Redemption

Chapter Twenty-five

"Damn," I said. "Did you keep tabs on me?"

"Yes," said Bullseye. "It's nice to be able to give information to people about Wolverine's least favorite child."

I scowled at him and asked, "Where's Ares anyway?"

"He's everywhere," said Bullseye cryptically. "Get me to the top of a mountain."

"What now?" Daken asked. "We're at the top of a mountain, where's Ares?"

"Can you be quiet for a bit?" I asked. "I need to concentrate."

"Concentrate on what?" Daken demanded. "There's nothing to concentrate on up here!"

I gave an exasperated sigh, "Just listen to me for five seconds!" I told him, trying not to yell. "Let me concentrate and I'll get you Ares!"

"I never thought I'd see you two together again,"

Daken and I whirled around to see Ares.

"Is it just me thinking this or did Ares get buffer?" Daken whispered.

"He definitely got buffer," I whispered back.

"What do you want?" Ares demanded.

"We need your help," said Daken. "Or, well, I need your help."

When he didn't say anything else, Ares raised his eyebrows, obviously getting impatient.

"Daken came to me and Osborn with a deal," I said, taking over. "He said that if we helped him defeat the X-men, we would get to kill an X-man or X-woman of our choice."

Ares looked thoughtful.

"I didn't say anything about you getting to kill an X-men," Daken whispered. "It just came up."

"It sounds a lot better if you offered it," I told him silently. "Now shut up, I'm doing your job for you."

"Which X-men are you and Osborn killing?" asked Ares.

"Cyclops, Charles Xavier," I said.

Ares smiled a crooked grin, "I want Jean Grey,"

"She's all yours," said Daken.

"Well then," said Ares. "I'm in."

Daken had a big grin on his face when he said, "Great. Are you both ready?"

"I'm always ready," said Ares.

Bullseye nodded, "I'm ready,"

"Good," I said. "Let's get Osborn. I think we're ready to go to Utopia."

The X-men arrived back on Utopia to find Gabby waiting for them.

"Did you find Daken?" asked Gabby.

"No," grumped Logan as he stormed past her.

"I'm not done filling you in," she called after him.

Logan stopped and turned around, "What are you going to tell me?"

"I have to tell the X-men that we're preparing for war against Daken," said Gabby. "Also, I found Rogue. She's in Professor X's office with Professor X and they want to see all of you. Now."

"Thanks Gabby," said Storm as the X-men raced into the school.

"Yeah, I'm fine, thanks for asking," Gabby said to herself. "I totally didn't just witness my sister die recently."

"So," I said. "How are we going to do this? How are we going to get onto Utopia undetected?"

Daken, Ares, Osborn, and I are in Osborn's office.

"We don't need to get onto Utopia undetected," said Daken. "We want the X-men to know we're coming."

"What's the point in that?" Ares asked. "They'll know we're coming and will have time to prepare."

"Charles Xavier will be able to sense that you three are coming," said Daken. "They'll assume I'm with you or coming from behind. I will be coming from behind, but I'll be heading through the school first. Once I'm in the school and I've done what I needed to do, I'll send you a signal so you know to come. I'll meet you on the cliff in front of the school."

"One question," I said. "Why won't Charles Xavier be able to sense you like he can with the rest of us?"

"I just found out that I had telepathic immunity," said Daken.

"Lucky," I glowered at him.

He smirked at me.

"When you're in Xavier's school," said Osborn. "How will you stay undetected? And how will you contact us?"

"I was in Xavier's school for a few days and I know their schedule," said Daken. "I'll slip in while they're in class and get my job done during the passing period. As for contact, I have not decided that. I thought you would have something for that, Norman."

Osborn looked uncomfortable at the use of his first name but nodded.

"I have something," he said.

"Great," said Daken. "We should go soon."

"Do you realize," I said. "That if we don't succeed, but we survive, we're starting a war?"

He turned to me, "We're always at war with some group or another. The past few years have been a well needed break for us."

The X-men ran into Professor X's office. Professor X was behind his desk and Rogue was sitting in a chair across from him.

"Rogue," said Logan. "Are you alright?"

Rogue nodded, "I've been better and I've been a bit worse."

"What happened?" Scott asked. "Why are there so many cuts all over you? Did Daken do that?"

"No," said Rogue, shaking her head. "He didn't cut me."

"There was also this," said Xavier, pushing a bloody arrow forward across his desk. "This was in Rogue's arm. Can you look for fingerprints?"