McCaran AirTerminal, Las Vegas, Nevada...
A jumbo jet taxies up to the gate at this airway station
for the Neon Jungle, and one by one, the X-teams unload.
"Finaly!" Says Shadowcat. "I can't believe we're here!"
"Redy for the time of your life, Rommie?" She asks Illyanna.
"Let's do it!"
"Hold it you two." Comes Professor X's mental comand.
"Bishop played in the ruins of this city as a child, let's make sure WE are not responcible for that!"
"Yes sir!" the two girls, now both in their early-mid twenties reddily agree.
"Have no fear, Herr Professor," adds Nightcrawler with a smile, "I'll be accompaning them."
The girls arn't quite sure what to make of this, Nightcrawler, while being a swashbucler, is also fairly religious this could be a blast, or a bomb...
...A bomb indeed! A party bomb perhaps! Kitty and Illyana with Kurt in tow dashed towards the nearest neon signs. The two girls minds filled with just one thought "Lose Nightcrawler at all costs!". Each knowing just how to accomplish it.
As they weaved through the crowds they made a distict choice to head past the Pablo's in Vegas.
As they passed the open doors they glanced inside and saw Wolverine with a blushing Colossus. Giggling even more they dashed past as
Nightcrawler took one look inside and called "I'll catch up with you two later, I have...er...some things to do." But even as Kurt headed inside he heard Rogue scream
"Momma! Remy's MY boyfriend so BACK OFF!"
Inside the restroom at the Luxor Pyramid...
A portal silently opened inside one of the stalls, releasing a blond man with a sparkling eye and wearing flashy garments.
he exited the restroom, drawing stares from no one (hey, this is Vegas), and walking up to one of the machines, placed a quarter in the slot.
He turned the machine and immediately struck it rich, the machine spilling coins all over.
"You stay away from mah man!" Rogue slammed into the woman,knocking her down. "Ah cain't believe you're here trying to get yo' paws on Gambit! Come on, Remy, let's go!" Rogue grabbed Gambit's arm stalking off with him in tow.
"I think it would not be wise to anger the fraulein, Mystique." Nightcrawler helped his mother up.
"The last thing I need is your advice." Mystique turned and stalked off as well.
"Lousy, stinkie muties! Your kind don't belong here!"
"Hey, shut up you bigot!"
"Yeah, the X-Men are heroes!"
"Go back to your underground bunker, creep!"
Colossus addressed Wolverine and Nightcrawler, "Perhaps we should leave, comrades, we are causing a scene."
The trio left the crowd behind and walked out into the night air.
Wolverine sniffs around. "Where did Kitty and Illyana go?"
Illyana and Kitty at that moment were in Caesar's Palace gambling away the Professor's money. As they gamble, they can hear sweet music coming from the lounge.
They turn to each quickly recognizing the singer's voice.
"Dazzler?" They ask simultaneously.
They stop gambling and head for the lounge to find Dazzler in a sexy and slinky tight red dress with a slit down the front revealing incredibly creamy legs.
She serenades the piano player,who also looks familiar.
"The Beyonder?" They ask again simultaneously.
Illyana quickly opens a portal and teleports Dazzler away while Kitty
phases through the floor to escape the Beyonder.
He sighs and shakes his head, "What is it with these
humans?" He
sighs and continues to play the piano.
The crowd goes wild at the show put on by Kitty and
Illianna.
"They must be magician assistants! But for which show?
Sigfried &
Roy? Lance Burton? One of the MANY others?"
"Ya know, my husband, Harold here says he saw the piano
player
walk outta the wall in the restroom..."
Thank goodness for player pianos and image inducers
thinks
Longshot flipping a switch and quietly slipping away from
the piano to
take advantage once again of his luck to rake in a little
extra cash.
"Maby picking the Beyonder's face wasn't such a great
idea after all...
but how was I suposed to know the X-men were going to be
here?" he
thinks to himself.
Meanwhile, a short wase down "The Strip" at the
Excalibur...
Kitty, Illyanna, and Allison materialize in the midst of the
Merlin act of the nightly dinner show.
"Just play along." whispers Illyanna to the actor
portraying Merlin, as
she transforms into her semi-demonic Magik form.
"Oh...um right." "Foul demoness! by the power of my
magics, I
bannish thee back to the hell from which Morgana
summoned thee!!"
"Merlin" shouts as with a burst of flash powder, the three
telaported
to a more discrete location... deep within the tunnels of
Hoover Dam!
"Kitty! Illyanna! It's good to see you! Say, Illyanna, arn't
you suposed
to be dead?" questions Dazzler.
"Havn't we all at one point or another?" responds Illyanna,
shifting out
of demonic apperance.
Meanwhile, Domino leaned back and shook the dice as she
looked
across at the craps table, piles of chips were everywhere.
She threw the
dice and watched the numbers come up.
"You lose," The 26 year old slender overseer said and
started to pull
the losses away.
Domino snarled itching to put a hole in that smug grin.
Cable leaned
over and smiled.
"Too bad maybe craps isn't your game."
She looked over at him. "I'll get my money back you'll
see."
He merely nodded and walked away.
Domino turned her attention back to the table when she
cought sight
of Sabastian Shaw sitting at the blackjack table Tessa
standing behind
him, ever ready to fullfill any of his requests.
This might be fun after all. She continued to scan the room
and
noticed that the remaining Hellfire Club members were
here as well.
She silently checked the slidemount on her forearm and the
"Lady's"
Plasma cannon she always carried and smiled.
Meanwhile Cable is telepathically contacted by Wolverine.
Cable
sighs, "Kitty and Illyana. Loose in Las Vegas!" He walks
into the
bathroom so he may go to a stall and meditate trying to
telepathically
find them.
When he enters it, he bumps into someone and is knocked
down,
"What the?" He exclaims when Longshot helps him up.
"What are you
doing here?" they ask each other.
"Having enjoyment, what else?" replies Longshot.
"Thats 'having FUN'!" says Cable, "Anyway have you seen
Ro
around here anywhere?"
"Yeah I think I heard her talking to Domino."
At this comment Cable's eyes went wide as he realized the
possible
results.
Dashing towards the blackjack hall he began to hear the
distant roar
of thunder!
"Oh, NO! Sounds like Orroro's mad!" grumbbles Cable
shoving his
way through the crowd.
"Nathan! Wait!" Calls Longshot after him, skillfuly weaving
through
the crowd.
"I think I left betrace over here... or was it over there?!"
"NATHAN! They are right over there." Longshot points to
the two
ladies laughing, giggling, sipping cocktails, playing cards
and enjoying
eachother's company.
"But... the thunder.."
"Top of the hour, Nate, it's one of the Animatronic shows
over at the
Forum Shops."
"Oh..."
"If it's any concolation, I do belive they ARE talking
about you."
"But... they're laughing..."
Longshot just shrugs and smiles.
Hoover Dam...
The Troublsom Twosom along with Dazzler catch up on old
times
while taking an unauthorized deluxe tour of the Dam.
"HEY! YOU THREE! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE
DOING?!"
"We're just leaving, Sir!" Calls Shadowcat as they
dissapper around a
corner into one of Illyanna's stepping disks.
"THE STRIP"...
"Well, What do ya say, Darlin' ?" Asks Cyclops stepping
out of the
dressing room.
"You're serious?" asks Jean with a great big grin.
"Of course! Why? Don't you think I make a good Elvis?"
Jean covers her mouth and laughs.
Cyke looks at her. "Remember, we share the psionic
rapport. I know
what you're thinking!"
At that moment the stepping disk opens to reveal Kitty,
Illyana and
Dazzler.
Cyke and Jean say simultaneously, "What are you doing
here?"
The girls smile as Kurt and Piotr teleport into the room as
well.
They all stop and stare at Cyke in his Elvis costume.
'Ro and Beatrice look over and spy Cable. They laugh as
they
compare notes on him.
Longshot chuckles to himself and heads towards Domino. "I
bet if we
work together, we can win tons of money."
Elsewhere in Ceasar's Palace...
"They say you can't keep a good man down... Evedentaly
the same
goes for the bad."
"Emma?" Sebastion Shaw, the Black King of the secret
Inner Circle
of the New York Branch of the infamus Hellfire Club,
turns to gaze
upon the face of his former commrad in arms, the White
Queen.
"Who else?" Emma replys coyly.
Tessa gives her a barly noticable glare.
"Tessa, Tessa, Tessa, tisk, jellous as ever."
"Hmph!"
"And you are...?" Emma inquires turning to Maddilyn.
"Maddilyn Pryor. I'm the Black Queen now. It's nice to
meet you,
Emma. I've heard so much about you!"
"Black Queen, really?" Emma shoots a questioning glance
toward
Selene.
"It was a fair contest, she won."
^And you took it graciously?^ Emma questions
telipathicaly.
^We'll speak of that later.^ responds Selene.
"So, Seabstion, why craps?"
"If you are refering to Tessa's advantages at the card
table, I simply
felt like taking a bit of a challange."
"So, where have you been? Havn't heard fom you lately."
"The Inner Circle had a bit of a squirmish with Cable a
few years
back and we've been laying low for a while."
Shaw responds. "So, what brings you to Vegas? Class
field-trip?" he
grins.
"It just so happens that the various branches of the
X-Men are here
on vacation, celibrating the newfound acceptance of
mutants."
