While Icefire laid in bed, he began planning his classes. First he will have them reveal their abilities and skills to their limits. Then they will learn about some of the strageties that humans have used in their battles and study the abilities, strengths, and weakness of Apoc and his men. But most of the lessons would be working in the simulations and the Danger Room. They needed to expernice what a fight with Apoc's men or Sentinels would be like.

_________________

I was cured all right.

Dani woke to find someone standing beside her couch. It was Magneto. Wondering if he ever slept, she struggled to a sitting position.

He took the spot her legs had vacated. "Do you find the couch more comfortable than your bed?"

Dani grimaced. "I never made it that far. Not that it matters. One of my peculiarities is that I can fall asleep almost anywhere."

"I take it the evening's events were somewhat draining."

"Yes. Not as much as it used to be."

"Mmm." He nodded. "Progress, then. Tell me, what do you think of Erik?"

She considered, respecting his desire for an outside opinion of his favorite. "He's got a very good opinion of himself," she said finally. "Fortunately he doesn't flaunt it - it's just there." He didn't respond, so she continued. "As long as he doesn't let it get to his head, he should be fine."

_________________


<center>Nothing but the Rain</center>

He glanced over his shoulder and shrugged.
"She's nice. A human though so there's no point forming a relationship. They'll all die soon enough."
He downed another shot and then the alcohol started to hit him.
"You know what Havok... I think you do a terrible job at killing humans..."

_________________

"Rock N' Roll is the only relgion that never lets you down!" ~ Lemmy Kilmister

[!*#_:]

Havok slid his chair out and got up onto his feet.
"Say that again if you dare?!"

Kim turned to Lucifuge.
"You're drunk. How about you just go, huh John?"

Turning back to Havok she put her hand on his tensing arm.
"Alex, no scenes. Please."

_________________

Lucifuge rose to meet the Prelate and looked down upon him.
"You can't kill humans to save your life!" He growled to him.

_________________

"Rock N' Roll is the only relgion that never lets you down!" ~ Lemmy Kilmister

[!*#_:]

"Why did you abandon Tania?" she asked abruptly.

He replied, giving the same reasons he had given to Icefire.

Dani's eyes flashed. "She is extremely valuable to us - and extremely valuable to Apocalyse, I might add. What if he breaks her? She knows too much. After he gains the information, he'll kill her - or worse. He might even free her in an infiltration attempt. Whatever happens, we will be compromised."

He stood, a neat sparse figure with iron in his gaze. "I am the one making the decisions, Dani. Not you."

Esperanza sat ramrod straight, meeting his eyes squarely, re-centering herself. "I follow you for the sake of the human/mutant cause." Her voice held all the coolness of ice. "I do not follow the cause for your sake."

_________________


<center>Nothing but the Rain</center>

Tempest stood up between the two men.
"Will you both just stop. All this flexing of muscles and testosterone is ruining what was a good night. John, go home. Just go home and sober up."

_________________

Lucifuge snarled at Havok and put up a hand, closing his finger and thumb.
"This close...."
He turned and began walking out of the club, pushing people to the ground as he did.

_________________

"Rock N' Roll is the only relgion that never lets you down!" ~ Lemmy Kilmister

[!*#_:]

Havok shook his head
"One of these days you'll let me blast him to oblivion" he sat back down on his chair.

Tempest sat back on hers and drew it closer to Havok
"We shouldn't be fighting amongst ourselves Alex. We need to become a team, that's our biggest problem right now. Too many ambitions and power hungry Prelates snapping at each others heels."

"Survival of the Fittest, Kim. Apocalypes's doctrine, you know this as well as I do. You used to love a good fight." his gaze was almost accusatory.

"And what does that mean exactly? You think I'm not loyal to Apocalypse?" Kim shot him a withering look

"I just wonder if your heart is in it as much as it used to be" he replied

"I can't believe your questioning my loyalty. I gave my life to Apocalypse, let him enhance my powers. I am as loyal to him as I am to you"

_________________

"As do I, Dani," Magneto replied softly. "As do I." He turned and left the room.

Dani stared after him, perplexed. Either he had just made a very bad move, or he knew something that was completely unexpected.

_________________


<center>Nothing but the Rain</center>

Lucifuge stumbled over to his bike and turned the ignition. His vision was blured and he could barely hold the handle bars. He pushed the bike back and set off in the wrong direction. He didn't care, fueled by alcohol and rage he wasn't concerned with direction.
After thirty minuets ride he came across a forested area and an iron gate.
"What...?"
He stumbled off his bike and hammered the gates down.
"Keep me out will ya?!"
He managed to mount the bike again and rode off down the road seeing the mansion, he didn't know he had stumbled across the x-men's HQ and the bike slid out of control before the mansion doors. He rolled and stopped at the steps. Too drunk and tired to do anything else he fell asleep where he lay.

