Scott was pacing back and forth in the War Room while the rest of the team watched him. " . . . it's been confirmed that they have accepted a job from Anderson International to use some unethical force against Walker Enterprises. Walker is a smaller company. It seems to be a case of a larger company trying to force another one out of the market."

"And why does this involve us?" Rogue asked from her chair around the circular table.

"Because, Rogue," Jean said, "Hades Incorporated is involving themselves in an illegal operation of corporate espionage. If this is ever suspected by the public, it will look like another case of mutant terrorism. We can't afford that kind of coverage."

"Exactly." Scott said.

"Are you sure of your information, Slim?" Logan asked from where he was standing against a side wall, arms folded in front of him. His dark eyes were serious as he regarded the athletic team leader.

Logan was going through a crisis of conscience. He knew that Scott didn't go halfway when it came to researching a mission, given the time to do so. However, there was a part of him that wanted to believe that Hades was actually going to be a decent group. A part of him wanted to believe that Terri had made the right decision in joining with them.

"As sure as we can be, Logan" Scott confirmed, and Logan nodded. He distanced himself from the situation, and tried to look at this from an objective point of view, listening to hear what his gut was telling him about the whole situation. His gut . . . remained silent. It was strangely keeping it's opinion to itself. And Logan liked that even less. He snarled to himself in frustration.

"So what do we do about it?" Ro asked.

Logan remained silent as Scott outlined the plan to apprehend and deter Hades from their course of action. It was a simple enough plan. Scott wanted to see if they could verbally dissuade them from taking any action against Walker Enterprises. However, if that didn't work, then he proposed to draw their attention away from the Corporation, making targets of themselves, and allowing the whole fiasco to be made public, and exposing Hades Inc. as being nothing better than Leased Weapons, weapons that anyone with the price can turn against anyone else.

The mission was set for tomorrow night and the team broke up, each going their own way to spend the remainder of their evening in private pursuits. Logan took himself outside for a cigar.

Sitting on the steps, the cool summer breeze bringing a myriad of scents from the town to his nose, he was fully aware of Jubilee's approach, long before she sat down next to him. "Hey, kid." he said and Jubilee looked at him. "What?" he asked, as his nose picked up the scent of curiosity. She had a question she wanted to ask, and he had always made it a point to answer whatever questions she asked as honestly as possible.

"I was just wondering something, Wolvie." Jubilee began, and Logan waited patiently for her to spit it out. "Why does this mission bug you so much?" she finally asked, and Logan slid a look sideways at her. Her scent said she was concerned, and she knew something about the whole thing was bothering him. He found himself re-assessing Jubilee as a teammate: she saw a lot more than people normally gave her credit for.

"Because I don't like throwing down with friends, Jubes." He answered and inhaled deeply on the cigar. "And one of the people in Hades is a friend of mine from a long time ago." He shook his head and settled the beat up cowboy hat more firmly on his head. "And I like sitting and thinking about it for a day even less." He admitted and he saw Jubilee nod.

"I guess I can understand it." Jubilee said. "I mean, I wouldn't want to have to find myself being player B to your player A in the big head to head video game of life. Actually, I'd hate it." She paused for a moment and Logan waited, telling from her scent that she intended to say more. There was a considering and thoughtful scent coming from her. He inhaled . . . exhaled. "So why were you scowling about it? I mean, I've seen you scowl at a mission without saying anything, like, maybe once. You seem to have this whole I-don't-like-it-and-I'm-going-to-tell-you-why-I-don't-like-it thing going." Logan nodded. "So why is this time different?"

Logan sighed and stood, stretching his 5'3" frame fully. "Because this time I ain't got anything solid to offer by way of explaining why I don't like it, Jubes." He said, being honest with this youngest member and friend. "I just know I don't. No reason why, no gut instinct to call on, nothing solid. And there are too many maybe's to figure out why, and it would feel like I was making excuses. What it comes down to is that I just . . . don't . . . .know.