"Yes, I heard about such." Comments Shaw. "If you're
going to
celibrate, do it in style. You and your friends are invited,
one and all to
the Las Vegas Hellfire Club!" he says with a warm smile.
Another part of the Casino...
"Alright,now where's Kitty?" asks Wolvierine.
Cable stares at Logan, "I thought she was with you."
Cable telepathically opens his mind to find the
whereabouts of Kitty.
He laughs as he sees Cyke in his Elvis outfit through
Kitty's eyes.
He looks to the others. "Shall we join Dom and Longshot
for some
gambling?"
They all agree. As they move into the room. They see the
Hellfire
CLub members, Longshot, Emma,Ororo and Dom in a heated
conversation.
Cable smacks his head, "Great, my mom had to be here.
Now I can't
do squat.""Wait a minute! What's wrong with me? I'm at
LEAST 30,
and I don't look a day under 45! I'll do what ever I want!"
Cable thinks
to himself as he heads over toward the rulette table
plunking down
some chips.
"Excuse me, may I see some ID, please?" asks a security
guard.
"What? I don't look old enough for you?" asks Cable
sarcasticly.
"Frankly, kid, no. You don't."
"Wha...?" Cable looks over at Madilyne who greets him
with a littl
wave and a big BIG smile.
Cable quickly deduced what was going on.
^Mother, quit it!^
^Quit what?^ responds Maddilyne telipathicaly still
grinning.
^You're messing with this poor man's mind!^
^I'm just letting him see you as the 9 yearold you would
be, if you
hadn't been taken to an alternate future and raised.^
^I am NOT a little kid any more!^
^Oh realy? then show the nice security guard some ID with
your date
of birth.^ she "says" with a broad grin.
Moments later, a fustrated Cable heads for the arcade
grumbling
while all at the craps table have a good laugh.
Suddenly People start to flood out of a Casino across from
the
arcade as glass and plaster explode outward.
When the smoke clears they see Sean Cassidy and Wayne
Newton
singing a duet on stage....
Cable completely surprised by this covers his ears as
Sean's sound
powers kick in and Wayne Newton's awful singing combine
to make a
truely terrible combination.
Cable telepathically reaches into their minds and commands
them to
sleep.
Meanwhile in the dressing room, those gathered all laugh at
Cyke in
his Elvis outfit.
Illyana decides to help Cyclops by casting a spell that will
change his
clothes. However the spell misfires which leaving poor
Cyke standing
there completely naked!
Piotr and Kurt laugh. Kitty blushes. Illyana and Dazzler
stare down
and are amazed at his size.
Jean gasps and quickly makes everyone see Cyke as though
he is
dressed.
They all blink and then realize what Jean is doing to them.
She
commands Scott to get dressed, while the others head
toward the
Casino.
Cyc and Jean catch up with them momentarly, but are
stopped dead
in their tracks at the sight of Maddilyne at the craps
table.
^Uh-oh, look who's here.^ Jean commumicates to scott
through the
psychic rapport they share.
^I don't want to cause a scene, maby we should go
else-where.^
^I think maby you're right.^
As they turn to leave they hear a familier voice behind
them.
"JEAN! It's so good to see you again! How've you been?
It's been
ages!"
An astonished Jean turns to see Maddilyne approaching
with open
arms and a friendly smile.
"Um...uh...fine... how about you?" she stammers.
"Oh look, I am SO sorry about all the trouble we went
thru those
years ago, what with Inferno, and then when I first joined
the Hellfire
Club..."
"Uh...sure."
"Look, I've had some time to think it over, and establish an
identity all
my own, and frankly our past dealings with one another just
embarasses
me to death!"
"uh-huh..."
"And anyway, I'd like to get to be good friends. After all,
we're
practicaly twin sisters!" She says with a smile.
Jean, unsure what to make of all this, begins a cautious
porbe of the
surface thoughts of Maddilyne Pryor.
Maddilyne sensing this, throws open her mind, revieling a
the honest
sincerity of her words.
"This IS going to take a little getting used to."
"I understand compleatly." "Come on, let's celebrate in
style. And
NOBODY celebrates like they do at the Hellfire Club!"
"So," Scott chimes in, "Since we're out west, is the 18th
century
apperal of the Club that of the pioneers?"
Bolth Jean and Maddie give him a look of disgust.
"I don't know what you ever see in this fool, Jean."
comments
Maddie.
"Hey, you were once married to him too!"
"Not my fault. Sinister's manipulations."
"Well, forgive his ignorance, let's party!"
A short while later...
The X-Men join their hosts, the Inner Circle, while the
current
members of Generation X, the under 21 trainee team, is
shipped off to
the MGM Grand theam park, and Circus Circus.
"Leach go on rollercoasters! Leach happy!"
"Oh give me a break, Leach!" starts Jubbilee, "You've
been hanging
out with normal people for YEARS now twerp! Why can't
you talk in
normal first person?!"
"WELL! Leach sorry if Leach BOTHER Jubbilee! Just
because
Jubbilee still too young to party, no reason to take it out
on Leach!"
Artie projects an image of a dog with Jubbilee's head.
"Huh?" questions Jubbilee.
"Artie says you being a b****." illustrates Leach.
"Hmmpm! yeah, well as long as that's what you think of me,
let me
prove it to you."
Turning around she spies the Skyscreamer. Smiling evily
she grabs
the boys and drags them to it.
Walking over to the attendant she pulls out some cash and
points at
Leech and Artie.
Taking the cash he nods his head and lets the boys on the
ride in front
of the many other people in the line. "Hope you boys like
riding this till I
get back."
Leech could be heard screaming for help all the way
through the park
as the ride began. Watching this Synch walks over to
Jubilee.
"What did you do to those boys?"
"They said they wanted to ride a coaster, it's not my fault
they can't
handle it."
"Uh huh, but why haven't they gotten off?"
"Got me. Where's Skin, he was supposed to hook us up with
fake
ID's."
Meanwhile at the Airport a very cranky Pete Wisdom
stumbles off a
plane. "Pryde you better be worth three hours in an
airplane with a
screaming kid, no cigarettes and a two drink limit." He
mutters to
himself as he walks tot he baggage claim passing a very
upset young
mother trying to untie a gag from her sons mouth.
Picking up his suitcase, he runs for the door and pulls out
his
cigarettes. Lightning it up and taking a slow drag he hales a
cab.
"No smoking in here sir."
"Ah bloody hell! Can't you give a guy a break?" The cabbie
just
stares at him. With much cursing he puts the cigarette out
and hops into
the cab. "Take me to the Strip."
"Anyplace in particular you wanna go?"
Shaking his head and sighing, "No, I'm looking for someone
and I'm
not sure where they are."
"And just how do you plan on finding them if ya don't know
where
they are?" The cabbie asked dubiously.
"Look for the explosion that should occur and she'll be in
the middle
of it."
"I am not," Illyana said while looking dubiously at the gown
in front of
her, "Wearing that thing."
"What's wrong to much cleavage showing for you?" Kitty
asked as
she walked out of the dressing room in her gown which
somehow
managed to mimic high court 18 century garb and yet leave
little to the
imagination.
Snorting Illiyan shook her head. "Nope, doesn't show
enough. Come
on, help me find something less appropriate."
And with that the two girls left the room giggling.
Back at the MGM...
"Hola! Chikas!" comes Angalo Esponia's enthusiastic
greeting as he
walks up fanning out fake ID's for Jubbilation,
Yevett,Paige, Clarice,
and himself. "I said I would deliver, and I did." he says
handing them
out.
"Ah...- er... I don't know, Skin, this isn't right..." starts
Paige.
"Lighten up, hayseed! you only live once!" quips Jubbilee.
"Excuse me?!" laughs Clarice Ferguson, the recently
returned Blink.
"Fine, MOST people only live once." ammends Miss. Lee.
"Besides, chika, you'll be a natural at the strip clubs!"
Angalo says
with a grin.
"OH no! if you think for one minute... oh... HAHA, I get it!"
snickers
a sheepish Husk. "Why not? It'll be fun!"
"Hey, What about me?" asks Synch.
"Hey, Amigo, somebody has to stay with Artie and Leech."
grins
Skin.
"GEEEEZZ, man! THey're 15 for cryingoutloud!"
"And stuck in the sky screammer." adds Jubbilee.
"What you want me to do? just reach in my pocket and pull
you out a
fake ID like this?" ans he pulls Synch's new ID from a
back pocket.
"Good one, Angalo." concedes Everett with a grin.
"You comming, Yvett?"
"Yeah, just a min." Answers Pennance as she finnishes
carving the
generation "X" in a pice of stone for a young fan before
relaxing her
finger again.
Back in the taxi, the driver gets nervous as the meter
quickly climbs
with no apperant destination form the passanger, Pete
Wisdom.
"Hey, mister, how ya gonna pay for this?" asks the cabbie,
fearful that
he has picked up a pennyless derilect simply wanting a free
sightseeing
tour.
"Just charge it to the Charles Xavier account." mumbbles
Wisdom
taking a long draw on a cigarett.
"X-Men's Charles Xavier?"
"That's the one."
"You expect me to believe you are a friend of THE Charles
Xavier?!
C'mmon, buddy, $100 deposit, at least untill you give me a
destination!"
"I SAID put it on Xavier's tab!" growls Wisdom igniting a
hotknife on
the end of his finger holding it under the cabbie's nose.
