X-Men Evolution and all related character belong to Marvel, Stan-Lee, and WB. I'm not making any money so please don't sue me-instead sue the people who cast January Jones as Emma Frost in X-Men First Class!

Chapter Seventeen

Mysterioss flew down to the ground, furious at Charlene Xavier, at Selena Summers, at his son Rogue-and although he wouldn't admit it, at himself. His son had gone over to the X-Men. There was a way to get him back though, and the most ironic part was, it would involve the using the very law the Charlene Xavier always said that mutants should respect. As he reverted back to his normal form a smile rose to his lips.

His smile faded as soon as he saw the unfamiliar cars parked out on the lawn, the bright lights and loud music playing from the house. Oh, those kids were in so much trouble now.

Orion Munro's fingers glided over the piano keyboard as he played through the final chords of Duke Ellington's Sophisticated Lady. As the song ended, Jim Beranger the nightclubs owner, walked out on stage and said, "Let's hear it for Bayville's own Storming Blues, everyone!" As applause filled the club, Orion looked out the corner of his eye to see one woman sitting in a booth off to the side.

The Curtain fell, and Bela Horthy, a Hungarian who led the band sand, "All right, they've got about five acts before our next number so let's all take five. And Orion," he winked at the piano player's direction, "why don't you go spend some time with your lady friend?"

"Yeah, you better," said Gil Jackson, the Storming Blues' saxophone player, "or someone just might steal her away from you. Like me."

Orion smiled as he put on his fedora hat and picked up his jacket. "Carful Gil," he replied. "You want her you've got to like living dangerously." He gave a smile chuckle as Gil did his best to keep off the good-natured ribbing that came his way.

Going off stage and coming out to the club through the side door, Orion walked straight over to the both where a nearly unrecognizable Ms. Logan was sitting.

He stopped just in front of the booth. "What's a beautiful lady like you," he said, peering down from under the brim of his hat, "doing sitting here all alone?"

"Why, waiting for a handsome man like you to come along," she answered in coy voice that would have shocked any of the students at the Institute. Ms. Logan's thick black hair was moussed and styled in an elegant bun with wisps of hair framing her face. Her brown eyes were shaded a light silvery blue and outlined in black while her heavily mascaraed eyelashes curled up in a daring display of sensuality. Her lips were painted a bright crimson that matched the polish on her well-manicured and sculpted nails. She was wearing a blue and silver sequined cocktail dress with a low cut neckline that drew just the right amount of attention to her ample breasts and underneath the table at the end of her freshly waxed legs she wore three inch spike heels.

The only thing familiar about her was that she was smoking and drinking beer. But the beer was a fancy Belgian import in a flute glass from which Ms. Logan had been taking small ladylike sips and instead of her usual cigar she had a long slim woman's cigarette that her red nail polished hands held in dainty and demure manner. With her silver earrings and fine pearl necklace she looked the very picture of feminine grace and sophistication.

Orion sat down and ordered a beer for himself. Taking off his hat, he smiled at Ms. Logon. "Did you come here straight form the salon?"

"Oh yes." Ms. Logan took a drag on her cigarette and let out a tiny puff of smoke. "I wouldn't want the kids back at the mansion to see me like this. They'd all die from the shock." Orion chuckled slightly; back at the mansion some of the kids even debated wherever she shaved her legs or not. He knew that she did-he was feeling the evidence right now-but decided not to enlighten them.

"It's a pity you don't wear that scent more often," he said, taking a whiff of Ms. Logan's perfume. "I quite like it."

Ms. Logan snorted. "Enjoy it while you can." The big reason Ms. Logan seldom wore perfume of any sort was that it could overwhelm her heightened sense of smell. As if to change the subject she added, "You really play Duke Ellington quite well. It was almost like the time I heard him play in person."

The waitress came back with Orion's beer. "You did?"

"Yes." Ms. Logan couldn't remember much past fifteen years when her memories were wiped yet she still had occasional snatches. "It was at a place like this only it was in Europe. I think. An Army base camp. And I was with a guy named Steve."

A comedic duo came out on stage, and engaged in a series of routines that revolved around ordinary mundane things such as baseball or home life or double dating at a restaurant. Most of the club patrons found them a riot and even Orion let out a few small laughs-had he laughed as hard as he wanted a tornado might very well destroy the place.

