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Essex stepped out of his car and showed his identification to the soldier at the door of the dojo, one of several 'discrete' training centres the US Special Forces maintained. He nodded in response to the salute, and walked in. Across the hardwood floor, two figures sparred back and forth on the tatami mats.

Out of the corner of her eye, Sarah noticed someone enter the room, observing them. It wasn't often anyone came into the room while they were training, but she knew better not to let it screw up her concentration. Pay attention to this.

Grey Crow catches the flicker second distraction, dropping his guard and feinting right. Sarah lashed out with a rib-crushing kick. At the last moment, Grey Crow pivoted, showing the trap and hammered his forearm down just above her knee. As she twisted, three precussive blows drove into her side, behind the armor and sent her reeling back. Her wild backhand was slapped aside as Crow kicked her ankle out from benenth her.

Sarah falls back on the mat, _hard_. She takes a defensive stance before realizing that Grey Crow was no longer coming after her. She looks over to their visitor, and manages to pick herself up off of the ground. "Dr. Essex?" The surprise in her voice is evident.

"Ms Morlocke. I see training is going... Major, exactly what are you trying to teach her?" Essex said. Grey Crow grinned lazily as he saluted. "How not to end up in your medical bay, Colonel."

"I got distracted," Sarah says with a bit of a scowl. "I wasn't expecting to see you so soon after getting kicked out of the superhero club." She stretches a bit, trying to ease the soreness from that last fall.

"Yes, I'm afraid having to turn in my cape and cowl is quite the blow. In fact, if the esteemed Mr Summers had any say in the matter, I would not be allowed withen a mile of any of the students." Essex said mildly, standing at the edge of the mats. "Fortunately, they haven't locked you all on school grounds permenantly yet."

Sarah smirks. "I'd like to see them try that one... I'm sure there'd be a few of us with something to say about it."

"Well, they are being quite effective in removing voices against the party line." Essex said ruefully. "Tell me, Ms Morlocke, has there been any change in Ms Braddock's condition?"

Sarah shrugs. "I wouldn't know, really. I'm not part of the inner circle on that one. But I haven't gotten called into her office yet, so I would guess that she's still in a coma."

"That means bad news then. They would be cheerfully announcing any positive changes. Damn..." Essex said, rubbing his bottom lip. "Those fools will kill her this way."

"And they'd blame it on you." She scratched her hand, still red from the bone armor she'd only been able to get rid of the day before. The last remaining armor encrusted her collarbone, peeking from below her tanktop. "What's wrong with Betsy, Dr. Essex?"

"Neurological degeneration. During the surgery to try and correct her blindness, I discovered that her brain had never truly healed from her earlier injury." Essex said, trying to explain her complex condition as simply as possible. "I can correct it; stabilize her, but the surgery is very dangerous, and the only place with the facilities to handle it is a US military base."

"But they won't agree to it. Especially not with you." She shook her head, trying to understand why this was even an issue. Fucking take her wherever she needs to be... bitch about it later, if you feel the need to. Not now.

"Therein lies the issue, Ms Morlocke." Essex nodded, Behind him, Grey Crow snorted in disgust and walked away, muttering about 'fucking amateurs' in regards to the X-Men. "I can likely get the Major's assistance to clear the surgery, but unless we can get those people to release Betsy..."

"Of course they're not going to release Betsy. They didn't kick you out just so you could operate on one of their own. They're perfectly happy to deal with it as _they_ see fit." She hears Grey Crow's grumblings and wonders briefly about a face off between the Major and one of the senior x-men. She'd be willing to bet money on Grey Crow.

"Ms Morlocke, I'm sure this will come as no surprise to you, but I simply can't let Ms Braddock die. Not like this, at the hands of these fanatics. But, it requires me to ask something of you which I really have no right to ask." Essex said. "Something that could endanger you at the least and cause everything you have to be torn away at worst."

Sarah is quick to reply. "You want me to help you get Betsy out. Yeah. I'll help."

"They may very will expell you for this, Ms Morlocke. I want you to be sure you understand what this could entail."

"This may come as a shock, Dr. Essex, but I'm pretty sure I can think of worse things than getting kicked out of mutant daycare. Besides, if they're going to _let_ Betsy die, then that's not the place I want to be anyway."

"Very well, Ms Morlocke. Just be careful that the good Major doesn't enlist you five seconds afterword. I've made some arrangements with two of the other students. I think the three of you can ably outwit the rest of that school." Essex said. "This is the plan...."