With out warning, the cabbie SLAMS on the breaks, and
rears back
with a right elbow to meet Wisdom's nose with violant
impact.
"OW!! Bloody 'ell!! Stinking rotter! Why I outta.."
Then, throwing the transmition in park, turns around and
ramms
Wisdom's cigarett down his throat with his middle finger.
"And I
SAID, NO SMOKING! Now, don't mess with me man, I
work 'the
Strip' on graveyard!"
A coughing, hakking Wisdom, feeling very much put in his
place,
quietly hands over $100 and sits back to nurse his swollen,
bleeding
nose and black eye.
"Now, ya want me to watch for a big explosion, right?"
"Yeah. Just the way things tend to work out for these
friends of
mine."
"Yeah, well, just keep an eye on the meeter there, I'll be
needin'
another hundred soon."
"Theivin' sonofa..." mutters Wisdom under his breath.
"You're always free to walk, ya know."
Wisdom reluctantly hands over another hundred, hoping the
X-men
stay true to their distructive nature intime to leave him
with a few bucks
to gamble with.
The Las Vegas branch of the Hellfire Club...
Jean Grey Summers telikeneticaly opens the grand dubble
doors to
the dinning room."Well? shall we get the party underway?"
she says
with a smile.
"Jean! You look... look..." Cyclops is at a loss for words as
Jean
steps out in the costume she(Phoenix) wore a few short
years before as
the Black Queen of the Hellfire Club, only this time, she is
in full control
of her mental faculties, or IS she?
"I know." Jean smiles coyly as she walks past her husband
to
sedutivly embrace Shaw with a deep steamy kiss. "It's
good to be back,
my lord." Jean says with an evil smile.
"SHAW! YOU SONOFA..." "WHat have you done to
her!?"
Shouts Cyclops. "X-Men!It's... a... tra..." Cyc looks around
the room
to see
EVERYONE laughing."What's so funny?! Shaw's up to his
old
tricks!"
"TRICK is cirtainly the word for it!" laughs Shaw as a still
snickering
Jean walks over putting her arms around her befuddled
husband.
"It.. It was a JOKE?" stammers Cyclops.
"That's right, hon, it was Maddilyne's idea, and we let
everyone else
in on it telepathicaly." Jean grins.
"What kind of sick prank is this?" Cyclops asked.
"Oh, come on, Scott. It's all in fun!" Jean responded, still
smiling at
the clever nature of the joke.
"'FUN?!' How can all of you think this was funny?" he
inquired,
clearly enraged. He stomped out of the room, fumming, into
the street.
"SCOTT!" calls out Jean heading toward the door. Her
charge is
stopped by a hand on her arm, that of her resurected
clone, Maddilyne
Pryor.
"Let him go, Jean. You're his wife, not his mother. If he
want's to act
like a child,let him."
"But..."
"TRUST me! let him go."
"Well.."
"He will come to his sences soon enough, he is a good and
rational
man at heart." sooths Orroro.
"You realy think so?"
Storm just bites her lip and returns to the party.
Pete Wisdom grumbles to himself as they travel the streets
of Vegas,
what a bloody day this has turned out to be!!! He wants a
smoke now
but this loser cabby is being a jerk!!! Oh well, soon enough
he should
be with some "normal" people. His thoughts start to
brighten up. Hell,
he's not in a bad place thats for sure. Its about time the
X-people went
to someplace like this. A place that is more fitting to his
own interests.
"I need another hundred,"p the cabby growls. Wisdom
hands it over
relunctantly. Then again...
could it be? it ahs to... how many people, after all, were
red glasses?!
"Driver, Let me out here!"
the cabbie comes to a halt as wisdom steps out.
"'ey! you want your change?"
"How much?"
the cabbie hands him $90, and holds his hand out.
"What?" questions Wisdom.
"Tip?"
"Fat chance!" retorts Wisdom.
"Stinkin' sonofa... shoulda just dumped ya out in
'Northtown.'" he
snears as he drives off.
"Cyclops! Hey Summers! Over here!"
Scott Summers looks up and accross the street to see Pete
Wisdom
standing on the other side.
Not thinking straight over the prank played on him by
Jean and
Shaw, Cyclops makes a break for it attempting to cross the
busey
LasVegas Blvd.
Car horns honked and people swore as Scott walked out in
front of
them. He flipped off one extremely rude driver and kept
walking
towards Pete.
The driver glares at Scott and taps on the gas, barely
hitting Scott with
the side of his bumper. Scott goes flying down into the
path of another
car traveling at break neck speed.
* * *
The students of Gen X stepped through one of Clarice's
portals. They
reappeared on the sidewalk of the strip.
"Hey.. isn't that Cyke?" Yvett called pointing to the man
who was
clipped by a car and went flying down into the street.
"Oh my go-" Paige starts.
Clarice opens a portal, calling out "Hold up, I'll get him"
and steps into
it. She steps out of a portal and grabs Cyke, pulling him
back in just as
he was about to be crushed by the car.
The reappeared across the street a few yards down from
Pete.
"Hey Clarice!" Jubes yelled, Clarice could barely hear her
over the
traffic. But she knew the girl well enough to know what she
wanted.
Clarice opened a portal which the Gen Xers stepped
through,
teleporting them next to Blink and Cyke.
"Thanks" Cyke mumbled to his Clarice. "Guess that was
pretty stupid."
"Not the first time.." mumbled Paige under her breath.
"No worries." Clarice said patting him on the back.
By that time Pete had spotted them and made his way over.
"Hey Petey" Skin said. "We'd love to stay and chat, but
we have a few
plans. Clair, if you would do the honors."
"Me pleasure," She said with a slight smile and opened a
portal.
They kids walked through, leaving Pete and Scott to just
stare at the
place where they had once been standing.
"Well...." Pete started.
* * *
The Portal opened, the Gen Xers stepped out to see the
front door of
the Olympic Gardens Cabberett open wide in front of
them.
"Shall we?" grins Skin extending his arm to Paige and
Yvett while
Everet does likewise with Jubbilation and Clairance.
"Ah don't know..."
"C'mon! Think of it, Chika! the looks on their faces when
you start
peeling off more than just your clothes!" grins Skin.
"Well..."
"You only live..." starts Jubbilee before Blink's rolling
eyes silance her
cleshee`.
"Ah, why not? It'll be a hoot!" laughs Paige taking Angalo's
arm and
walking through the door.
"hoot...in-anny?" snickers Jubbilee.
A look first vicious, then understanding comes from Paige
at the crack,
she hasn't compleatly conquered her southren backwwoods
accet quite
yet, and she knows it.
THe Hellfire Club...
Jean gazes emptly out the door into the warm Vegas
evening...
"Oh Scott... Where ARE you?" whe wonders to herself.
Elsewhere...
Scott Summers is with Pete Wisdom. After a long walk and
talk down the
strip, They inadvertantly found themselves standing
outside the world
famous Palamino Club. Tha talk quickly ended with a "Who
needs 'em!" as
Pete and Scott enter the building.
As they sit down, they are joined by one of the dancers...
one with half her
face painted white.
"Blimey... if it ain't Mary!"
"Well, look who's found his way to LasVegas, Pete wisdom
you scoundreal!"
Grins Typhoid Mary. "And who's this hunk you're with,
hmmm?"
"Scott Summers, meet Mary. Mary, Scott Summers."
"Um... Nice..uh nice to meet you, uh... Mary." Stammers
Scott as Mary
sedutivly drapes herself around him.
"Mmmmmm... Pleasure's all mine, Handsom." she says with
an inviting smile
stroking her fingers across his cheek.
"UHHHH...PEte?!" Stammers Cyc.
"What's the matter, Handsom?" Mary coos stroking his
chest.
"I- uh.. I'm married. My wife and I, we had a bit of a
fight... and I left...."
"She clearly dosn't care for you..." she purrs sedutivly
"She didn't bother
to follow..." "And YOU came here... to me." "Sounds like
destiny has
brought us togather, Lover." as she slides her tounge along
his cheek.
The Hellfire Club..
"I'm sure he's fine, Jean. C'mon! Have some fun! Get your
mind off him for
a while!" urges Kitty, dressed (if such is indeed the proper
word for it) in
traditional Hellfire Club attire... tight and revialing in all
the right places,
accented with long gloves and a righ flowing cape.
"well.."
"Oh come on, Sis, you're dragging the whole party down!"
chimes in
Maddilyne, who's recent friendliness has had Jean reeling
all evening. The
joke which ahd set Cyclops off had been her idea.
It was all in honest good humor, she knew that, but poor
Scott instead of
finding it funny, took off in a rage.
"Miss. Grey, May I have this dance?"
Jean turned to see the warm inviting smile of the Hellfire
Club's Balck
King, Sebastion Shaw, his hand extended.
Jean let herself go, never even giving thought to the fact
that Shaw had
called her by her maiden name as he led her out onto the
dance floor....
Olympic Gardens Cabberett`...
Generation-X is eyed suspiciously as they enter the
buillding.
"May i see some ID, Please?" the lady at the recption desk
politely asks.
"Cirtainly!" Chirps Skin as one by one, they hand her the
fake ID's.
"Hmmm... um-hmmmm... ok..." mumbles the clerk as she
inspects the identification. "Alright, go ahead." she says
handing back the ID's. tonight is Amature Night, is that
what you ladies are here for?"