Ms. Logan only gave a small snort. "These guys are like Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis trying to imitate Abbott and Costello."

"Ever see either of them?" Normally Orion didn't like to think about his girlfriend being old enough to be his grandmother-or possibly even his great-grandmother-but Ms. Logan's comment had roused his curiosity.

"Only in the movies." Ms. Logan let out a long breath of smoke as she nudged closer to Orion. "Or if I did, I can't remember." She sounded wistful, almost-sad.

"I-I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Ms. Logan put her hand in Orion's. For now it felt deceptively soft and un-callused due to her healing factor; "It just that being here sort of brought back the old memory." Her heavily made up eyes looked moist. "Thank you."

Orion draped his arm around her as she nuzzled in close. To most of the Institute his girlfriend was simply the tough, cigar chomping beer guzzling Ms. Logan who trained the students to fight and use their powers to survive. This side of her, where she was soft, demure and sentimental-that she rarely showed.

Yet he cherished every moment when she did.

"Seriously, Ms. Logan spent the day at a beauty parlor?" Kit couldn't believe what Yvonne just told him. Ms. Logan was the most unfeminine woman he'd ever met, and simply couldn't picture her in such a place.

"Yep," Yvonne replied. "I went with her; she said she was meeting my uncle at the Jazz-Manian Outback tonight."

"That place?" The Jazz-Manian outback was Bayville's leading nightclub. Kit had never been there but heard it was a really classy joint, not the sort of place he could easily imagine Ms. Logan at.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. I can't really picture her there either. But I saw her after her makeover and she seemed almost like a completely different person."

Deciding to change the subject Kit asked, "What are you doing for your Current Events project?" He grinned a little since he was assigned to do a report on the string of Spider-Man sightings and the media reaction to the mysterious figure.

Yvonne grinned. "Oh boy, I've got a great one. I've been told to do a report on the Star Wars program! I've already rented the DVDs to the first trilogy; I can't wait for to start on the second even though that wasn't as good. And I've got the entire set of novels to review-,"

"I don't think that's the Stars Wars program our teacher had in mind-," Kit began but Yvonne continued, telling how she was planning to study the impact of Star Wars on popular culture and even wanted to go with Kit to a Sci-Fi convention in New York the next weekend. Kit gave up any chance of trying to tell Yvonne her assignment was more likely to be about the space missile defense system; she'd just have to learn the hard way.

Sighing, Kit headed back to his room. Instead of opening the door normally he phased through. "Haven't ya ever heard of knocking?" an annoyed southern-accented voice snarled.

"Hey, it's my room!" Kit shouted back at Rogue. He walked over and turned off the stereo. "And haven't you ever heard of headphones? I told you I can't stand Alice Cooper!" He the then glared at the cigarette in Rogue's mouth. "And you're smoking!"

"The Professor and Ms. Logan smoke and ya don't give them a hard time."

"They're adults! Besides, they don't smoke in my room!"

"Well it's my room too," Rogue sneered. "The professor did make us roommates."

"Well I've got homework to do and I don't want your music or your secondhand smoke distracting me!"

Rogue stood up and removed his glove. "They won't be distractin' ya," he said as he stepped towards Kit, "If I drain ya!" But as Rouge reached to touch Kit's forehead, his hand passed right through the smaller boy.

Kit only grinned. "Can't drain what you can't touch." Scowling, Rogue picked up his pack of cigarettes and the horror novel he'd been reading, and sullenly walked out the room.

Kit walked over to his desk, opened his laptop and sighed. What was the professor thinking, making him and Rogue roommates? Granted Kit felt bad for the southern Goth boy the way his powers isolated him from other people. But he could be just so difficult!

As Kit logged on, he noticed signs his account had been used today although this was the first time he'd log on. Had Rogue used his account to do schoolwork? If so, Kit wouldn't begrudge him although seriously he'd have to talk about Rogue getting an account of his own. But when he saw the sights Rogue had been visiting he grew enraged. Rogue had been using Kit's internet connection to look at porn!

Rogue made his way down the stairs to the library; it seemed strange that a mansion like this should have a library on the bottom floor instead of the top. Perhaps Charlene Xavier had it moved to accommodate her disability.

He found the professor sitting in one of the easy chairs, reading a book and smoking a cigarette. "Mind if I smoke in here?" he asked.

