Generation Next (X-Men fanfic)

Thirty Three (Final Battle- part 1)

Mellissa shook her can of whipped cream and sighed when she realized it was empty. "Are we there yet?"

"Shut up, Mellissa! I swear to God if you ask that one more time I'm going to pull this van over and leave you on the side of the road!"

Mellissa sniffled pathetically from her seat in the back at Storm's threat. "Well, I'm bored! And Stevie won't let me touch his iPad! And I'm out of whipped cream."

"We're all bored, why don't you take a nap?" A'Cadia offered as an alternative.

"I'm not tired!" She sat back, scrunched down in her seat, and crossed her arms over her chest while sending them a look they could only describe as cranky.

"We could stop and grab something to eat," Stone suggested.

"We are not stopping! This entire operation is on a strict schedule!" Storm snapped at them. "So, everyone just sit back, shut up, and let me drive!"

"Riiiight ... being quiet," Ziva said in a near whisper. Nothing like Storm in a bad mood and behind the wheel. They better keep her in a semi-decent mood; they didn't need Storm involved in a road rage incident. The fact that she was still feeling ... under the weather for lack of a better description, didn't seem to be helping her mood. She glanced out the window at the gathering storm clouds. Right. Happy Storm was much better than angry Storm.

***

"No, no you idiots! I want the ice sculpture of me on the table over here! See, to the right of the main table! Do you people not understand the importance of this evening?" Lenny stomped over to the party coordinator as he gave the orders.

"Yes, sir, Mr. Burke! Right away, I'll make sure it's fixed!" The woman bustled off to fetch someone to move the ice sculpture.

"That's Your Majesty!" he yelled after her.

"Lenny! Oh Lenny, hey the tent looks awesome! This is gonna be a great party!" Brittney smiled at him as she twirled in the center of the tent, staring up at the ceiling for a moment before stopping and weaving in place. "Wow, maybe I shouldn't have done that. I'm dizzy."

With a curse, Lenny shoved a chair against the back of her legs, causing her to flop down on the seat. "Thanks, Lenny." She smiled up at him dreamily.

"Yeah, fine whatever." He glanced at his watch. "They had better hurry up and get the rest of this stuff set up, we've only got a couple of hours before my special guests start arriving."

"I came to let you know that the caterers have arrived. I sent them into the kitchen to get set up."

He rubbed his hands together. "Perfect. This is going to be spectacular! I'm going to go get ready. Make sure they put the ice sculpture on that table," he told Brittney before he headed off toward the back door into the White House.

"We're with the catering company and the car behind us is the additional security Mr. Burke ordered," Storm told the Secret Service men at the gate.

"I thought the caterers were already here?" he asked her.

"Yes, most of them probably are, we got caught in traffic." She shrugged as if to say, what can you do?

"Fine, go on in." He waved them through.

They didn't breathe a sigh of relief until they were parked behind the White House and standing beside the van, staring at the big tent Lenny had set up for his crowning ceremony.

"Thank goodness! I thought we were going to be shorthanded!" They all turned to look at a woman dressed in a catering company uniform and smiling at them.