"Yes maam." responds Husk as she fills out the neccicary
forms.
Palamino Club...
"Gimme a little taist, Sweetthing." as Typhoid Mary draws
a kiss from Scott Summers... first on the lips, and then
deeper, more intense...
Scott pulls away abruptly. "Jean!""oh what have I done!?"
he stammers getting up to leave.
"you did just what you wanted deep inside." Mary smiles
gently pulling him back down.
"But Jean..."
"Is a part of your past, you don't NEED HER anymore,
forget her, you're mine now, Scotty." She purrs moving in
with another kiss, this time deeper, and with toung...
Mary gets up and leading Scott to a back room where he
cann "relax" and "Get more comfortable."
"Yep." smirks Wisdom to himself, as he pollishes off a shot
of whisky. "Ol' Mary 'll make a man outa Cyc yet!"
"Hypotheticaly speaking, of course."
Pete gets up and begins wandering around the room
enjoying the show.
The Hellfire Club...
"Good evening, Miss. Pryde! How kind of you to join us here in our humble little
abode." Smiles Shinobi Shaw taking her hand giving it a gentlmanly kiss.
"Shinobi?!" Gasps a startled Shadowcat.
"In the flesh!" he smiles.
"Realy?" Pryde muses, "I thought for sure when your father caught up with
you..."
"Heh, to tell you the truth, so did I. When I saw Dad and his crew comming, I
about $#!+ a brick!"
"Small surprize there." grins Illyana.
Shinobi just looks at her with a slightly amused smile.
"So what happened?" inquires Kitty qute curious as to how Shinobi notonly
survived the run-in with the father he had suposedly killed and his band of
InnerCircle recruites.
"It's the d@mndist thing realy," Shinobbi says with a slight chuckle "instead of
waisting me there on the spot, he put his arm around me and CONGRADULATED
me on my ruthlessness!"
"You're kidding!" accuses Kitty with and ammused and astonished smile.
"No WAY!!" Laughs Illyanna.
"Isn't my very presance standing before you lovely ladies proof enough?" he
smiles.
The two girls look at each other and burst out in laughter.
Shinobi is stunned and confused for a split second, but if there's one thing he ahs
learned in his years, it's to NEVER attempt to fantom the female mind, especialy
when dealing with 2 of them!
As a server passes by, Shinobi takes a drink for his two charming companions,
then one for himself.
"A toast! to the newly formed friendship between the Greater X-Men and the
Hellfire Club! And to the grand possibilities it may bring!" Shinopbbi says
raising his glass high.
Kitty and Illyana, actualy enjoying the decadance of the Hellfire Club, Kitty far
more than she had anticipated, bolth raise their glass in the toast.
"Anyway," Shinobi continues, "My father has now taken me 'under his wing' so to
speak, helping me to 'refine' my talants."
"And...?" prompts Kitty, curious where this story is leading.
"AND," continues Shinobbi, "I belive it is time I formed my own branch of the
Hellfire Club, right here in Las Vegas."
"oh, realy?" comments Illyanna.
"And just whom do you have in mind for YOUR Inner Circle, hmmmm?" Inquires
Kitty, her intrest piqued.
Olympic GArdens...
"WOOOOO-HHHOOOOOOOO!! Shake it, Chika! Shake it!! WOOOOOO!!!"
hoots Angalo Esposina as the
music blares and the dancers dance.
Husk just glares at him.
"WHat?!" defends Anglo with a grin "I'm just warming-up for your show, Hon!"
he winks.
"Hmph. Well I have a few moves of my own!"
"I'll bet you do!" grins Skin.
"OOH!!" growls Paige slapping Skin on the shoulder.
"Heh-heh Heyyyy!" he snickers.
"Well, I'm up next anyway." she says watching Yevet's prefomance for
inspiration.
Yevet... "Pennance" as she is known in costume, how she's changed over these past
5 years...
Once the girl was so sullen and withdrawn that her skin was in a perminant state
razor-sharp contraction,
her mind, so emotionaly scarred, she was thought to be mute.
Now, gradualy over the past 5 years, she has softened-up, gained mastery over
her power, and come out of
her shell in more ways than one. once sullen and withdrawn, Yevett is now a
bubbly 19 year-old enjoying life
to the fullest.
This new Yevett shows a grace and fluidity in her moves that she could easly be
taken for a seasoned pro,
quite the natural.
THe music ends... It's Paige's turn...
"Go get 'em, Chika! Show 'em waht you can do!" Coaxes Skin with a wink and
BROAD grin.
With a nod and a wink, Husk gets up on the stage, and the music begins...
MGM GRAND Theme Park...
"SssssssssssttoooOOOOOOOOOOOoooopppppp thiiiiiiissSSSSSSSSSS
thIIIIIIIIIiiiinnnnnnnnnngggg!!"
Cries Leech as he and Arti go swooping throught the airon the several story high
Sky Screamer.
"SssssssssssttoooOOOOOOOOOOOoooopppppp Lllllllleeeeeeeeeeeech
goooooooooooooooooootttttaaaaaaaaaaaa GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!"
"Lllllllleeeeeeeeeeeech goooooOOOOOOOooooootttttaaaaaaaaaa....!!" as a warm
"rain" showers down upon
the crowd below.
The atendants quickly unload Artie and Leech, ejecting them from the premmisis.
"Leech TOLD parkman to let Leech off. Leech TOLD park man Leech had to
go..."
Artie just shruggs and smiles, as they start walking up The Strip toward
CircusCircus.
further down the street, at the Hellfire Club...
Jean Grey...Summers, Jean Grey Summers... but for how long? Shaw's touch is so
inviting, and Scott... Scott
had stompped out of the place in a sulking fit after a harmless prank on tha part
of Maddlyne, Shaw, and
herself.
Jean thought back over the past few years, It realy started soon after Bastion
and his Zero Tollerance
program, when Scott had a bomb implanted within him, and had to take time-off
to recouperate up in Alaska.
The residual pain of the removeal of the bomb crippled his optic blasts, and with
it to a degree, his
confidance.
Her return after a manner to the costume of the Phoenix in reflection of her
growing power levels and
control realy hadn't helped matters. THe costume brought back painful
memories, which, while SHE had
learned to cope with, Scott'sfrogile psyche was still deeply disturbed at the
sight.
While a variation was soon crafted, a growing resentment seemed to eminate
from her husband as her control
of her power grew, while his skills had to praticaly be renewed from scratch...
the Phoenix image formed when
her powers were in use seemed to drive a wedge between them. When they had
married, she had oppted take on
his name, Summers, but only hyphinated with her own maiden name. it was a show
of indipendance, a show that
while she may be married, she was still her own woman.
Perhapse it was time to cut Scott loose... His lack of humor in an honest joke and
overall disposition...
But what of Rachel?
They had thought she was pregnant once, but it had been a false alarm, not
Rachel.
After all, Maddline and Cable hadn't been a part of Rachel's past...
the possibilities of the exact combination of reproductive componants needed...
well the odds are against it
to say the least....
"Goodevening,M'lady, might I have the plessure of your company this dance?"
"Long time no see, Handsom." smiles Maddiline as Alex Summers takes her hand
leading her out onto the dance
floor.
"So..." starts Alex "Where have you been the past few years?"
"Oh... her and there. you wouldn't BELIEVE how wide spread the Hellfire Club's
holdings are! Why, Shaw alone has residances all over the globe. from Tokyo, to
Brazil, even his ancesteral home in England. It's been quite the journey seeing
the world, and scarcely a squirmish since."
"Been all over the world have you? has there been any thing in particular that
was especialy memorable?'
"Oh, deffinataly! Why, In Egypt, at the Great Sphinx... I could just FEEL there
was something powerful burried in the chamber beneeth it's paws. but Even Shaw
couldn't manuver the Egyptian government to let his archiologists investigate."
"Did you try telipathic persuasion?" grins Alex.
"Nauraly! but those people are STUBBRON! And even Jean can't psychicaly
take care of the red tape and paper work!" Groans Maddiline, "But proper
procedures are underway, It should be just a short while more before we can get
clearance."
"And then what?"
"And then... well that depends upon Shinobi."
"Shinobi? You mean his father hasn't killed him yet?"
"No, he actualy congratulated him on his ruthlessness, told him that with a little
more guidance, he'd be ready to start his own SUCCESSFUL branch of the
InnerCircle!"
"You're kidding!" Grins Alex.
"Nope, as a matter of fact, with the onset of this aliance, It looks like he might
just be looking to recruit, ironicaly enough from the very ranks of you X-men.'
as she nodds over toward where Shinobi stands concorting with Kitty and Illyana.
"Kitty? Ha, not a chance!" laughs Alex "She's too... I don't know... uptight you
might say."
"People are full of surprizes, you never know." as she looks over at Kitty
noticing the body language, how loose and confortable she seems. "And what of
illiana, your little Demon Sorceress, Hmmmm?"
"Well, Actualy, whe's about as proficiant with white magic now as she is with the
black arts... that one, though, IS a tough call..."
"Looks like we'll simply have to wait and see." She smiles as the music plays on.
Looking around Pete Wisdom decides Cyclops is going to be no help in fiding
Kitty he leaves him with Mary. Walking down the street he looks into a bar and
sees a tv. Looking at the comotion on the set he smiles. Stepping inside he yells
"hey turn the volume up on that!" Grumbling the bar tender complies. "This is the
scene fromt he Olympic Gardens. No information has been given at this time
telling what the nature of the probelm is, we will tell you the details as they
come." on the screen men ran out of the club there faces white and frightened.