"Go right ahead," Charlene Xavier replied. While she really didn't approve of teenagers smoking Rogue already had the habit, and Charlene Xavier knew from personal experience just how hard the smoking habit was to break. She mainly smoked in private so as not to set a bad example. "I take it something is troubling you?"

"Did ya read my mind?"

Charlene ran a hand through her wig. "I can't when I'm wearing this. I have, however acquired the ability to read people's facial language as well."

"Oh." Rogue took a long drag on his cigarette, then let out a cloud of smoke. "Why'd you room me with that Pryde guy? Ya've got plenty of rooms here; couldn't ya let me have one of those?"

"I did it for two reasons Rogue." Charlene snuffed out her cigarette and looked Rogue straight in the eye. "One, I plan to have more students here eventually and we will run out of room unless we start pairing up, so I thought you and Kit would make a good start."

"What's your other reason?" Rogue asked sullenly.

"You. Rogue, I realize that it's not easy, the way your power separates you from people but you do need to socialize more. It's not healthy for you to be spending most of your time by yourself reading or listening to your music."

Rogue gave out a weary sigh, then puff on his cigarette some more. "How can Ah, I mean-," he held up his gloved hands.

"You might not need to wear those for the rest of your life," said the professor. Seeing the boy look puzzled she added, "It was years before I learned how to keep the voices out of my head and to sort out my thoughts. This helps," and she touched her wig again, "although I can and have gone for hours or sometimes days without one. It will take further analyzing of your body to determine what the cause of your powers is and find some means of controlling it. It may be possible to do this with the aid of technology, and it may even be possible that that there are some who for one reason or another, might be immune to your powers."

"I already know one," Rogue muttered. "Emmett."

"Ah, yes, the Frost boy." Charlene's mouth twitched up in a small smile. "I take it however that is not the sort of contact you desire."

"No." Rogue threw away his stub of a cigarette and lit up another one. "Even if it was, it's only when he's in that diamond form of his. Otherwise, he's as vulnerable to my power as anyone."

"I see." Now Charlene took a long look at Rogue's face. "Rogue, I understand that this is very frustrating for you. I remember what it was like to be a teenager-yes, it's different for a girl but not that different-and you must feel alone. But looking at porn sights on the Internet will not help you in any way."

"How'd you know about that?" Rogue cried out in surprise.

"You and the other students here all are minors," said the Professor, "and as you are in my charge, I have the responsibility to oversee what you are using your internet service for. And although you were using Kit's account, he has never been a frequent visitor to those websites." Seeing Rogue blush she went on, "You're not in trouble; like I said I understand what you're going through. But I am going to but a blocker on the institute's net service, so I'm must tell you won't be able to visit them again here. And I will be starting an account for yourself, so you will not be using Kit's." She took another cigarette from her pack and lit up. "And there is something else bothering you too."

Rogue took out his cigarette and let out a long stream of smoke. "It's Mysterioss. Y'see, back in the caves, Ah found out," Rouge paused and took in a deep breath. "Ah found out that Ah'm his son."

Mysterioss had the entire Brotherhood, minus Emmett and Martin, lined up against the fireplace of the living room, from Frieda down to Morgan.

"So," he said walking up and down the line of mutant teenagers, glaring into each of their eyes, "while I was away the lot of you decided to throw a party. And you allowed the guests to bring booze and drugs!"

"Hey, we got the booze ourselves," Tonya said defensively, then flinched under Mysterioss's withering gaze.

"And that makes it all right?" Mysterioss snorted sardonically. "Suppose the neighbors called the police complaining about the noise. Suppose they came and found a whole bunch of teenagers drunk and stoned. What would you do then?"

"Hey, we could have fought them off!" Lana said angrily. Mysterioss had arrived when she was in the middle of a poker game and was winning too.

"Yes-and exposed ourselves to the world. Wouldn't that have been a fine mess." It was possible that, if Mind Mistress was sent by Magnetrix she could have wiped the police's minds and rewritten their memories. But then they would have to shut down their operations in Bayville. Not only would relocating cost thousands, but it would deny Mysterioss a chance to get close to Cerebro.

