A meeting of the X-minds

[Storm]

After Storm took a few minutes to put on some more professional clothes - a crisp black collared shirt and slacks - she headed into the War Room, where chairs and stools waited in a circle for the X-Men.

She setup various computer features as her friends and teammates piled in.

[Storm]

SHADOWCAT:

Your attention please - will all X-Men and Trainees please report to the War Room for a meeting in ten minutes. I repeat, X-Men to the War Room in ten minutes. Thank you.

Another cool female voice rang out through the corridors, but this time it wansn't computer-generated - Kitty looked up at the speakers in the hallway through which she was passing as if to see Storm, whose voice it was echoing down the corridor.

(Of course, she wasn't there, but it made Kitty feel better.)

Kitty decided to spend her ten minutes (3:07) grabbing a Diet Dr. Pepper from the kitchen, (1:07) brushing her hair, (4:50), and finally (:56) getting to the War Room itself. She didn't actually time herself, but she knew, intrinsically, that she was perfectly on time. She wasn't surprised when she arrived at the War Room and knocked exactly ten minutes later - it was all in a day's work for Kitty Pryde, the Most Punctual Person On Earth.

"Hi," she said, entering a moment after her knock and sitting in the first available chair, smiling brightly at Storm. "What's going on?"


ICEMAN:

As Kitty sat down, the door opened again, and Bobby walked in. He was perpetually late to almost every class by at least a few minutes. But there were other things that he was always on time for. Meals being one of these things. And meetings where he'd be hearing plans were also on this list.

So being on time was one first. The second first was that his face held no trace of sadness or anger. Last time Ororo had seen him, a mere half an hour before, Bobby had been fuming. And the object of his anger was now sitting right there in the same room. Probably seemed like an uncomfortable situation brewing.

But Bobby breezed in, looking around. "Alright, I'm here!" he said as he moved toward the closest chair, which was next to Kitty. As he walked, he reached into his pocket and pulled something out. It was a small paper airplane, which he sent flying into Kitty's lap as he sat down. On one wing it said "READ ME!"

He then turned to Ororo with a pleasant smile, impatient for the plans. "So, are we going to Baltimore?"


ANGEL:

Still a little damp, but at least wearing more than pyjama pants, Warren entered the War Room and took a seat. This whole business with Baltimore smacked of a trap to him, as he'd already said to Bobby, but that didn't mean that they shouldn't spring it anyway. He'd read enough... well, he'd been told about enough detective stories to know that by springing the trap you could find out who'd set it.

Taking a seat on the tallest stool in the room, which allowed his wings space - holding them up off the ground was more than a little annoying, especially in long meetings - he looked around and saw who was already there and who was yet to come. The room was filling up quickly, but Warren didn't do anything more than smile at everyone and wait for them to begin. Though he'd only worked as an intern for his father, he'd sat in on board meetings - and discussions were best left until everyone was there to avoid repetition. And annoyance.

[Crypt]

The door opened slowly and Liam poked his head in, looking around tenatively. Others were gathered in there, so it had to be the war room.

Moving through the doorway, he quietly moved to one side of the room and took a seat, eyes scanning the others already there. Kitty and Bobby he knew, if only barely, but his eyes were caught by the huge feathery wings attached to the handsome young man sitting calmly. So white...

[Animaux]

Animaux came in straight from the outdoors; she had shifted back to her human form and put her clothes back on, and had come to the back door just in time to hear Storm's announcement.

Now she stepped quietly into the room and took a seat near the young people. She didn't smile at anyone, but only she acknowledged those she knew with a glance - she was a little too intimidated.

[Nightcrawler]

Kurt had just finished drying off from his shower when the announcement played through the mansion. Fortunately, the painkillers were starting to kick in for his headache, so he pulled on his clothes, slipped into his long coat, and teleported down to the war room.

Appearing in the corner surrounded by the characteristic smoke, he strode forward and sat down in the one of the chairs, looking up at Ororo expectantly.

[forge]

Forge and Conduit beat feet to the meeting, talking the entire way. They had a lot of history to catch up on, but Forge found it prudent to begin to explain what he’d seen of the mansion so far – as well as about Baltimore, and what they planned on doing.

Outside the war-room, Forge buttoned up the Lab Coat, which still stung like a mother when it brushed against the burns on his chest. He gave his sister one last smile, and entered the room with her in tow.

He looked like shit on a shingle, he just realized. His hair was sort of frazzled from the electrocution, and his face still was smudged in grease from his work on the chopper and the cloaking device. He wore a white lab-coat a size or two too big for him (likely once used by Hank,) and had his goggles on his forehead.

