Logan was vaguely aware of the fleeing bodies of innocents as they scrambled out the the way of his claws. His own personal hatred of Cyborgs not withstanding, Logan wondered just what or who had sent these things after the five young people. The Cyborgs rushed, punched, kicked and attempted some sort of beam (probably an energy blast, Logan thought as he casually side stepped one) to slow the kids up, but not damage them. Almost as if their orders were to capture them alive.

It seemed as if hours passed in seconds as Logan hacked and slashed. Maybe that was why he was barely aware of Storm's voice as it penetrated his battle rage.

"Logan,enough. The robots are retreating." A cool, dark hand rested on his shoulder and he looked up at his team leader, desperate to get his beastial urges under control. He sobered immediately as his eyes met those of the young woman he'd earlier admired. He hoped it wan't like looking in a reflection.

Her chest heaved and sweat dripped from her brow. A warning snarl could be heard as the X-men Storm, Wolverine, Gambit, Beast and Pheonix faced five equally powerful and (as apparent by the carnage between the two groups) competent mutant warriors. Her lips pulled back to reveal short fangs as she growled and her claws were half extended (well, that's a small sign, he muttered to himself). In her eyes was the half-savage look Logan knew he often displayed during battle. She closed her eyes and a shudder racked her small frame. Her claws retracted into her hands and when she opened her eyes again she was fully human.

There was a terse silence then, broken only by the sounds of shorting circuits as both groups tried to decide who should be the first to speak and what should they say. The informal assumption of leader became formal as the young people turned to the woman to await their cue.

They've been together for a while, thought Logan. Long enough at least, to read each other's clues. He cocked his head slightly as the sound of sirens in the distance reached his enhanced ears.

"Police coming." the young woman stated. Her voice was husky from battle rage, but Logan suspected it wasn't much higher than that normally, "Better clear out. Thanks for your help." The entire group turned as one to leave.

"Wait a moment, please!" Beast yelled after them, "We could provide you with expedient transportation as well as a place to abscond yourselves until the furor of this event dies down enough so that..."

"You mean a place to hole up?" the brother grinned as he cut Beast short. Beast, long since used to such abrupt treatment from his companions, grinned in agreement. The boy turned to his sister, who then faced the blonde, an unspoken question passing between them. Logan felt a clumsy probe from her mind and barely restrained his flinch. The blonde nodded once as the sirens grew louder.

"Go." she motioned for her group to follow the X-men and brought up the rear as they hopped over metallic bodies to join forces.

Before she reached the combined group; however, a fragmentally functional Cyborg stretched up from its grave to try to claim its last victim. Its metallic arm, broken to a razor edge, sliced neatly through her upper thigh while a quick grunt of pain escaped her lips. Before the robot had time to inflict any more harm, Jean had wrapped a telekinetic hand around the girl and lifted her out of the way. Logan leapt on the Cyborg and savagely finished it before anyone could blink.

He held out his arms for the wide-eyed girl to steady herself against as Jean gently set her down. The sirens were clearly audiable and closer by the second.

"You need attention." Jean was worried about the amount of blood she saw but Logan noticed the girl's team didn't seem overly anxious.

"I'll be fine, lead on." she said, sweeping Jean's concerned hands briskly away. She's all business right now, Logan thought. He liked her more by the second.

He took point, since he was now familiar with this brand of Cyborgs' scent, and led the way to the vehicles. They all made it without incident until a warning hiss came from the injured girl. They melted against the walls of the alleyway they happened to be in at the time and watched as two Cyborgs (with the same faces as the unrecongnizable dead) walked past in police uniforms. When it was clear, Logan waved all the others forward. Gambit, Storm, Beast, the blonde and brother dear took off in the convertable. Jean, the brown torch and, at Jean's insistance (she 'picked up' the injured girl and just threw her in the backseat) the brunette, all sped away in Logan's jeep. This time he couldn't help but flinch as Jean grinded the gears. That left him and the black clad chick to take Remy's Harley back to the mansion. He'd wanted to travel with the brunette and find out a few things privately. He shrugged at the inconvience as he casually straddled the bike, then motioned for the girl to climb on back. She smiled in anticipation.

"A Harley. Coooool." a laugh that reminded Logan of a Beavis and Butthead cartoon Jubilee had forced him to watch with her sounded from her throat as she wrapped her arms around Logan's waist.

"By the way," she said into his ear "they call me Frizz."

"Logan. So," he started the bike and they roared off "what's your real name?" his belt buckel began to glow softly.

"Francine. And if you call me that, Logan, you'll hurt." he felt her smile against his ear as he nodded once to her request. After all, the belt buckel was a little too close to home, and you never make a woman that close, angry.

Though the three vehicles pulled away at different times, taking various routes, they all arrived in front of Xavier's mansion at roughly the same time. And all of the new recruits stood there agape at the imposing structure. All of them, that is, except the young woman in the back of Logan's jeep.

"There's something familiar about this place..." she trailed off, her brows furrowed in concentration.

"Who cares, Maggs!" Logan now had a name as Frac... Frizz bounded up to her firend with the same good humour she'd displayed earlier, "It's a mansion and we get to hole up in it for a while! By the way, how's the leg?" Frizz leaned over the side of the jeep, tweaking the appropriate pant leg without waiting for an answer.

"Fine, healed." Maggs' reply was absent as she was still trying to place where she'd seen the outline before, a fingertip delicately tapping her upper lip.

"Maybe you'll figure it out inside." Logan pointly suggested. They were the only two by the vehicles. The other four had enthusiastically been led into the mansion (and probably directly to the professor, Logan thought wryly) by the other X-men.

"I'm Logan by the way."

She took his proffered hand and for the first time since pulling into the driveway, her eyes left the mansion. And focused directly on him. She travelled down his body out of habit, sizing him up and noticing that he stood lightly on the balls of his feet, ready for action. She fastened her eyes on his then, and Logan swore he'd suffocate to death. Not because she was glaring or anything, just that if he took a breath this cool, clear gaze might fade.

"Magdeline" she finally said, breaking the silence as well as eye contact as she leapt out of the jeep. Easily leapt out of the jeep.

"You heal fast." it was mundane, but it came out anyway. What was he, some school kid or something? With a jolt, he realized why he was acting this way. For all he knew, this was his daughter and he wasn't quite sure on how to treat her.

She smiled an enigmatic response and he found himself grinning foolishly back. "Shall we go in?"

"Yep." a pause.

"Well?"

"How come they call you Maggs?"

"I hate Maddie."

Logan shook his head as he held the door for her. Gathering information was going to be a challenge, to put it diplomatically.

End of Chapter Two