"It's very plain, Mysterioss went on, "that I have been far too lenient in the past in training and organizing the sorry lot of you into a worthwhile team. Well, no more. Starting tomorrow, the lot of you are will be getting up at 4:30 in the morning to exercise and come back here after school to train in teamwork and when Martin gets back we'll be having him use his mind-imaging powers to create scenarios for you to practice in" It wouldn't be as good as that Danger Room he knew Charlene Xavier had but it would have to do for now. "Any more questions?" None of them moved. "You are dismissed."

All of them left, departing either for their rooms for somewhere else. Mysterioss didn't care where they were going; their personal lives were none of his concern.

He walked over to his den and went inside. Picking up the phone, he dialed a number and said, "Hello, Bayville Police Department. I need to file a missing person report."

Kit walked past the TV room and saw Yvonne settled down in front, with a notepad scribbling as she was watching Star Wars: A New Hope. "Working on your Current Events assignment?" he asked as he walked inside . Although Kit was still pretty sure this wasn't the Star Wars program their teacher had in mind he decided it would be no use tell Yvonne. She'd just have to learn the hard way.

"Yep," said Yvonne, her eyes glued to the television. "You wanna sit down and watch?"

"No thanks, Katrina and I are going to a movie and then catch a pizza," Kit said. Although it was Sunday school was going to be closed due to a special teacher's conference. "You uncle's dropping us off and picking us up."

"Oh that's right, his band's playing again at the Outback tonight." As if on cue Katrina came into the TV room followed by Orion. Now Yvonne lifted her head to see her uncle. "Wow Unc, you look sharp!"

Orion smiled, he was wearing his usual nightclub 'zoot suit' and black fedora of his white hair. "Well, I have to look good for a gig. And even more for the special lady in the audience."

"You better," and now all eyes were on Ms. Logan as she walked into the room. She was dressed in a different outfit than the night before, a strapless blue and silver evening gown with an ostrich feather boa draped over her shoulders. "To get Armando to do me two days in a row, I had to give him two boxes of my best cigars."

Orion grinned wider as he stepped over to her, and took her hand in his. "I'd say it was worth the sacrifice."

"Flatterer." Ms. Logan giggled as she planted her lips on his in a quick kiss. Kit was staring in disbelief; this was Ms. Logan?

As if sensing his confusion, Ms. Logan looked back at Kit. Underneath her makeup her face turned up in a familiar looking scowl; holding up her left hand three razor-sharp metal claws shot out from her knuckles. "Now you recognize me, imp?"

Kit nodded; this was the Ms. Logan he knew. Now Ms. Logan's sniggered as she re-sheathed her claws. "It's quite all right; John and Selena acted the same way the first time they saw me like this. But what'd you expect, me to show up at a classy joint like the Jazz-Manian Outback in faded jeans and flannel with a big stogie in my mouth?"

"That would make for an interesting scene," said Orion. "Perhaps maybe-,"

But Orion never got to finish his sentence. For suddenly the TV screen showed a picture of Rogue and a reporters voice said, "We interrupt this program to bring to you an urgent message. Raymond Darkholme, Principal of Bayville High school and Superintendent of the Brotherhood of Bayville home for wayward youth, has filed a missing person report for one of his charges."

Down below in the kitchen, the Professor, Selena, John, and Rogue were watching the same report. Suddenly the telephone rang. Picking it up, Charlene heard Mysterioss's voice, "I need to speak to my son."

Charlene handed Rogue the phone. "Hello Rogue."

"Whad'ya want, old man?"

"Why, for you to come home," Mysterioss replied. "Think about it boy. The police are out searching for you already. How long are you willing to hide, hoping they will give up the search? Face it boy, your only option is to come back to me."

"You bastard!" Rogue snarled as he turned off the phone.

"What was that about?" Selena asked.

"Mysterioss wants me to come back with him," Rogue, grumbled. "And I'm not gonna." He turned and walked for the stairs.

"Wait!" John called out. "Where are you going?"

"Ah'm leaving," Rogue said. He looked back and smiled sadly. "Y'all are great, but Ah can't let you get into trouble on my account."

"But," Selena said, "where will you go?"

"Who knows?" Rogue shrugged. "But I can't stay here and I'm not going back."

"Rogue," said Charlene as she wheeled her chair over to the southern boy's side, "I realize it seems hopeless right now, but I think I may have a way to resolve this."

Even in February, Mississippi was rather warm and sunny. At least however there wasn't the humidity that made the Magnolia state so unbearable most of the year.