“Uhhh…” He began, then decided nothing really needed to be said. He and Conduit proceeded to find a few chairs, and he took an opportunity to look around at the other people there.

The only one he didn’t recognize was Animaux, who seemed to be a pretty, if not uncomfortable young woman. He didn’t recognize her as an active X-Man from his research, so figured she must be in the training program, like Crypt.

He smiled at Storm, adjusting his lab-coat self consciously. He acted as if he hadn’t just had most of the mansion’s power blasted into his chest less than an hour ago.

[Storm]

[OOC: I know a lot of you haven't seen this thread yet, but we need to get going, so no worries - any char who hasn't checked in, just pretend you got there before now, unless you WANT to be late ; ). Also, I'm splitting Storm's schpiel up into three parts to allow room for comments. Onward!]


Storm looked at the X-Men and X-Trainees who were gathered around, some standing and some sitting. She took a quiet, deep breath. She was not used to being the only meeting leader; but Scott and the Professor were no more, and it was up to her.

She bit the bullet, however, and when she started speaking her voice was clear and strong.

"Hello everyone, thank you for coming. I know this is a bother, but it is important and may even be an emergency."

As she looked around at the familiar faces, she began to relax a bit, even through the worry. These were not exactly strangers, and every one of them was responsible enough to share the load of what she was about to say.

"Before I start, we are all a team, even newcomers and Trainees; and if any of you have information to add, please speak out." She looked particularly at Forge as she said this, but scanned the other X-Men's faces as well. "I know most of you keep yourselves very well informed."

Time to get right down to it. She took another deep breath and launched in.

"Because of that, I am sure you all know that the Brotherhood did not disband after Alcatraz.

"Led by Pyro - " She involuntarily met Iceman's eye at this, although she wished she hadn't - "in the months since then, they have been rebuilding their ranks. Most recently, they have appeared publicly by robbing a bank in England a few days ago. However, as far as I know, we cannot guess where their base is.

"What we can guess is where they will be very soon."

[tingrin]

Piotr had slid into the room seconds after Storm commenced the meeting, his cheeks bright pink from embarrassment, but had immediate sat and was listening in earnest to what she had to say.

"Excuse me," he said, in his polite way. "I apologise for seeking clarification, but do we know for sure that John - Pyro - is now the leader of the Brotherhood? Magneto had many influential contacts, did he not?"

He fidgeted slightly in his seat. He preferred full clarification of the facts. He personally did not believe John Allerdyce capable of leading a group such as the Brotherhood; he was too much of a loner.

[conduit]

Rayen slipped her hand into Bandero's, as unprofessional as that might have seemed she just wasn't ready to let go yet. Her eyes were a bit red around the edges and her fingers brushed through her hair in a way that would not disturb anyone, but at least give her her dignity.

She watched Storm and when the headmistress had the others' attention, Rayen took the opportunity to look at the others. She hadn't met anyone aside from Ororo, Kurt and Bobby in the day and a half she'd been here, and couldn't contain a certain curiosity.

[chamber]

Hearing Storm's voice, and lacking a certain sense of timing, Jonothan opened the door with just his fingertips, stepping into the room. There was a certain contrast about the man; broad shoulders and a tall, powerful frame mingled with the sense that he would rather have been invisible. His eyes glared over the black wrapping around the lower half of his face, scanning the faces with a determined expression before they fell on Storm.

Facial expressions were lost on the man known as Chamber, but the tension seemed to leave his brow as he found what he'd been looking for.

Realizing Ororo was in the middle of addressing the group, he found a spot on the wall and crossed his arms, listening.

[angel]

Does it matter? Warren couldn't help but wonder why the leader of the Brotherhood would be important to them - what was important was that the Brotherhood was out there and was just as likely as they to turn up at Baltimore, if for entirely different reasons. Rather than speak, though, he looked around the room and observed all the others there - it seemed like most of the older students were there, and a few of the faces were entirely unfamiliar. That was what happened when you went to visit people in the city - fresh meat arrived without you knowing, and some of them... Well, some of the girls might need someone to guide them through the mansion, put it that way.

His attention was caught, however, by the furthest thing from a pretty girl that you could probably think of, and he looked the boy up and down before turning back to look at Ororo. He'd heard that there was another mutant with wings at the school, but had never met him, and - Leo? Liam? Something like that. - was certainly noticeable. Bat wings, not bird, graced his back, and Angel couldn't help but wonder who could move faster, higher, with more agility. Perhaps they could fly together sometime, if the guy was interested. Then again, it seemed like he kept to himself. Fiddling with one of his shirt buttons, Warren shifted his wings slightly and settled back onto his stool to observe the conversation.

