Advocates for the Devil

Evan shrugged slightly trying to keep the chill of the night from getting to him. He was in an alley wearing a cloak that barely covered him. Since he was no longer under the protection of the X-Men he had to find a way to hide more. Especially from the media and FOH. His parents had found an apartment on the outskirts of New York and for the past week Evan didn't even go outside. He had to sneak out in the middle of the night.

Of course there was a reason for this excursion. "About time you got here."

"Callisto," Evan looked at the Morlocks. "Sunder. Tommy? How are you…?"

"You have no right to ask after what you put her through!" Sunder snapped.

"Sunder please!" Tommy pleaded, her belly was swollen indicating her pregnancy. "No fighting please!"

"I called this meeting here for a reason Spyke," Callisto said.

"I know you kicked me out of the Morlocks," Evan said. "What's more to say?"

"I felt we needed to end this face to face," Callisto told him. "And to settle a few things."

"Yeah," Evan said as he looked at Tommy. "I know."

"You should have told me what you were planning to do with Spears," Callisto looked at him.

"So you could stop it? You know I did what had to be done," Evan told her. "Morlock honor demanded Jackdaw's murder had to be avenged. You remember Morlock honor? The code you taught me?"

"It also states not to abandon a pregnant mate for another!" Callisto snapped.

"Look I admit I screwed up on that one," Evan said. He turned to Tommy. "I made a mistake. I was scared okay? I'm only human! So to speak. But I'm willing to put things right again. I never meant to hurt you Tommy. You know that."

"I know," Tommy said. "But I also know you want to live in a world that I can't live in." She turned away from him. "And you can no longer live in mine."

"But you need me!" Evan said. "The baby…"

"Will be just fine," Sunder grunted putting his arm around her.

Evan looked at him. "So that's the way it is huh?"

"Yeah," Sunder looked at him.

"Okay," Evan backed down. "It's your call Tommy."

"You did avenge Jackdaw's murder," Callisto stated. "And yes you did take care of a great threat. But at a price. Your actions endangered all of us. Yes a Morlock's murder must be avenged but not at the cost of other Morlocks' lives! By killing Spears and putting us all through that show of a trial you made things just as bad as if Spears kept producing Power 8! Maybe even worse. I can't allow that type of recklessness among the Morlocks."

"Are you saying you don't need me anymore?" Evan's eyes narrowed.

"We got by pretty well before you came to the tunnels," Callisto told him. "We'll survive."

"So just like that you're dropping me?" Evan asked bitterly. "After all I've done for you?"

"Spyke think about it," Callisto told him. "Even if I allowed you back into the tunnels you're too well known among the topsiders. Your presence there would focus more attention on us no matter how hard you tried to hide. And we all know hiding is not exactly your strong suit. The FOH has already made you a target. Your presence would endanger us even more."

"I see your point," Evan looked away.

"I know you meant well," Callisto said softly. "But sometimes that's just not enough."

"Hey, don't worry about me," Evan grunted. "I'll get by."

"Where will you go?" Callisto asked. "Back to the X-Men?"

"Fat chance!" Evan laughed. "But like you said, I'm not your problem anymore so why should you care?"

"He's right," Sunder grunted. "We should go."

"Goodbye Evan," Tommy said. "I hope you find what you're looking for. Take care."

"You too," Evan said sadly as they disappeared. He waited a moment after they were gone and decided to head back. However just as he was about to leave the alley, a limo drove up and blocked his path. "What the…"

"Looks like you've run out of friends," Emma Frost purred as she opened the limo door. "Need a ride?"

Evan looked at her. "Why not?" He got in, trying not to puncture the cushions but couldn't help it. "Sorry…Not exactly easy to move with these things."

"I can imagine," Emma said. "I have to admit, I must congratulate your success. Spears was a threat that needed to be taken care of. Just because Xavier was blind doesn't mean the rest of the mutant community is."

"Yeah well…" Spyke told her. "Not exactly grateful are they?"

"No but there are those who appreciate your initiative," Emma said.

"How do you know about…?" Evan began. "Oh wait you're a telepath. I forgot."

"Well it's not like we met before," Emma shrugged. "And you have been rather preoccupied. It wasn't hard to read the minds of some of your…former associates. Let's cut to the chase. I'd like to make you an offer."

"Let me guess, join your Hellions?" Spyke asked. "I thought you only took so called perfect mutants?"

"If that was true I wouldn't have half of my team," Emma snorted. "Besides we need someone who can think. Someone who isn't afraid to get their hands dirty. You'd be an asset to our side. And I can offer you much more than Xavier ever could."

"Really?" Evan was interested. "Like what?"