_________________

"Rock N' Roll is the only relgion that never lets you down!" ~ Lemmy Kilmister

[!*#_:]

Tania sat in her room that Sinister had put aside for her. She felt cold, lonely and confused. She had made a deal with the proverbial devil and there was no way out now.
But something about him made her trust him, he didn't lie to her. She'd sense it if he was. So what was he up to?

Suddenly the intercom to the door sprang to life. Walking over to it she pressed it and spoke into the mouthpiece cautiously.
"Hello? Who is it?"

"Miss Creed.." the familiar English accent of Sinister came over the intercom, she pressed the entry button to let him in.

_________________

Dani kicked herself off the couch. It was still dark outside, but she was too riled to sleep. Going into the kitchen, she got herself a glass of water. As she gazed out the window, sipping the water, a single headlight roared up the road, skittered across the drive, and disgorged a dim, massive body.

Startled, she spoke into her earpiece, which she had forgotten to take off before she slept. "Magneto, Icefire, Nightmare, this is Esperanza. We've got an intruder on the grounds." She remained at the window, keeping an eye on the form while she waited for backup.

_________________


<center>Nothing but the Rain</center>

Icefire wasn't fully asleep when the alarms blared inside the mansion. He immediately got up and got dressed. As Magneto's lieutanent, he had to help gather the children and bring them down to the shelter. "Everyone, calm down," Icefired said over the alarms and the screams. "Stick together and follow me down to the shelter." The shelter was a cellar that Magneto had, in case of an intrusion. All the children were familar to the drill as Magneto had frequent practices with safety procedures. As Icefire took count of all the children, he wondered who was the intruder. Definitely one of Apoc's men he thought. He saw one of the teachers there, went to her, and asked, "Can you take care of the children? I have to see what's going on." She nodded and Icefire ascended the stairs, towards Magneto's study. He wasn't there but it was obvious where he went. He rushed towards the security center where an anxious mutant who was in charge of the security center at the time and Magneto was. "What's going on?" Icefire asked immediately.
Magneto replied, "It looks like your assailant has come back for kicks. Though I think alcohol got the final blow."
Icefire looked at the camera screens and, sure enough, the brute was lying on the steps, sleeping.
"He should be dealt with immediately," Icefire said. "He is way too dangerous to be kept alive and in captive."
"We will do a trade. First he must be, like you said, dealt with and then, we shall trade him for Tania."
"Very well, but how will we detain him?"
Magneto smiled and said, "Simple, but I need your help"
Icefire nodded and together with a couple mutants, they came upon the sleeping body of Lucifuge. Magneto nodded and one of the mutants injected a heavy sedative into Lucifuge. The sedative was normally used for elephants or rhinocerous, but Lucifuge could qualify for either of the two. Magneto then leviated a large metallic box with walls five inches thick and Icefire and the other two mutants shoved him into the box. Icefire couldn't help but to kick him in the face. "That's for my car," he said. Chains inside the box seized hold on Lucifuge's limbs and neck. Magneto smiled again and leviated the box with Lucifuge inside the manison. Icefire and the other two escorted him as they descended into a set of stairs that led into another cellar, this one the dungeons. Magneto set the box down on a large column inside one of the cells. The column was 100 foot away from the dungeon hallways and was 150 foot tall with nothing but air between it and the floor of the cell. Icefire and Magneto had received the call from Dani but couldn't respond to due their task. That finished, Icefire said through the earpiece to Dani, "We got him. Don't worry. We will have a prisoner trade soon. Him for Tania."

_________________

I was cured all right.

A few hours later Lucifuge awoke with a pounding headache. He groaned then realised what was going on. He pulled at his arms, but they were still reeling from the affects of the alcohol and were too weak to break anything. He frowned and shook his head thinking it was a dream... Real.
"Hey! Whose out there?! I demand you get me out now!"
He tried pulling again with no success.

_________________

"Rock N' Roll is the only relgion that never lets you down!" ~ Lemmy Kilmister

[!*#_:]

Tempest and Havok sat at there table in stony silence. Tempest was offended by his accusation.
Havok broke the silence "Kim..I'm sorry I was an a temper. I shouldn't have said what I did. He just infuriates me with his insubordination."

"Oh, so I get the brunt of your grudge against John? Nice to know I'm appreciated" Tempest hissed back at him

"You know I appreciate you Kim." Havok spoke apologetically

"Do I? Every day it's work, meetings with Sinister, your eyes wandering where they shouldn't" Kim seethed

"My eyes wandering. What are you talking about?" Havok asked almost shocked.

"Her!" Tempest squinted her eyes as she looked over at Scarlet on the piano, oblivious to the husband and wifes spat.

Havok looked at Tempest utterly perplexed.
"A flatscan? You think I want a flatscan? Kim, this is insane."

Tempest slid out her chair and stood up. "Yes, it is." and turned on her heels and made her way towards the exit.
Havok getting up and giving chase.

_________________