Smiling grimly Pete Wisdom strides out of the bar "Got ya know Pryde."
Olympic Gardens Cabberett...
The bulk of Generation X prep themselves... Amidst the mis-adventures, there
HAD been some time for traditional type schooling, Here's where they get to put
their theater class to work...
With a deep breath, they intermingle with the fleeing crowd, attempting to
fordge looks of horror and revultion as they stream out of the toppless club.
a short ways down the street, a portal opens up, and out steps blink and Husk,
both laughing so hard they're in aggony.
"HAHAAHAHA*Cough!*HAHA*groan* Oh, GEEZ, Paige *sniff*HAHA that was
HAHAHA that was TOO good! HAHAAHAHA!" giggles Clairance in painful glee.
"HAHAAHAHAHAHA Oh, I KNOW!!! HAHAAHA!" adds Paige "I SWEAR, it
just came to me!HAHAHA!"
"HEE-HEE Yeah, they were shouting for you to 'take it off! take it all off
,baby!' " she mimmicked as bolth girls burst into hysterics again.
"And that's exactly what I did! heeheehee!"
"But choosing the look of a fresh skinned corpse underneath?! that was just TOO
FUNNY!!" Laughs Blink.
"Hey, if nothing else, it'll take them a little longer to make the connection to just
who I was! heehee!"
"excues me! Excuse me, sir!" comes a news anchorwoman with cammeraman hot on
her heels.
"Rickie Cheese, news 3, could you tell us exactly what is going on here?" as Skin
find a microphone shoved in his face.
"Uh... this crazy chika, see... she was like dancing and doin' her thing and all, then
she just ripped her skin right off! it was crazy man!"
"Ripped off her SKIN?!" asks a shocked Rickie cheese attempting to clarify.
"Das right! Freakiest damn thing I ever saw, man! she was all covered in blood
and *bleep* man, it was WIERD!"
"Is she still in ther? is she all right?"
"Uh... I don't know man, she just like dropped throught the floor or something... I
just wanted to get da helloutta there."
"And your name was..?"
"Angalo Esposinia, but YOU can call me..."
"OK, THAT's IT! Let's move inside! see if wae can find this girl!" shout's Rikie
cutting angalo off in midsentance.
"Hey, what about the cops?"
"We can greenscreen them in later for that show."
Angalo just shruggs and heads down the road to catch-up with his friends.
The Hellfire CLub...
"Well? What do you say? Has this Innercircle of the Hellfire CLub found it's
two Queens?" Inquires Shinobi with a smile.
Kitty and Illyana look at each other, then at Shinobi. "We'll think it over."
"I ask for no more." grins Shinobi. "Simply concider all that the HellfireClub
has to offer... and the wonders you work for it's traditional attire!" he adds with
a wink, walking off.
"Well, Kitty, what do you think? Is this new Hellfire Club for us?" starts
Illyana admiring herself in the mirror.
"I don't know... Shinobi's always been a bit of a snake in the grass... and the
Hellfire Club as a whole..."
"True, but it HAS been over 5 years since you've encountered either of them.
People change."
"Hmmm.... maby we should take him up on his offer, if for no other reason that to
keep an eye on him..."
"You sure we'll fit in?"
"You have your magic, and a fairly ruthless dissposition, I can phase, not unlike
Shinobi, I have my father's money... but other than htat, Why me?"
"Oh, like you don't ahve a mean and ruthless streak yourself!" teases Illyana.
"Well..."
"Besides, I think he just might have a crush on you!" Illyana smiles.
"Are you SERIOUS?! Shinobi?!"
Illyana nods with a grin.
"OK, Let's do it!" States Kitty "Someone has to keep that slime under a watchful
eye."
"HA! goodness knows he'll be watching you!" laughs 'yana.
"untill I know for cirtain he's changed, He stays at arm's length from me!"
retorts Kitty as they bolth head off laughing in search of Shinobi Shaw.
Clarice and Paige looked around until they found Yvett. Clarice leans down and
whispers something to her. Che nods, giggling, and the three ducked into an alley.
Clarice opens a portal and they find themselves outside the most exclusive
'ladies' club in Vegas. They all smile at each other and walk inside. They got a
table right next to the stage...
The music blared and a man came out dressed as a business man. He flippid off
his hat and loosend his tie. The girls all giggled. He took off his tie and drapped
it over Yvett's shoulder. She blushed an incredible shade of red...
He swayed with the fast music and ripped open his shirt, taking it off and
throwing it out into the crowd of women. He spun around and jerked off his
pants.
Some one on the crowd yelled out "Hey mister business man.... you can come get
busy with me!"
He turned to the girls, wearing nothing but a g-string. He grabbed Clarice's hand
and pulled her up on stage with him. Paige and Yvett squealed. Clarice just fell
into the act. She danced with him expertly, Yvett and Paige exclaimed later that
it was like sex on the stage.... of course Clarice blushed and stammered a denial...
After the song was over he returned her to her chair and then walked into the
dressing room to get dressed.
The girls stayed and watched a few more dancers, but then decided to go see
what the boys were doing.
As they walked out of the club, giggling and talking, the 'business man' stepped
out infront of them.
"Hi," he said. "My name is Sam, and I was wondering if we could get together and
do something sometime...."
Clarice blushed a little. "My name is Clarice, and I'd love to."
He grinned at her. She just sat there staring at him until Paige pinched her. "Oh,
these are my friends Paige and Yvett."
"I have a few friends inside, I could go get them and then we could all go out."
"Sounds good to me," Paige said.
Sam disappeared inside. The girls all started to giggle and squeal at each other.
"Ohmygodthere'sthatfineguyandhe'sgoingtogogethisfriendsandwe'regoingoutwithSTRIPPERS!"
Yvett said in one breath.
Sam reappeared with two friends, one had been a 'cop' and the other a 'delivery
boy.' He introduced everyone. Yvett took a liking to Jonothan, the cop, and Paige
and Allen, the dilivery boy, hit it off too.
They started down the strip, ready for a night of excitement...
"Evenin' gents! What's happenin'?" Wisdom greets The Gen-X girls and their
escorts as he encounters them infront of the erupting Marrage volcano.
The Gen-X girls gulp nervously...
"HEY!!" exclaims Jonothan, "It's 'SecretAgent Man' from the amature night
finals last year!"
"Hey! Long time no see, buddy!" grins Sam.
"You still with Mary from over at the Palamino?" adds Allen.
"Nah, we went our ways about a year ago." answers Pete.
"Oh, too bad, man, she was hot!" Grins Jonothan as Yevett gives him a SHARP
elbow... "oh, By the way, these lovely ladies are our dates tonight. This is..."
"We're already aquainted, old friends acutaly." intrupts Wisdom.
"Cool! So, what brings ya back here to 'SinCity'?" inquires Allen.
"Looking for an old friend, Kitty Pryde. You girls wouldn't happen to know where
I could find her, would you?"
"Maby," grins Clairance, "What's in it for us?" she says with a smile.
Pete leans and whispers in her ear.
A look of shock falls across Clairance Fergison's face "You WOULDN'T!"
"Try me." grins Wisdom.
After a quick look back at her party, Blink quckly informs Wisdom that Kitty is
likely at the HellfireClub Party.
"Thank you, Clairance. I'll catch-up with you guys later!" Pete shouts to his old
friends as he heads off toward the Las Vegas Hellfire Club.
the girls have a quick private huddle...
"What did he say? What did he offer?" press Yevett and Paige.
"He offered not to blow our cover, and tell his buddies just how old we REALLY
are." says Clairance glumly.
"So we're still on?" asks Paige, glancing at Allen, who smiles and winks back.
"yep!" the girls all giggle and go back to their dates.
THe Hellfire Club....
"Pardon me sir, May I please see your invitation?" Stops the gatekeeper.
"I'm with the X-men." responds Wisdom.
"And your name?" the gaurd inquires suspiciously.
"Pete Wisdom."
"Hmmmmmmmmm...." as the gate keeper scanns the guest list. "Nope, I'm afraid
I'm going to ahve to ask you to leave, sir."
"Aw,c'mon! I'm with Pryde! Kitty Pryde!"
"Hmmm... SHE is on the list... I'll call up and check with Mr. Shaw."
"Uh-hum, yessir, alright, I'll send him right up."
"Well?"
"Mr. Shaw will see you now. May I take your trench coat?"
Wisdom handsover his coat and climbs the stairway to the front door where the
doorman bids him enter.
Storm is the first to notice the newcommer to the party.
"Mister Wisdom, And what brings you here?"
"Lookin' for Pryde, Where is she?"
"*Sigh* as ever, the gentelman."
"Nevermind, 'ro, I think I see her."
"Pryde! Over here!" as he shoves through the croud.
"GRRRRrrr! Watch it, Bub!" growls the short man in the powdered wig.
"LOGAN?!" laughs Wisdom.
"Hmmmmph, Wisdom, Thought I smelled somethin' rotten."
"Good to see you too, runt."
Wisdom moves on, over on one couch sits Sebastion Shaw with Jean.
"Oh, hey, Jean, I thought you might want to know, your husband is down at the
Palamino Club with Mary." Wisdom mentions in passing.