"Well an education at one of the finest schools in the country for starters," Emma said. "Also money, power, respect as leader of the Hellions…"

"Leader? I thought Monet was in charge?" Evan frowned. "From what I've heard she seems to be a Mini Frost in training."

"Yes well, she hasn't been working out the way I planned," Emma sighed. "A bit of a disappointment really. But then some people I guess aren't born with leadership skills. But you have great potential. And I might be able to do something about those cumbersome spikes."

"You mean a cure?" Evan asked.

"Not a cure. Just a way to help keep them…under control," Emma told him. "You would be able to revert back to a normal appearance again."

"You can do that?" Evan was shocked.

"You'd be surprised at what we can do. Are you interested?"

"Well let's see," Evan mused. "The streets or fame, fortune and power as well as looking normal again? Tough choice. So when do we start?"

"Just as soon as we get your parents to sign a few documents," Emma grinned. "You'd be surprised at how persuasive I can be."

"Don't worry," Evan scoffed. "You won't have to work that hard to persuade them. Or me."

"I know," Emma grinned as they drove away.

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"Duncan come in," Jake motioned to Duncan in his office. "I'm glad to see you. How are you doing?"

"Fine," Duncan sat down wearing a business suit. "I can't believe everything that's happened. How's Creed doing?"

"He's…resting," Jake said cautiously. "Naturally he had to remove himself from the presidential race for health reasons."

"Yeah right," Duncan scoffed. "It's not his fault he's got a family of freaks! He's not one of them! He can't help it!"

"I agree," Jake told him. "However the FOH can't afford any more scandals right now. Having a leader with so many mutant ties can be a bit…Well, problematic."

"So who's in charge now?" Duncan asked. "You?"

"Along with several others," Jake said. "We're doing a complete restructuring of our governing system. We're even doing thorough background checks and blood screenings of all potential leaders. That's why I called you in here. Yours came out clean as a whistle. You have potential Mr. Matthews. A lot of potential."

"Oh really?" Duncan raised an eyebrow.

"This mutant problem is not going to go away overnight. It's going to take years, maybe decades before we achieve our goal. We need some up and coming fresh blood," Jake spoke. "Someone groomed to take the reins of power when the time comes."

"Someone like me?" Duncan grinned. "Keep talking…"

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"So how's Storm holding up?" Roadblock asked Xavier. The two of them were at the gazebo by the pool. The X-Men and Misfits were all together at the mansion, still trying to figure out what had happened two days ago.

"Not so well," Xavier sighed.

"You're not looking too well either," Roadblock sat down on a bench. "Come on Charles, spill it."

"I've failed again," Xavier sighed. "First Magneto, then Proteus and Lucas…Now Evan. The first two I suppose couldn't be helped. And I never even knew about my son until it was too late. But Evan…I trained that boy. Taught him how to use his powers to their full potential."

"And now it's backfired on you big time," Roadblock nodded. "That was a risk you had to take. It was Spyke's decision to make. If he was a little more patient that antidote would have been ready in no time and this whole mess never would have happened. No one would have had to die."

"I keep thinking over and over if I'm doing the right thing," Xavier sighed. "Evan did have a point. I have been training the X-Men to be soldiers no matter which way you look at it. In a way that's no different than what Magneto is doing. Who am I to train the X-Men for fighting? To rob them of a normal life?"

"Xavier I hate to say this but any chance any of those kids had of a normal life disappeared the minute their powers manifested," Roadblock told him. "But you haven't exactly done that bad by them. Here they've got family, some control and a life. That's more than what they would have had out there."

"Yes but what kind of life is it?" Xavier sighed. "It's just starting to hit us how dangerous things have become. It's not just the battles we've fought. Thunderbird's death and Spyke's betrayal has shocked us all. They had the same training and advantages as the others. If one of them could go bad or worse…"

"Don't think I haven't thought about the possibility of any of our Misfits going rogue," Roadblock pointed out. "But what's the alternative? Give up? Let mutants and humans start a war nobody could win? We have to do what we can for the kids we can help. That's what gets us out of bed in the morning. Even if we can only turn one kid's life around or save one person we've done our job."

Roadblock pointed to some of the New Mutants playing. "Look at what you've done here. Where do you think they would be if this place didn't exist? In a weird way the Misfits wouldn't exist either if it wasn't for you."

"Roadblock do me a favor, please never mention to anyone the possibility that I had a hand in creating the Misfits, whether intentional or not," Xavier made an amused face.

"All right but you gotta admit if you and the X-Men weren't here to fight the good fight, who would be left to fill the void?" Roadblock said.

