Air Xavier, part 1

[x-cyclops.livejournal.com]

Kurt is sitting his coms shift when an unexpected call comes in from Bridge, in Libya - to the X-Men's emergency number, not to Nathan. There's been a successful rescue of children from one of the African training camps but getting out of the country is proving to be a problem.


Coms-shift, in its usual state, was really, really boring. This was why Kurt always brought a stack of books down with him. History books, for preference. He was in the middle of reading one about the Rom, for the interest of reading an outsider's perspective.

The news feeds were playing on the screens, as per usual. But when the emergency line activated, they all went blank, save for a flashing phone number that Kurt didn't recognize.

He blinked at the number - calls from unregistered phones were not a common occurrence - then hastily put his book down to answer it.

"This is GW Bridge," the weary voice on the other end of the line said when Kurt answered. "Who am I talking to?"

He knew the name, of course. All the staff did. And that meant it was probably to do with Nathan in some way, but that he was calling on that number... "Kurt Wagner. What has happened?"

"We're in Libya. We found one of the camps we've been looking for. Eighteen kids. We got eighteen kids out." Bridge's voice cut out, then back in as he rattled off a list of coordinates. "I thought we were going to get back out of here the way we came in, but we're cut off from our helicopter and we're being chased. The Libyan army. We ran into them on our way out."

Kurt was already scribbling down the coordinates with one hand and hitting the button to alert Scott with the other, the one holding the phone. Then he returned to the call. "We will be there as soon as we can."

"I was hoping you were going to say that. The kids are not hurt," Bridge went on, speaking more rapidly. "Just pretty scared, and they haven't been treated very well. We don't have any injuries among us, either, but I can't promise that's going to stay the case if we wind up in a running firefight."

"Do you have anywhere to take cover?"

"Holing up's not an option, we're in northern Libya... there's nothing but sand."

With that, Scott arrived in the coms room, slightly out of breath. "What's the situation?"

"The Pack and eighteen children are on the run in Libya," Kurt said succinctly. "And being chased by the army."

Scott's eyebrows headed for his hairline and he leaned over the console. "Bridge? It's Summers. You need a ride?"

There was a brief moment of silence, and then a laugh. "Yeah, Summers, a ride would definitely be nice. I'd have called a different travel agency, but, well, northern Libya."

Kurt held up the piece of paper with the coordinates, silently, letting Scott handle the rest of the call.

Scott focused on establishing the necessary details - checking the coordinates, establishing how Bridge was calling and whether or not a return call was feasible. Once he found out that it was, he nodded briskly, straightening.

"We'll get organized here. I'll get back to you with coordinates for a rendezvous, possibly when we're in the air. Keep moving north in the interim?"

"Sounds like a plan. Make sure Nate's on the plane, okay, if he's around? Our Mistra types are wound right up and seeing him would be helpful."

"Will do," Scott said, and ended the call. He smiled tightly down at Kurt. "You okay to run coms for this? I'm going to get Sam to prep the 'Bird right now."

Kurt nodded, all business. "Of course."

--


While Sam's prepping the 'Bird, Scott and Alison come to some quick decisions about how this particular mission should be run and by who.


"There you are," Scott said as Alison appeared in the doorway of the Situation Room. He gestured her in, his expression distracted as he stared down at the table, as it shifted to portray the landscape of northern Libya. "We just got a call from GW Bridge - and I mean 'us' as in it came in on the emergency channel, not directly to Nathan. I'd almost forgotten Charles had given him that number."

"He asked for a way to be 'officially' in contact with us, the last time he stopped by actually," Alison smiled a bit at that, remembering Bridge's resolution regarding the Pack's latest venture. She sobered up quickly though, looking down at the table as well. "What's up?"

"He called in. They found one of the camps and broke eighteen kids out of it," Scott said. "Problem is, they're in here..." He programmed in the coordinates. "Up here, in the north. And they've lost their transportation."