[Shadowcat]

"Alright, I'm here!"

Kitty looked up as Bobby, for perhaps the first time in his life, arrived somewhere on time (almost, anyway). Her instinctive smile turned confused at the corners as a little paper airplane landed in her lap, the words READ ME on one wing.

Shooting Bobby a Look from the corner of one eye, she unfolded it quietly as the sender turned his attention towards the meeting itself.

"So, are we going to Baltimore?"

NovaTeX. That's right. Kitty had had an uncomfortable prickling sensation at the back of her neck since NovaTeX's location had been mentioned, though she wasn't sure why. It seemed like she knew someone else in Baltimore, for some reason.

She read the little airplane quickly and turned it over, scribbling You're forgiven for the mail but not the dumb nickname and folding it up into a little square before flicking it back at Bobby, hoping to hit him in the face.

A few others filtered into the room pretty quickly, including Angel, whom she remembered from Alcatraz, and Liam and Cal, whom she remembered from yesterday. Kurt's bamf, as it always did, made her jump and twitch, but she managed to restrain the little high-pitched squeak that usually accompanied the movement, so she counted the reaction a win.

Then the lab guy from earlier wandered in with a young woman, but both of them looked a little... off, maybe? Much more Mad Scientist.

That, obviously, was what you came of keeping doughnuts in your tool belt, which still smacked highly of suspicious behavior to Kitty, not to mention unsanitary conditions.

"Hello everyone, thank you for coming. I know this is a bother, but it is important and may even be an emergency."

(Kitty struggled to look more mature.)

"Before I start, we are all a team, even newcomers and Trainees; and if any of you have information to add, please speak out. I know most of you keep yourselves very well informed. Because of that, I am sure you all know that the Brotherhood did not disband after Alcatraz. Led by Pyro - in the months since then, they have been rebuilding their ranks. Most recently, they have appeared publicly by robbing a bank in England a few days ago. However, as far as I know, we cannot guess where their base is. What we can guess is where they will be very soon."

Urg.

She wouldn't have to - if she went, she wouldn't -

Urg times two.

"Excuse me," came a voice from behind her - Peter's. Kitty smiled involuntarily, but the knot of sick worry didn't leave her stomach. If anything, it wrenched a little harder.

"I apologise for seeking clarification, but do we know for sure that John - Pyro - is now the leader of the Brotherhood? Magneto had many influential contacts, did he not?"

"I think - " Kitty stumbled halfway through. "I think he is," she said. "When they were in England, there were only three identified, unless you count the one girl they stuck in at the end... I'd never heard of one of the guys, and the Juggernaut was the only other option. And the news thought John was the leader."

Good save. Much better than 'I know because we still talk.'

[Iceman]

Bobby twitched as he felt something hit the side of his face. He looked down and saw his note folded up on his lap. Glancing over at Kitty with a silent laugh, he unfolded it. He read the note and grinned as he slid it into his pocket.

He then looked up and listened intently as Ororo spoke, not showing anything but serious thought on his face until she mentioned John. Whether it was coincidence or not--and he didn't think it was--Bobby caught her immediate look to him and he quickly looked away. When he did, he turned his head just slightly, which would only have been noticed by anyone who knew of his history with John. He turned his head away from Kitty when he turned it--They'd resolved the most recent conflict, but that didn't change the fact that it hadn't happened, and John was fresh on Bobby's mind already.

As Ororo continued, Bobby looked back up at her. He wanted to ask bluntly if she thought that it was a trap, but he kept silent for now. If it wasn't addressed by the end of the meeting, he'd bring it up for sure.

He glanced around the room casually as she continued. His eyes landed on Forge, and his eyebrows rose a little. He looked like hell. Then his eyes saw something that surprised him even more--Were he and Rayen holding hands?! How old was he, like thirty? And she was like twenty-three, wasn't she? So it wasn't that much of a stretch...But still...It was kind of disappointing, it she was off the market.

On second thought, they looked a lot alike. Maybe they were cousins or something. But would cousins really need to hold hands? Bobby turned his head back to Ororo, shrugging inwardly. Maybe they were from West Virginia.

"I think - I think he is. When they were in England, there were only three identified, unless you count the one girl they stuck in at the end... I'd never heard of one of the guys, and the Juggernaut was the only other option. And the news thought John was the leader."

Bobby nodded, speaking up when Kitty finished. "I definently agree. John's smart, and he's convincing. He could easily get a couple of Brotherhood leftovers to follow him." That, and if Kitty thought he was the leader, she was probably right. Despite that he hadn't said anything in his emails to her to prove that he was leading the Brotherhood, she still had had more contact with him than anyone else. But of course Bobby couldn't just say that.