"I never imagined it would be this hard," Xavier shook his head.

"Nobody ever does. As for the future, we're just going to have to wait and see," Roadblock shrugged. "And hope for the best."

Meanwhile several of the X-Men and Misfits were sitting together on the grass cliff overlooking the ocean. "I can't believe everything that's happened," Kitty sighed. "I mean it was horrible enough what happened to Mr. Proudstar but this… I think this is even worse!"

"At least Thunderbird died fighting for peace," Scott said. "He didn't just give up and quit!"

"Yeah Spyke was one of us from the beginning," Kurt nodded. "I still can't understand what would make him change like that. How could he turn his back on us and everything we all believed in?"

"If there's anything I've learned over the years is that war changes people," Lance said softly. "That's what we're in you know? Maybe it's not an all out war for survival, but it's pretty much close to it."

"After what we've been through lately I believe it," Rogue said. "Nobody could go through what we have and not change."

"As Stormshadow would say," Althea remarked. "That which does not kill us make us stronger."

"He ripped that off from some other guy," Fred remarked.

"Yeah but you gotta admit it fits," Althea pointed out.

"What really gets me is that I'm the one who let Spyke have access to those watches," Pietro sighed. "If I hadn't taken him to Trinity's lab he'd never have swiped that watch behind my back!"

"Wow, Quicksilver actually admitting he screwed up?" Todd remarked. "I gotta get this on tape."

"Yeah well for once you can't take all the credit for this," Kurt said. "We told them about the watches in the first place."

"That's right you did!" Pietro grinned. "Thanks Blue Boy, I feel much better!"

"Anytime," Kurt said sarcastically.

"Face it there's plenty of blame to go around," Lance said. "But the fact of the matter is we didn't kill Spears, Evan did. He just fooled us all."

"Yeah the Porcupine's become a lot better at that since he joined the Morlocks," Rogue agreed.

"Remember what the Professor said after the battle with Apocalypse?" Scott remembered. "That the best of friends would become the most terrible of enemies. You think he was talking about Spyke?"

"Maybe. Who else could he have been talking about?" Jean shrugged. "It's Storm I really feel bad for. This whole thing has torn her family apart."

"Nearly tore us apart," Scott sighed. "It's not going to get any easier after this is it?"

"Fraid not," Althea shook her head. "Face it Summers, this is just the beginning of a very long battle. A battle we can't afford to lose."

"Yeah," Scott sighed. "But it's a battle we may not win either."

Jean's cell phone beeped. "I've got it. Hello?" Jean answered it. "Professor Sterisin! What? I'm allowed back! Thank you! Oh yes I'll see you in class tomorrow!"

"They're taking you back?" Rogue asked.

"Yes!" Jean grinned. "Professor Sterisin not only convinced the board to let me continue, he's going to set up a special forum on mutations. He wants me to be his assistant!"

"Jean that's great!" Scott hugged her. "I'm so happy for you."

"At least something good happened this week," Kitty sighed.

"Yes Professor Sterisin has been so helpful with me, even sending me lessons via e-mail," Jean smiled. "I wish there were more people like him."

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Back in Professor Sterisin's lab the good professor nodded as he hung up the phone. He looked at the new college dean. "I'm so glad you did this."

"Well it's important that Miss Grey continue her education," He said. "She has so much potential. Now if you must excuse me I have to get back to the office."

"Yes I know how this is a busy time for you taking over Dean Anderson's job," Sterisin nodded. "It's a shame about that horrible accident."

"Well at least he didn't take anyone else out in that car crash," The dean sighed. "I can't believe that Anderson was drinking and driving."

"Some people can't handle pressure," Sterisin showed him the door. "Anyway thank you for taking the time to personally inform me. I do appreciate it."

"Not at all, like I said Miss Grey is an exceptional student. I think she has more than earned her second chance with what she's been through," The Dean waved as he left.

"Oh yes," The professor's features melted away into a different face as soon as he closed the door. A white face with cold red eyes. "You much potential Miss Grey. More than you could ever realize. I could use potential like that."

"Well that went well Sinister," His assistant, a young man with long scraggly hair appeared. "You were right. All we had to do was knock off Anderson and she'd be back in school. Just wish it didn't take so long for them to make up their minds."

"That's Mister Sinister to you, Riptide. Besides, I have nothing if not patience," Sinister's eyes glowed. "But in the end it was worth it. Now the true fun begins…"

That's it! This fic is done! You're gonna have to wait a while to see what Sinister and the others are planning! Yahoo! Hope you liked the fic! Now I'm going back to short wacky fics for a while because this one drained me! Just keep reading and reviewing and thank you everyone!