"WHAT?! WHO is MARY?!"
"She's a stripper. Redhead too. VERY sedutive...."
Jean storms out of the Club, still dressed as the Black Queen...
"What was THAT all about?" asks Maddilyn as Wisdom passes by, still searching
the Club for Kitty.
"Apperentaly Mr. Summers is frollicking with a stripper by the name of Mary
down at the Palamino Club." answers Shaw, as he follows Wisdom, currious as to
the outcome of his presance.
"TYPHOID Mary?" asks Maddilyn attempting to clarify.
"You know this woman?"
"I'm surprized you don't. Typhoid Mary used to be an assasin, suffering from
mulitple personality disorder."
"Ah, yes, the girl who paints half her face... THe hellfire Club looked into
recruiting her once, but she was simply too unstable."
"Well, she's pretty much sorted herself out now, although her time with Wisdom
neary caused a relaps. She's a stripper now, and out of the assasination
bussiness."
"Perhaps you had best keep an eye on your 'twin sister' make sure she dosn't do
anything rash." Sugests Sebastion.
"Good Idea. Alex, Darling, I'm affraid we'll have to pick-up where we left of
some other time!" As she heads for the door.
Palamino Club...
"WOO-HOO! HEY BABY! C'mon over here!" come the shouts and jeers from the
men in attendance.
"Excues me, Madam, are you here for a positon?" inquires the door man.
"No," Jean says calmly, if just barly. "I'm here for my husband."
At that, several heads in the room turn to eye her nervously, ensuring that THEY
are not the husband being sought.
"And that would be...?" the doorman inquires as Jean goes from room to room
untill finaly...
"SCOTT!!!"
"Wha--?! JEAN??!!!" Stammers Mr. Summers caught with his shirt off and pants
down.
"Scotty? who is this woman, hmmm?" purrs Mary.
"Jean! I-I-I Can explain!"
"Fidelity never realy was his strong suit." comments Maddilyn as she catches up
to Jean standing in the doorway.
"I HAPPEN to be his WIFE!" Shoots back Jean, her eyes red with rage and
tears.
"clearly no lovelost, else he wouldn't be here. Isn't that right, Scotty?" Mary
smiles sedutivly.
"Er- actualy Wisdom..."
"Don't you DARE try to blame this on Wisdom! How do you think I found you?!"
"Backstabbing sonofa..." mutters Scott.
Jean telikeniticaly calls a knife from behind the bar.
"Jean! Wait!" Maddilyn grabs her arm.
Jean turns with fire in her eyes.
"I know how you feel! But pulling a Loraina Bobbit won't help anything!"
Jean turns, throwing the knife at Mary's purring throat!
the knife is stopped in mid flight by Maddilyn's telikenetic grasp. "And you call
yourself a 'hero.'" Maddiline spits in disgust telikeneticaly imbedding the knife
in the floor up to it's hilt.
"So, Scott," says Jean, acid dripping from every word, "What's it going to be?
Will Maddilyne and I have more incommon than ever before? Or will you endevor
to make our marrage a happy one?"
"Jean... I..."
"Don't listen to her, Stay here with me, Scotty," purrs Mary, sliding one hand
across his chest, while sticking her toung in his ear.
"YOU stay OUT of this!!!" as Jean Telikenitakly throws Mary against the wall.
Mary slumps down, unconcious, with a slight bloody streak running down the wall
from where she impacted.
Elsewhere...
Down a dark ally just off the Fremont Street Experiance, Gabe Jennings, a
mutant and a stripper,faces off against a small band of the fringe group Friends
of Humanity, a sort of Ku Klux Klan with a particular hate for mutants.
*smack!* "Take that!" Strikes one.
*WHACK!* "And that, you stinkin' mutie!" sneeres another striking Gabe with a
board.
"And if I EVER catch you shakin' your thing at my girlfriend, you filthy maggot
infested..."
"er... actualy, I'm not the one with the maggots, he used to be with the X-men,
but..." stammers Gabe between blows, keeping his sence of humor about him.
"SHUT-UP, MUTIE!!" as one F.O.H. flunkie kicks him in the ribs.
A Blink portal poens up in a basement dwelling under one of the casinos, formerly
a pizza place, it's obscure location put it out of bussiness some time ago. Now it
is an underground night club. In a dark corner, things are getting pretty hot with
Jubbilee, Synch and Skin. While they are being somewhat discreet, they are
naturaly noticed bt blink and company!
"Well, well! you three getting comfy?" teases Yvett with a broad grin.
"AH... er... uh..." stammers Synch "Actualy, we were just about to catch the
cannopy light show! right guys?"
"We were?" questions Skin, somewhat annoyed.
"Might as well." sighs Jubbilee straightening her shirt and getting her trademark
yellow trenchcoat back on as they head up the steps toward the Experiance.
"Hold it..." Synch says, his hand back. "My aura's picking up something over in
that ally."
"it's a fight!" as Jubbilee and the others push past Everet at the sound of
phrases that have haunted them their entire adolecant lives. Words like 'Mutie,'
and 'Gene-joke' rang out from the ally.
"You guys are pretty tough against one mutant, how about SIX?!" as Jubbilee
cuts loose with some small fireworks giving the biggoted socalled Friends of
Humanity a hot seat, while Skin wraps his fingers around their throats, cutting
off their air supply untill they pass out.
"Are you alright?" asks Jubbilee helping Gabe to his feet.
"I uh.... yeah... I think." responds Gabe, still a little woozy.
As Artie and Leech approch CircusCircus, one very important matter occures to
them... the fact thet they are BROKE!
"What Leech and Artie do?"
Artie thinks for a moment, then projects a small image of Artie and Leech
obtaining welth by illegal means from those around them.
"Just like when Leech was Morlock!" Leech grins with delight at the concept.
Artie points up the road about a block where all teh comotion was where Paige
ahd so recentaly preformed her little routine.
"Artie want money, then go see girls with big thingies?" intrprits Leech.
Artie pauses, that wasn't quite what he was trying to get across, but.... he gives a
thumbs up with a big grin.
"Oof! pardon! Excuse Leech. Can't see!" as artie and Leech "work" their way
through the crowd, and into the Cabberett.
They slip into the restroom to inspect their purloined goods, "Leech remember
this one, real brat." he says pointing to one of the pictures of the "little
darlings" in one man's wallet as he removes the cash.
With their new found welth, Artie and Leech head out to enjoy their local.
"Hello there!" one scantly cladd girl says with a wink. "Don't get many mutants in
here, especialy ones as cute as you two." she purrs.
"Leech not know many mutants TO get in here." he says rather matter of factly.
"True." she conceeds. "How 'bout a lap dance?" she invites. "I'll give you boys
two for one...."
"LEECH LIKE!"
^Leech like?!?^ thinks a stunned Sean Cassidy, looking around the dark room
attempting to trace the source of the voice.
As the music of the next song begins, Arttie is first. he gets so excited, that he
projects an immage of the stirppers bare brests up in the air! he couldn't have
done it at a more inoppertune time!
"Artie!! Leech!!" comes the stern voice of their head master.
The immage progected quickly shifts from bare brests to one of Artie and Leech
standing up to their necks in a pile of dog $#!+.
"uh-oh." is all Leech can gulp.
"um... you two ARE 21, right?" inquires the stripper, pausing her dance.
"Uh..."
"No, they are cirtainly NOT 21!" comes Banchee, as with a stirn utstreached
finger, he directs them out of the club. "Don't worry, miss, you didn't know." he
assures the stripper as he escorts Arttie and Leech out.
Out side, Banchee confronts the rambunctious teenagers. "WHAT do you think
you were doing in there?!" he demands.
Artie projects an image of he and Leech watching the stippers.
"Obviously! you KNOW you have to be 21 to go in there?!" banchee rants.
"Leech won't tell if Banchee won't."
"What? What do you..."
Artie projects an immage of Emma, with whom banchee had been getting especily
close to lately, and also an immage of his long term relation, Moira.
"Leech won't tell if banchee wont." Leech repeats with a smug grin.
"CircusCircus is just up the street, GO!" Banchee comands.
Back at the Hellfire Club...
"Kitty, Illyanna, where are you going?" Inquires Storm as the two girls push
their way through the croud.
"Shinobi has invited us to join his new InnerCircle as it's Queens. We're on our
way to to inform him of our acceptance now."
"KITTY!" stammers an astonished Storm.
"What? is there a problum?"
"There cirtainly IS! Do you have any idea what kind of person Shinobi Shaw
IS?! He nearly killed his own father in a power grab!"
""And he forcefuly tried to recruit Waren, Betsy, and yourself into his earlier
attempts at his own innercircle, we know. But It's entirly possible that he's
changed over the past few years, look at Maddilyn, five years ago she was so full
of venomous hate toward Jean there was mass distruction whenever the two
encountered each other, now, it's like they're long lost sisters!"
"Maddilyne's case was that of a personal grudge over an identity crisis... I don't
trust Shinobi."
"And you think WE DO? give us SOME credit Storm!" counter's Illyanna.
"then why..."
"Somebody has to keep an eye on him, and should he get out of hand... well, let's
just say we'll take care of him." Assures Kitty.
"and What of sEBASTION Shaw?"
"Just a hunch, but I doubt he'd give us any grief if we had to 'deal with'
Shinobi."
"you're old enough now to make your own decisions, all I ask is that you be
carful."