{X-Men to the Black Bird} the mental sending came from Jean, and Logan and Jubilee snapped out of their conversation and they bolted for the hanger of the team's specially outfitted jet. From various corners of the mansion, the other members of the team came boiling into the hanger like a bunch of agitated hornets. And as one, they all ran for the loading ramp.

Scott and Jean were already there, in uniform, and Logan exercised the sudden image he had of Scott sleeping in his uniform (since he couldn't really come up with any other reason how Scott always managed to be dressed and ready before every other member of the Team) and instead went to get changed with the rest of them, while Hank McCoy, a.k.a. the Beast, readied the jet for takeoff.

"So what be de rush, Cyc?" Gambit asked from his seat in the Blackbird, where he had immediately made himself comfortable by flouncing almost sideways, one leg draped over one arm, leaning against the other chair arm, and one arm draped over the back of the chair.

"I am not entirely certain, Gambit." Scott replied. "Jean has more information than I. All I was told is that there is a young teenager, a mutant, who's fear is so strong that Jean can sense it without the help of Cerebro." Cerebro was the computer that was hardwired through the mansion. It had been equipped to scan for mutant signatures, as well as amplify and simplify the abilities of Psy's, like Charles and Jean, both telepaths.

All eyes turned to Jean, who was rubbing her temples with her fingertips. "It is a young girl. About thirteen. She's very frightened. Her thoughts are all shaded with fear, and not really in any cohesive order. Regardless, there are three things running through her mind. Fear, the Friends of Humanity, and Hades Incorporated. I can't tell who she's afraid of, but either way . . ."

"Either way," Ro said, "the combination is not exactly encouraging, given what we have learned about Hades Inc. Even if they are there with the best of intentions, this could prove disastrous."

"Yes, Storm." Jean said. "It could. Considering we don't know what interest Hades has in the girl, and they have already made it known that they will work for anybody who has the price and doesn't tell them how to do their job."

"That doesn't hold water, Jeannie." Logan spoke up from his seat. He was shaking his head. "They are known mutants. And The Friends of Humanity don't make deals with mutants."

"We know that, Wolverine." Scott said irritably from the co-pilot's seat. "And we are NOT jumping to the conclusion that Hades is in league with the FOH. For the most part, we are going because there is a terrified young girl who needs help getting away from the FOH. But we also don't know what Hades wants with her. It may be that someone hired them to get her, and it's just coincidence that the FOH is involved at the moment. So if it just happens that we have to save the girl from Hades as well, we will be in position to do so."

"Jubilee," Jean said, looking at the youngest member. "When we find them, and get the girl away from the FOH, that is where you will be most needed. You are about the same age she is, if a little older. And you have been in the hands of the FOH before. Do you think you could try to calm her down?"

"Sure can." Jubilee readily agreed. It was rare that she got to go on a mission with the team, being considered too young to be exposed to this kind of violence without more training. It was exciting, and a little fitting, she thought. She had been held by the FOH, and had thought they were going to kill her. Then the X-Men had come to her rescue. Now it was time to do her part as an X-Man to keep mutants safe from the FOH, just as the X-Men had done for her.

Logan distanced himself from the situation again and listened to his gut, before he spoke up. "Let's take it easy on this one, and make sure we KNOW the situation before we fly off the handle." And all the eyes on all the team members, save for Hank's, turned to look at him. It was perhaps the LAST statement they expected him to make. He just looked back.

"Right." Scott said.

"We are approaching our final destination." Hank intoned from his chair. "Please return your seats to their natural upright position and remain seated until the plane has come to a complete stop."

"Oh, RIGHT!" Jubilee muttered. "Like we ever do that. I mean, really! When three of us can fly all by ourselves?!?! If we did, we'd never get ANYTHING done."

The entire team chuckled lightly, as the teenager did have a point, and then moved into position of a building in the warehouse district. It was a dimly lit area, with narrow alleys and large square building, the tops of one looking very much like another. But one thing that made this one stand out was the flickering of light, and the dark shadow of a very LARGE individual walking down the alley in a double time trot.

