Chapter Fifteen

Jubilee saw the approach of the Blackbird long before she heard its silent engines. She watched the sleek plane descend from the darkening sky to land about 100 yards from their position. She turned to study her partner carefully. Wolverine's jaw was clenched in a look of determination and anger. She knew it was difficult for Logan to call in the team. She knew it was even more difficult to work with the two men standing beside them, although she knew that Wolverine was not ready to tell her why. The past three days were showing on his face, his expression a permanent scowl.

Jubilee reached out and grabbed Logan's hand. He turned to face the young woman, his eyes meeting hers.

"Relax, Logan. This will be all over soon."

"I gotta bad feelin' about this one Jubes. Somethin' don't feel right."

She cupped his hand in both of hers, and rested his fingertips on her cheek. "We are going to stop this."

"Sinister can't be stopped. We just gotta slow him down long enough to wreck his plans. Whatever it is he's got planned, it ain't gonna be good."

Jubilee closed her eyes, and felt his hand stroke softly against her cheek. When she opened them, she saw Logan meeting her gaze.

"Logan, I ..."

The Blackbird's main hatch opened with a hiss, distracting Jubilee momentarily and the exit ramp descended to rest on the sandy Nevada ground. The figures of Cyclops, Jean, and Storm could be seen descending from the craft.

"Time to roll guys!" Fury shouted over to the pair.

Jubilee jerked her head toward the approaching trio, and then back to stare again at Wolverine. "We are a team, Logan. Just remember that."

"I know, Jubes. More than you think, I know." Logan smiled at Jubilee, and brought his hand again down her cheek. "Promise me ya won't do anything stupid. We got some catchin' up to do when we get back."

Jubilee grinned.

The pair turned to greet the rapidly approaching figures. Cyclops, the leader of the X Men, waved as he approached.

Wolverine dropped his hands to his side, and greeted the X Men.

Cyclops pointed toward John and Nick, standing to the side. "What are they doin' here?"

"They are the ones that initially told me."

"You have been working with S.H.I.E.L.D. on this? Logan, I don't think that ..."

Wolverine growled. "Stop right there Cyke. We aren't working with S.H.I.E.L.D. I am here helpin' out an old friend, and you are here ta stop Sinister. I have a feelin' that he is addin' another Marauder to the roster, and I reckon' we can't let that happen. S.H.I.E.L.D. or no S.H.I.E.L.D."

"Agreed. I just don't want this to turn into a fiasco."

"Already is Cyke." Wolverine replied.

Fury walked up to Cyclops and offered out his hand. "Trust me, Scott. We want this to stay as low profile as you do. The less the world knows about the Weapon X project, the better. It would make it a lot harder for most to sleep at night knowing what kind of experiments their governments are capable of."

Jean Grey stepped beside her husband. "I have a question. Does anyone have a plan on getting us inside of a top-secret military installation?"

Wolverine grinned, flashing his pointy canines.

"I do, Red, but yer not gonna like it." Wolverine nodded his head in the direction of John Wraith.

Wraith stepped forward. "I can get us in, but from there, it will be up to you guys to find out where Sinister is. Area 51 is a vast labyrinth underground. There are many locations that could house such a project."

Scott wondered how Wraith knew so much about what was in Area 51, but felt that this was not the time to ask. Instead, he suggested, "Jean, why don't you do a mental scan of the area, and see if you pick up anything."

Jean closed her eyes, her brow knitted in concentration. For what seemed like an eternity to everyone else, Jean focused her mind on the countless mental signatures that permeated from over the ridge. Suddenly, her eyes stepped forward.

"I sense the presence of some sort of mutant signature, however I cannot penetrate the shielding of whoever is generating the force. The signal is closer than I anticipated."

Without warning, the ground shook violently as a huge explosion flared from the direction that Jean was indicating. A gigantic ball of flame shot up skyward, debris falling around the seven people as they stood watching.

"Somethin' tells me that we ain't gotta go in lookin' for Sinister after all." Wolverine snarled.