurt! Get your fuzzy blue butt out here and say hi!¡¦ The kitchen door was pulled open once more, and the pointy-eared face of Kurt Wagner peered around.

Faith used to kill things similar to this, with great frequency and enthusiasm. There had been blue demons, and black-haired demons, and demons with yellow eyes, and demons with tails, and demons with ritual scarring on their faces, and at least two demons who had worn chinos and button-down shirts. There hadn¡¦t been any that combined all of these factors. There hadn¡¦t been any who had bowed low in greeting and introduced themselves politely.

It had never before occurred to Faith that a German accent might be considered sexy.

¡¦So you¡¦re a mutant?¡¦

¡¦Indeed.¡¦ Kurt had long ago given up on reassuring smiles; having inch-long fangs tended to ruin the intended effect. Instead, he ducked his head diffidently, before looking back up at her. ¡¦And you are the latest charming addition to our little group, fraulein¡¦?¡¦

¡¦Faith.¡¦ She replied. ¡¦Yeah. Just flew in this afternoon.¡¦ He was holding out one hand. On it there were only two long, thick fingers and a thumb. Slightly awkwardly, she reached out to shake; to her surprise, he bowed instead, kissing the back of her hand. As he did so she could see, behind him, Scott Summers stepping out of the kitchen. He was wearing a white apron and holding a wooden spoon.

¡¦Chicken casserole.¡¦ He said, somewhat nonsensically.

¡¦Thanks.¡¦ Put in Rogue. ¡¦But we ate at the mall.¡¦ Kurt, his back safely to the leader of the X-Men, smirked very slightly.

¡¦Need anything, we¡¦ll be in the TV room.¡¦ Jubilee put in. ¡¦Introducing Faith to Velvet Goldmine.¡¦

¡¦Okay.¡¦ Mr Summers replied, and stepped back. ¡¦I¡¦ don¡¦t think we¡¦ll need anything.¡¦

¡¦Delightful though it would be, I am afraid I will not be joining you.¡¦ Kurt bowed again, and stepped back. ¡¦The duties of an X-Man, alas, take precedence.¡¦ He spun on his heel, and returned to the kitchen.

***

¡¦If he wasn¡¦t blue he¡¦d be kind of cute.¡¦ Faith commented.

¡¦He is blue, and he¡¦s very cute.¡¦ Jubilee replied, steering her towards the TV room.

¡¦Kinda short, though.¡¦ Rogue put in.

¡¦What was all that crap about duty?¡¦

¡¦He¡¦s gotta go eat with the team.¡¦

¡¦I could have gone for some more food.¡¦ Faith said as Jubilee closed the door behind them.

¡¦Not Cyke¡¦s chicken casserole. That should be a punishment.¡¦ The shorter girl told her. ¡¦So, I guess if you¡¦ve been in prison you¡¦ve never seen¡¦¡¦

¡¦Screw movies.¡¦ Faith said. ¡¦I¡¦ve been locked up with a movie a week for the last year. Let¡¦s go to New York.¡¦

¡¦It¡¦s an hour and a half away.¡¦ Rogue pointed out.

¡¦Not if you let me drive.¡¦ Interrupted Jubilee. ¡¦Where d¡¦ya have in mind, Faith?¡¦

¡¦I know this club.¡¦ Faith grinned. Of course, she¡¦d last been in the city three years previously, on her way west, but she had an instinct for finding these places.

¡¦We¡¦ve got a curfew in four hours.¡¦ Rogue pointed out.

¡¦Rogue.¡¦ She was told. ¡¦We are going to town, we are going to have fun, and you are going to wear those new pants Faith got you.¡¦ Rogue looked from one girl to the other.

¡¦Just ¡¦cause you¡¦re too young to get laid doesn¡¦t mean you can¡¦t inspire lust in everyone else in the place.¡¦ Faith told her, grin wider than ever.

She was beginning to like it here.

***

If there was one thing the men of the X-mansion all agreed on, it was engines.

Of course, Scott led the field. Since Jean¡¦s death, he had spent all his spare time tinkering with the Blackbird, when he wasn¡¦t busy customising a new motorcycle to travel at speeds that would have given Steve McQueen a heart attack. Hank and Remy did their parts as well, though; Hank restored classic American cars, while Remy liked to play with a motorcycle of his own.

Because he was unashamedly, undilutedly macho, his was a Harley-Davidson.

He was crouched down beside it, peering at a strangely shaped fragment of metal that had just dropped into the oil pan, when the girls of the X-Mansion clattered in.

Rogue, he noticed, was wearing skin-tight leather.

Remy shot upright, dropping his spanner and snatching a rag. Wiping his hands, he stared at the three young women, who stared back. This was no surprise to him; he knew he was attractive, and in his current combination of tight jeans and a hacked-off T-Shirt he could be accurately described as ¡¦Tasty¡¦.

¡¦Tasty.¡¦ Said Faith, smiling at him. He smiled back. Faith was wearing a tank top, leather pants, and a leather jacket, he noticed.

¡¦Could say de same about you, Fait¡¦.¡¦ He drawled. Behind her Jubilee, wearing a dress only millimetres away from illegality, pouted, and he added, ¡¦All t¡¦ree of you.¡¦

Faith grinned, looking like a shark with sex appeal.

¡¦You¡¦re not that lucky, French boy.¡¦ She told him, and moved towards the car they had used earlier. Jubilee grabbed her sleeve.

¡¦We¡¦re taking the jeep.¡¦ She said.

¡¦I¡¦m not a jeep kinda girl.¡¦ Faith argued.

¡¦This is Scott¡¦s jeep.¡¦ Jubilee was insistent.

¡¦So?¡¦

Jubilee grinned. Behind them Gambit was persuading Rogue to allow him to ¡¦tag along¡¦. He grabbed his trenchcoat and climbed into the back of the vehicle.

Thirty seconds later Faith found out what was so special about Scott¡¦s jeep, and why Rogue had been so reluctant to let Jubilee drive.

They were doing eighty. And that was before they reached the gates.