The team let themselves out of the plane, each flying, jumping, or being carried, depending on everyone's preference and abilities. Those that jumped trusted in Jean's ability to catch them before they hit the ground and set them on it gently. She did not disappoint them. She lowered them all quietly and quickly to the ground . . .

Just as something shot straight up into the sky . . . and bumped into the Black Bird. Cloaked as it was, the individual had not seen it, until they bumped into it, and an almost whiny "Owwie!" Sounded above them, followed by a bright light being flashed to the ground, eventually settling on each of them in turn. Logan saw the hovering object lift his wrist to his mouth.

{Jeannie?} Logan thought at Jean, letting her "see" what he had seen.

{I don't know, Logan.} her mental voice sounded a bit confused. {I can't read him.} she admitted. {There's some sort of interference.}

There was a large explosive sound from the side of the building and a section crumbled. From out of the wreckage came TNT, blonde hair pulled back in a simple pony-tail, which reminded Logan of the little girl she used to be. But there was an altogether different type of smile on her face, one which Logan knew well. It was the smile of someone riding an Adrenaline-High.

Behind her came Pit Bull, and they both cast about looking for adversaries. Pit Bull spotted them and growled, the tone hitting Logan's instincts with a suggestion of warning, aggression, and challenge. Logan growled back, and his tone clearly said "Challenge Accepted." He began to advance, and Pit Bull began to advance on him. Both had their fangs bared.

Then Logan saw them. Reynolds, Immortis, had just come out of the building. In his arms was a young girl, her eyes streaming tears, gagged and bound. The girl was no more than 13 years old, with curling red hair and bright green eyes, and there was fear in her gagged tones. Immortis lifted the girl, and passed her off to Everest. The man truly was huge, with that height and bulk, and Logan saw red as the small girl was handed to Everest and the big man began to lope off with her, still bound and gagged. Logan began to follow, intent on getting to the girl.

There was a red blast as Cyclops blasted a beam of pure energy after Everest and the girl, but suddenly there was a small man hovering in the way. The blast struck him squarely in the chest, and to Scott's amazement, the man appeared unaffected.

"Whoa!" the man, Power Link, said, spinning around slightly. "Now THAT is better than coffee!" he smiled at Cyclops. "Thank's for the re-charge!" he shouted and then flew off down the road.

That was when Logan got jumped by Pit Bull. He had been so caught up by following Everest that he hadn't truly seen it coming. It didn't matter to him. He adapted, and he found yet another use for the phrase Claw City. No more would it be reserved for when he fought Sabretooth. He and Pit Bull threw down, Logan being careful to keep his head tucked to keep his jugular safe while grappling with a man who was fighting with the savage intensity of a rabid dog. Logan felt teeth grab onto his arm, felt the teeth rip into the flesh, and he tried to pull the arm free. Flesh began to tears, and the blood began to flow.

Pete didn't let go. Just like a Pit Bull, once he got his teeth into something, he didn't let go. Furthermore, he had gotten this little runt's scent, and this was the guy who had made Terri so miserable. And as he had decided before, he had some "words" to share with this "Logan".

He never got to share them. Something hit them both in the side and Pete's jaw snapped open, and Logan and Pete were blown sideways. They both shook their heads clear, to see Terri standing there, shaking out a hand. She raised her wrist to her jaw, and Logan could clearly hear her say in those dove-live tones "Link, we need a pick-up. We'll meet you at Location B." Then she was handing Pete up, while Logan picked himself up off the ground and looked around.

The member of the FOH were in the alley, duking it out one on one with his team. He backhanded one man as he watched Terri and Pit Bull skulk their way down an alley and disappear into the shadows.

{All right, X-Men} came Jeannie's thought. {Let's go. Pack it up and move it out. They got the girl and ran.} Logan looked after the direction Pit Bull and Terri had gone, and relayed to Jean that he was going to follow, and see what he could learn. Jean gave him the go-ahead, and he prowled off into the night.