[Admin]

Sy had eventually been able to find someone to ask about the woman's voice, but only just before the second woman's voice echoed through the mansion. He wasn't sure he liked "technology" if it meant women could just interupt you at will, with no regard for what you might be doing. Still, he'd been told to join the meeting in the war room, and once he finally found the war room, about tweleve minutes after the announcement had been made, he wandered in silently and sat down, pulling at the ends of his sleeves in nervous habit. He still had his hat on, not having the time to shave his head.

Kitty was just speaking as he entered, so Sy was sure he'd already missed a good bit of the meeting, or at least a fairly important part of it at least. He'd just have to clear it up with someone later. Sitting straight up in his chair, Sy listened and tried to get a grasp on what exactally was going on.

[tingrin]

"The reason I ask," said Piotr, raising his hand again, "is a simple matter of hierarchy. The Brotherhood were united all the time they walked by Magneto's side. When they left his side to do his bidding, they had no cohesion, no structure. He was their leader. Had we been able to take him down at the start, our success would have been greater."

He took a deep breath and continued.

"If Pyro - John - is now their leader, the same may apply. If he is orchestrating their movements, then eliminating him from the equation early must be a priority."

He said the word 'eliminating' with an almost clinical coldness. He'd never been able to forgive John for what he saw as his shocking treatment of Kitty, the girl he himself was now nurturing strong feelings for.

[Crypt]

Liam blinked as the huge, white wings shifted, and he shook his head, turning away. He'd forgotten that staring was another one of those things of which society didn't approve, and his teeth clenched with frustration. He was learning the all the rules of interaction, but he couldn't seen to incorporate them.

Growling mentally, he turned his gaze back to Storm at the front of the room.

[Storm]

"I apologise for seeking clarification, but do we know for sure that John - Pyro - is now the leader of the Brotherhood?"

"Never apologize for questions, Peter," said Storm, forgoing the usual War Room codename use for his more personal real name. She listened, pleased, as he and Kitty and Bobby discussed their knowledge of the Brotherhood's leadership. In a way, it was fitting, as Pyro (she no longer thought of him as John) had been a part of their group.

Besides, she was not too keen on revealing that she had found information in intercepted emails. Necessary, yes, but she couldn't shake a feeling of intrusion.

"Thank you," Storm nodded to Shadowcat and Iceman, and addressed the group again. "I agree with both of you; we know Magneto personally invited Pyro into his close circle, and that he was one of the leaders hanging back while the group did his dirty work at Alcatraz. I believe they had more structure than we realized." She looked at Colossus. "We know that he was the most important member of the group who was not incapacitated. I think it is safe to assume he now leads the Brotherhood. And you are right, a leader is essential to their function."

Latecomers were coming in now and then, and Storm glanced up to acknowledge them all, but one in particular stopped her in her tracks - and speech.

"Jono!" she said in surprise, and then quieted, and gave him a genuine smile. "Chamber. Welcome back." Her eyes lingered on her old friend for a moment before she turned back to the meeting.

[chamber]

To the others in the room, who knew nothing about him save what they'd seen in the last few seconds, Jonothan's look in return to Storm's exhuberance was little more than a hard, moody stare. They didn't hear the words he spoke into Storm's mind, as it wasn't his habit to go intruding where he hadn't already been invited.

Just in time I guess. Don't let me interrupt.

His attention then fixed on the conversations at hand, taking in everything he'd missed in the last few years.

[forge]

Forge squeezed Rayen's hand back, giving her a comforting smile. He couldn't help the well of mixed emotions that swirled through his chest as he looked at her again. His sister was here again, she was a mutant, and was possibly going to be joining him in his pursuits with the X-Men. Life was fantastic, in that vein, though he knew their story also contained heartbreak, and the two of them would need serious healing... though they could work towards that end together.

He considered the new mutants as they trailed in, and instantly sent a fraction of his consciousness into his personal hand computer, accessing the mansion's database. He worked through an assessment of the combat and tactical abilities offered by everyone present, and already had a handful of strategies in mind.

He definitely liked what he saw of Jonothan “Chamber” Sizemore. His mutant power was extraordinary, making him a walking piece of artillery. He had the capacity to explode the majority of a city block, and that definitely appealed to Forge when it came time to face the Sentinels – God forbid.

Angel was another, though his power was less destructive. There was something about the ability to fly on a personal level that made him invaluable as a scout. The vision that was unparalleled on the Earth helped that end too. He glanced at Animaux, reading her files at the speed of thought in his mind. A bird would also provide useful in that circumstance. There were no members currently on file of the Brotherhood who could fly, but he didn't doubt there could still be some there. Besides, he had a sneaking suspicion the Sentinels could either fly, or would be air-dropped into the location. If they weren't already hidden in the building or under-ground, both he would have to plan for. Storm could fly, but her amazing level of ability could be best put to other ends.