"don't wory, we will!" Kitty calls as they head off in search of Shinobi.
Palamino CLub...
"MARY!!" As Scott scurries over to check on the stripper against the wall.
"Jean! How COULD you?!" he scolds cradling the injured Mary in his lap.
"I-I..." Jean stammers, ashamed of herself and how she had lost control.
"I'll call 911." offers Maddilyn leaving the room.
"Scott, I-I'm sorry.... I..." Jean choaks.
"Maddilyn... don't bother..." Calls Scott.
"Will she be alright?" inquires Jean hesitantly.
"She'll likely find her way back in time... we all seem to..."
"You mean she's..."
Scott closes Mary's eyes with his hand, and gently lays her down on the floor.
"She's dead, Jean. You killed her." he says coldly.
Jean, stunned at the occurances, quietly and slowly turns and leaves.
"Welcome to Area 51, or at least where it would be if it existed, which it
dosn't, nobody works out here, there are no signs, no gaurds, no NOTHING!
ESPECIALY no ALIENS! You SAW nothing! IS that understood?!!" growls the
General to X-Force as they accompany Lilandra's niece, Jezine, into the top
secret base for a party prommised to be "out of this world."
: : ^Explicitly, sir, saw nothin' 'cause there's nothin' to see.^ communicates Jono
heading down the hallway toward the thumping music.
: : As Jono enters the room he is greeted by the rest of X-Force; Wolvesbane,
Moonstar, Marrow, Siryn, Sunspot, Empath, and Magma, along with a host of
various aliens, from Kree, to Shi'air to even a few Skrulls, all having the time of
their life as Lila Cheney's band, Cat's Laughing, plays on.
: : "Nice of you to join us, Jono!" calls out Jezine, working her way through the
crowd.
: : "Sure beats just another day of water skiing out on Lake Mead, don't it?"
nudges Siryn with a grin.
: : ^Actaly, I had concidered exploring the lake bottom, seeing as I don't need
to breath.^
: : "Oooo, and your biokenetic field would light it up real good down there too,
I'll bet!"
: : ^Perhaps another time.^
: : The band plays on as the party guests are litterly dancing on the walls and
the cealing with a mirrored ball hovvering and spinning in the middle of the
room.
: : ^Seems somethings may never lose their touch.^ says Jono as if with a grin as
he jumps onto a nearby wall moving with the music.
: "Ladies!" Grins Shinobi comming up from behind putting his arms around Kitty
an Illyanna. "So, have you given any thought to my little proposition?"
: "That we have, Shinobi." responds Kitty slipping out of his arm downplaying it
to a handshake, "We're in."
: "SPLENDED! Should I have your belongings sent for, or do you wish to make
an entirly fresh start?"
: "Oh, I think we'll return for a few choice items." inserts Illyanna.
: "Where will we be staying?" inquires Kitty, already suspicious of what she
anticipates Shinobi's responce to be. He dosn't fail hre!
: "Well..." he smirks, "My bed is of sufficiant size to ensure many enjoyable
nights by all." he winks.
: "HA!" retorts Kitty, "Don't flatter yourself! We'll keep this STRICTLY
bussiness... for now." she says with a wink.
: "And you?" shinobi turns to Illyanna.
: "Sorry, sweetie, bussiness only here as well." she smiles.
: It is then that the girls see the face of Pete Wisdom pushing his way through
the crowd.
: "Great, what's HE doing here?" mutters Shadowcat under her breath.
: A desperate idea quickly flashes across her mind. with a plop, she seats
Shinobi don upon the thoan, herself in his lap, apperentaly getting quite cozy.
: "Pryde! There you are!" pants a breathless Wisdom. the years of
chain-smoaking have evedentaly been taking their toll.
: "Hmmmmm?" she looks up, "Ohhhhhh, it's you." she says in a rather boared
tone. "Go away, I'm bussey." as she turns her attentions back to Shinobi.
: "Pryde, I've come back for you!" Pete stammers.
: "Like last time?" injects Illyanna "You came back, after the way you treated
her, she even TOOK you back, and you took off after some chain-smoaking
prostitute off the street!"
: "I-I was DRUNK! I wasn't in my right mind!" Wisdom defends.
: "Go away, Wisdom. I don't need you anymore, I never realy did."
: "But..."
: "My White Queen has spoken, Mr. Wisdom. Please leave or I shall have you
thrown out." States Shinobi.
: "White Quee--?" "You mean to tell me you've actualy JOINED the Hellfire
Club?!" stammers Wisdom.
: "Yes, the new Las Vegas Branch of the Inner Circle, to be precise." Kitty
purrs, sliding her hand across Shinobi's chest. "Now GO!" She commands.
: "Pryde... Kitty... I-"
: "Security, Escort Mr. Wisdom to the door, please." says Kitty dismissing them
with a wave of the hand. "Mmmmmm... I could get used to this." Kitty smiles
giving her hand another dismissing wave.
: "It's clearly your destiny to be held in such high esteme by all those around
you, my dear." as Shinobi kisses her hand.
: Kitty quickly gets up. "Thank you, Shinobi, I owe you one."
: "On the contrary, I thouroughly enjoyed it." he grinned. "We MUST do it
again sometime!"
: "Uh-huh, we'll see, strictly bussiness for now."
: "As you wish." Shinobi sighs.
Artie and Leech wander down the road toward CircusCircus, remminising the
fun(albit all too brief) they had at Olympic Gardens befor Banchee caught
them.
They likely could have bargained their way into staying if Banchee hadn't
oppened his big mouth blabbering how they were under 21 to the stipper.
Afterall, A headmaster of the Accadamy, seeing two women, AND being caught
in the girly bars?! The blackmail wasn't over YET!
As they enter Circus Circus, the legendary "MegaBucks" machines catch their
eye.
These machines were introduced amout a decade ago, and the top jackpot, now
up to an excess of $50 MILLION, has yet to be struck!
"What's one pull?" rationalizes Leech.
Artie just smiles and pulls out his wallet...
Jean Grey...Summers... stands outside in the hot summertime night air. she had
taken a life in a fit of jellousy. Out of jellousy, she had taken an innocent life...
well not TOTALY innocent, she tried to rationalize, she was some slut trying to
steal her husband!
Yet did she deserve to DIE?
"How's it feel?" comes a voice from behind "Will he come back to you now,
after what you did in there? Has killing the compitition brought Scott back to
you?"
Jean turned to see Maddilyn Pryor, her clone reborn, and recentaly new best
friend."*sniff* I-I feel horrible. Was it like this for you during Inferno?"
"Not quite. If I'd been in this situation then, we wouldn't be having this
conversation."
"I supose you're right."
"Inferno was my 'green eyed monster' of jellousy, I was hurt, and, with S'ym's
meddaling, I was ready to hurt you, and everyone else with the demonic Inferno,
all in the name of jellousy and revenge. I've had a few taists of revenge over
these past few years with the InnerCircle, some times it's sweet, but more often
than not, personal revenge only tears you up inside."
"Jean," comes a man's voice from behind... the voice of Scott Summers.
"This party's a blast!" Empath endevors to say over the thumping music to his
dance partner, and current girlfriend, Rhane Sinclare, Wolvesbane.
"But yer lookin' fur sumet'in diff'nt?!" she shouts back with her heavy Scottish
accent brought out by the liquer.
"Yeah!"
Rahne leads him out the door into the relitivly quiet hallway.
"Ahny t'oughts?" Rahne slurs.
"This for starters." offers Empath handing her a little pill.
"Ah don' no... drugs AN'liquer?"
"It's a Skrull hang-over pill. Counters the alcahol in the bloodstream in
minutes."
"W'll it w'rk on ush?"
"They say they use it only when in human form..."
"Well.. ahlright." as she pops the tiny pill into her mouth.
Siren and Moonstar wander into the hallway."WHat's up?" Siryn asks.
"Sick o' the dance. wanna find somethin' new." that pill's working quick!
" I got an idea." Empath states heading over to the General. "Excuse me, sir,
could you tell me if there's by any chance a party at the Hellfire Club in
town?"
"How the hell should I..." "Wait a minute... I remember you, you're one of
Frost's students from my days teaching ROTC at the Massachutses Accadamy!"
"SIR YES SIR!" salutes Empath.
"yeah, I rember you, kept every one else under your thumb with that power of
yers."
"True, however, sir, I held you in such high respect that I simly couldn't bring
my self to manipulate you sir!" Empath grinned.
"Cut the bullshit brown-nosen' Empath, we bolth know I simply happened to be
immune to your powers. Shaw calld in a short while ago told me he'd run into
some old friends, and for me to drop by after work. I supose you and a few
friends could get in with out any trouble."
"Thank you sir, It's much appreciated!" As Empath departs to rejoin his friends
in the hallway after a salute and a handshake.
"Good news people! We're going to club it in Vegas!"
Unimpressed looks come at him from all sides. If they wanted to just go to
another dance club, they jsut as well stay there where can dance on the walls
and with "people" from other worlds.
"HELLFIRE Club, people!" Empath adds with a grin.
The atitude quickly changes as they begin pondering how they'll get there.
At Circus Circus, Leech slips a five dollar bill into the MegaBucks slotmachine
and gives the handle a pull...
the wheels spin round and around. The first one clicks to a
stop...*click*|MEGABUCKS|
Then the middle wheel...*click*|MEGABUCKS|...