Charlene Xavier was sitting on at a table outside a café in Caldecott. Several feet away, Selena and John were sitting at a different table.

"Charlene?" The professor looked up and saw a middle aged blind woman leaning on a white cane standing over her.

"Ah, Irene," Charlene smiled back at Irene Adler. "Please, sit down." As Irene did, Charlene asked, "Did you have one of your visions that told you exactly where I'd be?"

"No." She pointed to an ash tray that still held a smoldering cigarette. "This is where you called and asked to meet me, and I recognized your brand of cigarette."

"I really should quit," said Charlene. "It's a nasty habit."

"I know. I managed and it wasn't easy."

The two women kept making small talk for the next couple of minutes, until Destiny finally got to the heart of the matter. "I take it this is about Rogue?"

"Indeed it is," Charlene replied. "You know that he has joined me?" Irene nodded. "And you also know about the MPR Raymond has put on him.

Irene nodded sadly. "Yes, I know. He called and told me about it. He was quite angry."

"Is he truly the boy's father?"

Irene nodded again. "My vision in the matter was quite clear. There could be no other possible explanation."

"But you are his legal guardian. So you do have the legal power to allow him to join my Institute."

Irene shook her head. "I cannot betray him. You know that."

"Irene, you know that, despite their relation Raymond will only see him as a weapon to use in Magnetrix's war against humanity. I see him as a person. And I know you do too."

"Yes," said Irene. "I love Raymond-but I love Rogue too. I love him as if he was my own son."

"Yet you are willing to let Raymond use him."

"I don't want him to!" Irene's outburst was so far removed from the calm she displayed earlier. "But when I predicted the nature of his powers, I also saw that he would be the key to preventing a great calamity from falling upon our kind Charlene. I don't know how or in what way but he will."

"And can you also foresee the likely outcome of this," said Charlene as she picked up the briefcase sitting next to her wheelchair; opening it, she took out a document in Braille and handed it to Irene, "if this piece of paper ever falls into the hands of the authorities?"

As Irene's fingers ran over the raised Braille script, a new vision came to her-of herself being arrested and hauled off to prison. Of being beaten by inmates and by guards, to death, of dying just before Raymond could come to free her-and of Raymond killing himself in his grief. "How-how did you learn-,"

"That when you were a secretary at the Woodhull Academy for the blind and death you helped Mind Mistress to embezzle more than $300,000 from that school?" Charlene asked. She hated what she was doing but she had no real choice. "I have my ways Irene-and not all of them involve telepathy. However, if you agree to allow me custody of Rogue and recognize him as a student at my Institute, this document will go away. No one will learn of it, or of your involvement."

"I never wanted to be involved in any of this," said Irene. "All I want is a quiet normal life. Please, tell Rogue that. And tell him I that in spite of everything, I do love him."

"I will," said Charlene. She took Irene's hand in hers. "You can tell him yourself. Come with us to the Institute. I can find a place for you there, and you can be with him."

"No," said Irene. "It's better if I don't see him. It's also likely better if he hates me, after what I've done with him."

"He doesn't hate you," said Charlene. "He's angry with you yes. But still, you're the closest he has to an actual mother. And I can protect you, from Magnetrix and from Raymond."

"Raymond, " Irene took off her dark sunglasses, and Charlene could see despite their sightlessness there was genuine emotion behind them, "is the one person whom I do not need protection from. He has, at times, been unfaithful but he would never willingly harm me. You must trust me on this; I know him better than anyone. He may be angry with me but he will not harm me."

"I see." Charlene marveled at how blind love could be.

But there is something else you must know," Irene added. "Raymond has-another child…."

End of chapter 17

You all know who Raymond's other child is, don't you? Of course you do.

If you're wondering why I have Charlene smoking cigarettes-well in the early X-Men comics Charles Xavier is frequently shown smoking a pipe-a common stereotype for academics at the time. Since pipe smoking is considered unladylike, I decided cigarettes would be more appropriate for Charlene.

The next chapter will be based mainly on 'Spykecam,' however it will focus mainly on Orion, Ms. Logan and their respective pasts. How do you think their histories were similar to those of the Ororo and Logan we know, how did being opposite genders make them different, and shape them into the people they are now? And When Shago sees Sabretooth attacking his girlfriend, how much hurt is Creed in for?