He heard Colossus speak, and listened to Storm's reaction. He wondered if she had just bypassed the seeming level of personal animosity there, so he thought he'd address the subject from a different angle.

“Pyro, if he is the leader, seems to be just as evil as Magneto. Correct me if I'm wrong, didn't Magneto actually try to kill every single human on Earth a year back? The reports show that he did something involving the incidents at Alkali Lake, something that could've easily murdered every last human breathing... that level of genocide is unheard of, and makes him probably the most evil human being I've ever heard of.”

He let the words sink in, and continued.

“That being said, maybe it would've been easier to simply kill Magneto while anyone had the chance – not that that matters now” (He didn't mention the scientific reports cropping up of mutants regaining some of their ability) “but, that still leaves Pyro. I don't think anyone can forget the news footage of him blowing up that clinic, which was filled with innocent mutants and humans like, including children. He's a brutal murderer. He burned children alive. Intentionally. In my honest opinion, if anyone has the chance to make sure he can do that no longer, they should take their shot. I assure you, my phasers won't be set for stun.”

[Storm]

Forge's words were aggressive, and Storm didn't have the heart to concur; but at the same time, she did not disagree. She chose instead to let him stand for himself, and she gave him a pause of respectful eye contact before she continued.

"In time indeed," she replied quietly to Chamber's unspoken words, and she turned to a nearby computer.

"Leadership aside, we know that the Brotherhood is reforming, and so we can make guesses about other items that have appeared on the news recently."

"Although Worthington Laboratories on Alcatraz was nearly destroyed, they were not the only keepers of the drug we call 'the Cure.' Stockpiles of the Cure exist elsewhere, particularly under the care of a company called NovaTeX Pharmaceuticals, which two nights ago made this announcement."

Storm hit a few keys, and a clip of the evening broadcast began to play on a large projection screen at the side of the room.


"Yes I do John, I would like to announce to the good citizens of America the NovaTeX is ready to begin distribution of the cure, taking over where Worthington Labs left off."

"And where will this cure be available from, for those mutants that wish to accept it?"

"Stock is still being distributed to are facilities around the country, but we fully expect to be able to begin distribution from our centre in Baltimore as soon as next week."

"Why only Baltimore? There are those that will cry favourites if other states do not receive their equal share."

"All will receive their equal share John, this is simply the first stage of the roll-out process, you can't expect everything to happen all at once after all. We fully intend to have the cure available from ALL of our distribution centres within six months."

"Mr. Edward Rawlins ladies and gentlemen. Remember, you heard it here first! And all you mutants out there still desperate for the cure, get yourself down to NovaTeX Baltimore and you might be in luck!"


Storm turned away and hit the keys again as the news clip finished, and the screen went blank. Her voice rang out strongly again.

"I am sure I do not need to tell you the Brotherhood's opinion of this so-called Cure. I believe it is safe to assume that sometime between today and May 23rd, the date I have found for the restart of its distribution, the Brotherhood under Pyro's lead will attack the Baltimore branch of NovaTeX in an effort to stop the eventual nationwide distribution of the drug."

She nodded to the nearby corner of the room which held a circular landscape projector. Its grey hologram showed the NovaTex building and a part of the city of Baltimore.

Then she turned back to the team with a look of concern on her face, and her voice began to carry more urgency.

"What is more, we are not the only ones who are able to make this assumption. Which is why I find another piece of recent news worrying. This is a presidential press conference from yesterday afternoon, which deals with NovaTeX's revelation and the ensuing worries of mutant terrorism."

Another few taps of a keyboard, and a new clip began to play on the projector.


"While none in this room would accuse you of not being a man of your word Mr. President, there are mutants out there, your terrorists for example, who will accept no assurances short of the destruction. What is to prevent a repeat of the Alcatraz incident?"

"A good question and one that I shall have to refer. Mr. Trask?"

"For two years now we have been developing a unit designed specifically for combating mutant terrorism. Unfortunately the unit was still just a prototype at the time of the Alcatraz incident. However, we are now in the final phases of testing and will very shortly be able to deploy against emerging mutant threats."

"Ladies and gentlemen of the press, I give you the Sentinel Mechanised Assault Unit."


Storm paused the clip and strode over to the landscape projector. She pressed a button on the control panel and hundreds of small pieces broke down and reformed, as downtown Baltimore disappeared and the shape of a Sentinel rose up beside her.