Leech's heart begins to pound.... twothirds of the way....one more... come-on...!!!
*click*|blank|... The Megabucks icon hovering just above the payline... taunting
him so close... so VERY close...
Artie gives his handel a pull as security closes in...*click*|MEGABUCKS| how
'bout that....
*click*|MEGABUCKS| Arties humogous eyes grw larger still at the thought....
*click*|MEGABUCKS|!!!!! Artie and leech look at each other in gleeful
amazement as bells, whistles, and flashing lights go off... they had done in one pull
what other individuals had invested hundreds, possibly thousands in vane trying
to accomplish, THEY HAD HIT THE MEGABUCKS JACKPOT!!!!
"Excuse me, may I see some ID please?" requests the burly security gaurd.
"Artie and Leech gulp nervously. "Uh... Wouldn't security man know it? Leech
and Artie left ID's in car. Give Artie Megabucks and Artie go get ID." offers
Leech with a false confidance.
"You kids arn't 21, are you." grumbles the gaurd.
The boys stammer in defence, but to no avale. they are soon enough identified,
and sent on their way with Artie projecting threatening immages of courts.
"HA! you don't think that's already been tried?! Hell, I remember it like it was
yesterday! some snotnosed punk kid like you fellas hit some big jackpot, his dad
quickly grabbed the handle, but we had it on servalance. He tried to sue, but you
have to be 21 to be playing the machines, that was the law then, and that's the
law now. MegaBucks will be reset at the limmit at which you wone it, now off with
ya!" as the gaurd shoved them out of the casino in the direction of Grandslam
Cannyon.
"Jean..."
"oh, Scott!" Jean turns sobbing, "I'm sorry... I'm SO sorry..." she sobbs,
burrying her head in his chest.
"Jean... I-I have to tell you something..."
"Oh Scott, I KILLED her *sob* I killed her.."
"Jean, I..."
"Mmmmm... Scotty? Are you out here?" comes a familier voice as typhoid Mary
apperes in the doorway, poutting and holding her head.
"Stinkin' rotten... came all this way... and with Shinobi SHAW no less!"
grumbbles Wisdom as he heads out toward the street. "Might as well check in on
Mary before I head out o' town."
As Wisdom deaprts, a black strech limmo pulls up the long driveway to the front
of the Hellfire Club. The door oppens releasing Empath and company to the front
steps of the Hellfire Club.
"We're Here!" grins Empath heading up the steps.
"I ne'r thought I be attending a party at the Hellfire Club of all palces!" muses
Rahne.
"Mutant acceptance has some wonderous effects!" comments Siryn "Magneto's
nolonger a problum, X-men are partying at the HellfireClub, We've even beaten
Apocalypse!"
"And you are... Sir?" Inquires the door man.
"Empath, formerly of the Hellions, currentaly of X-Force."
"Your Membership card, Sir?"
"Well, alright," grumbles Empath digging throught his wallet and pulling out his
Membership card "But only 'cause you're new here you realy ought to learn the
members, Especialy those of us with ties to the InnerCircle!"
"My appologies, sir, go right in."
"Well look who's here!" Smiles Kitty as thr group enters the room, after a quick
stop in wardroabe.
"My, my, my. Miss. Sinclare, how you've changed over the years, far more FOX
now than wolf." He says with a grin, and a kiss of the hand. "Miss. Rorke, Miss.
Moonstar, you both are lovely as ever!"
"so where's Bobby and the rest of X-force?" Illyanna asks.
"Don't know. They would be back at Area51, IF it existed, that is... " All have a
good laugh at the 'super top secret goevement base out at Groomlake dry lake
bed that everyone has known about for YEARS!!
"Sooo... Shinobi.... buddy... word is that you're putting togather your own little
InnerCircle here in town." Grins Empath.
"How did you..."
" I still have contacts, some of which are telipaths, and word travels fast. you
realy should beef up security."
"What do you think, Shinobi, seems there's still a few positions open." hints
Shadowcat.
"Are the rest of you interested?"
"What do we have to do?" questions Wolvesbane cautiously.
"Simply defeat a member of the InnerCircle in fair combat, something which you
all ahve done at one point or another. so are you intrested ?"
"I'm in. " States Moonstar.
"Me too." adds Siryn.
"Rahne?" Inquires Empath.
"Ah canne' believe I'm doing this." Rahne sinclare laughs as she joins in.
"Uh-oh." mutters Maddilyn at Mary's apperant meraculous return from the dead.
"She's alright? I didn't..." stares Jean in disbelief.
"I had to do it, Jean..." starts Cyclops.
Jean turns toward her husband with far more hurt than anger in her eyes this
time "How COULD you?!" she cries.
"Your power.. it's out of control ! That incident back in the HellfireClub..."
"Was a simple harmless joke, you imbacil ! " scolds Maddilyn.
"I honestly thought you'd see it comming mile away!" defends Jean "Then, instead
of taking it like a man, you run out on me, and hook-up with with some stripper!"
"I supose it's my fault to a cirtain degree." admits Mary.
Jean turns with eyes ablaze.
"Calm down, Jean. That's Typhoid Mary, not just any stripper, she has the
mutant power of seduction, few can resist her." Explaines Maddie.
"But, it's like I explained to Scotty earlier, If things were so great between the
two of you, he wouldn't have even been here." Mary explaines.
Jean regains her composition, and clearly and deliberitly..."Scott, It's over."
"Over?! But Jean...!" protests Scott Summers as Jean removes her wedding band
slapping it firmly in his palm while at the same instand, ending the last reminants
of the psyhic raport they had shared.
"WE will see you in divorce court, MISTER Summers!" States Maddilyn with
finality as she and Jean turn to leave.
"Divorce Court?!" Stammers Scott with his jaw praticaly scrapping on the
ground.
"Don't mind them, Scotty, come back inside with me." coaxes Mary, sliding her
finger under his chin.
I... might as well." relents Cyclops, for in the final moments of the psychic
rapport with Jean, he senced that she had ment every word. this was the end, and
the ending of the rapport drove that nail home like nothing else.
As Jean adn Maddilyn wald back to the Club, Maddlyn stops momentarly.
"What is it?" Asks Jean.
"I'm alwayse in light psychic rapport with the team, much more reliable than a
beeper or cellular. Shaw says they called from Egypt, we have permission to
investigate the Sphinx chamber, provided we can enter with out disturbing the
structure."
"What are you talking about?" presses Jean, curious asto the secret chamber
long rummored to be between the Sphinx's paws.
"When the Club visited Egypt a few months ago, I senced something of great
power deep below the ground between the paws of the great Sphinx. We've been
working on gatting permission to investigate ever since, and it looks like now we
have a limmited pass of sorts."
"And how do you plan on entering the room without disturbing the ground or the
structure?"
"THat's where Shinobi's new InnerCircle comes in. Kitty and Illyanna were
selected in part for just such a sneeky condition on tha part of the Egyptian
government. they REALLY don't like archiologists, too many grave robbers among
them."
"I see..." "Maddilyn..."
"Hmmm?"
I... I need a break... not just with Scott, but from ME to a cirtain extent...."
"I think I know where you're going with this... I've been feeling the same way. I
often wonder what it would be like on 'the other side' so to speak, as a hero
helping others, as much as if even at the expence of myself, instead of being the
reigning Black Queen of the Hellfire Club."
"After all... we ARE paraticaly twins." smiles Jean as they enter the Hellfire
Club and linger for a few moments in the wardrobe room.
As the two women enter the room, Storm moves in curious as to the out come.
"Let's just say the trouble's ended." Jean(?) states with a sad smile.
"You mean..."
"We're taking him to divorce court." States Maddlyn(?), also with remorse.
"I... See." "And what of Nathan?"
Bolth Madilyn(?) and Jean(?) give a slightly ammused smile thinking back to
earlier that evening when Maddlyn had made the gaurd at Ceaser's Palace See
Cable for the Juvinile he would be had he not been taken to the future to be
raised by the Askani.
"Finger prints and DNA testing SHOULD prove that Nate is still technicaly the
same boy he would be." Offers Jean(?).
"And as now a mature man, is quite capable of taking care of himself." adds
Maddie(?).
"I supose we should tell the Professor." sighs Maddlyn(?).
"Where IS the Professor?" Wonders Storm aloud.
"I Think I saw him heading down the hall with a coupple of the younger servant
girls in tow." Offers Kitty, who happened to over hear the conversation.
"THe same hall Kurt went down with a few of the older servant girls?" adds
Illyanna.
"The Professor?!" asks a shocked Wolvesbane, unabel to believe such a man
would do such things as was being implied.
"Does the name 'Onslaught' mean anything to you, Rahne?" inquires Jean(?).
"Still gives me shivers. The thoughts he was having about meYOU when you were
young..." Adds Maddlyn(?)
Kitty arches an eyebrow at the odd correction, but decides not to make anything
of it for now.
"Oh... I guess I'd forgotten." concedes Wolvesbane.
After a moments hesitation, "Wish I could." Jean(?) states simply.
"Maddlyn, My dear," As Sebastion Shaw enters the group, "Perhaps you should
see to it that your bags are packed. We leave for Egypt at dawn."
"Cirtainly, Sebastion." Maddlyn(?) agrees with a quick, yet tantilizing kiss.
"You X-Men are welcome to accompany us, or remain behind as you each should
wish." Offers Shaw as he departs.
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