"They need a ride out, then." It was the most obvious of conclusions, really. "Fly in, pick them up..." she looked over the map, remembering the specs both Scott and Haroun had made her repeat until she didn't even think before rattling them out, "...here?" She tapped a spot nearby, large enough for the Blackbird to land in, the area obviously remote enough not to have to worry about any visual detection.

"That's about what I was thinking," Scott confirmed. "I've got Sam prepping the 'Bird. They're being pursued - apparently they got in and out cleanly, but ran into the Libyan army on their way back to their helicopter." He eyed Alison, smiling very slightly. "I think I should fly the plane," he said, "and I think you should be the CO on this one."

Alison actually did pause and stare for a moment. She even blinked, once. And then she spotted the hint of a smile and knew exactly what it was about and couldn't help but return it, in just the same way. "Makes sense," she replied - which it did, freeing Scott for the very crucial task of keeping his entire attention on the plane itself, among other things. "The flying's going to get really interesting if we've pursuit."

"There's another consideration," Scott pointed out, all serious now. "They know you, Alison. Bridge, Domino, especially Anika and her people... even those that don't know you that well probably heard from the others why they can trust you. I figure if you're there and Nate's there as we're getting them aboard the plane, that things will work a little better all around." His expression turned a little wry. "Two pool games with Domino does not count as me getting to know these people."

"Heh." Alison nodded at that, smiling a touch wistfully at that. "Yeah. It'll be nice to see them again," the smile grew at that, "especially, I think, considering the situation. Betcha they'll be damn cheerful about it, even if they're being shot at, what with getting kids out." If there'd been any of the kids hurt, Alison had no doubt Bridge's message would have resulted in a far different Scott than she was facing now. "How long 'till the 'Bird is ready?"

"Twenty minutes. We'll brief on the way." Scott's smile was almost mischievous. "If the CO would permit a couple of suggestions from her humble pilot? In addition to Nathan, let's let Jean break in the new leathers some more? Both our telekinetics could be invaluable, depending on what we find on the ground when we land."

"They could be useful in the air too," Alison replied, nodding at his suggestion - all seriousness before she wrinkled her nose at him briefly. "Yes, Jean. Kylun, I think, as well. Good for close combat as well as general ability to deal with near any terrain..." She thought it over for a moment longer, going serious once more. "Wanda."

"Sam'll be in the copilot's seat, of course. I'm glad the 'Bird's maintenance is up to date," Scott said, serious again. "Hell, I even had her up testing the afterburners a couple of days ago." He wondered if that made him a pessimist, thinking they were going to need the afterburners.

"And Kylun is there as a second, which frees you and Sam up to concentrate entirely on the piloting." Alison paused suddenly, realizing that the both of them were being awfully decided on that little fact. "Huh. Bullets. Grenades. Missiles."

"Projectiles of any way, shape or form..." Scott mused. "But on the other hand, two..."

"... telekinetics," Alison continued, nodding wisely. "And you two focusing only on the piloting. And the rest of us get... everything else. Ayup."

"Then I'd say we've got a plan." Scott gave her another one of those odd little smiles. "Shall I devote our remaining pre-liftoff time to reviewing the topographical maps and let you gather the rest of the team? Although I think Nate's already in the hangar. He's a trifle anxious."

"I imagine he is." Her lips quirked at that, a mite ruefully. "I'll take care of gathering the others, yes." She gave him a sidelong look, then wrinkled her nose at him again. "And then I'll go be all impatient along with Nathan in the hangar."

"Sounds like a plan," Scott said, calling up a more detailed topographical map. "I'll get a better idea of the terrain we'll be flying over. Just in case I have to try and use the geography as a weapon."

Alison snorted in amusement at that, even as she started to subvocalize a few calls through the comm. "Don't say that - it'll be enough for the trainees to start a betting pool on how wild the flying will get just for the fun of it and you know it," she grinned a bit, already starting a list of things they'd need to bring along in the back of her mind. Jean would take care of any extra medical necessities of course, but a few extra things wouldn't hurt... and would be something to keep Nathan busy with while the others arrived. "We'll brief the others en route." With a last nod at him she headed out of the room to get into her own leathers.