Lost and Found, prologue: Lights in the North

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There are times when questions about the cost of action just fall away. Nathan, sitting on coms duty, gets an emergency call from MacInnis. The helicopter carrying him, his team, and six children they've just rescued from Mistra has crashed in northern Canada.

( Change in the wind. )

Lost and Found, part one: Into The Storm

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The Blackbird is already in the air and on its way when Nathan is contacted by MacInnis' telepath, who has some bad news. A Mistra team, one unlike any the X-Men have faced thus far, is on its way to the crash site as well. Nathan lets Alison know that the race is on.

( We just became the cavalry. )

Nathan tells the rest of the team that they're no longer facing a simple medical evac, and finds out that yes, Hank's optimism and practical-mindedness don't go away under pressure.

( When it comes to first missions, I sure can pick them, can't I? )

On the Mistra team's helicopter, their leader makes a surprising choice.

( Never say no to a loophole when it presents itself. )

Landing the Blackbird turns out to be somewhat challenging, and Haroun has to set her down well short of the crash site.

( This might be a little rough. )

Lost and Found, part two: Vanguard

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The X-Men make their way through the blizzard to the crash site. They don't win the race.

( There's something to be said about doing a forced march through a blizzard that makes Ororo's company seem pleasant and desired. )

Haroun is the first to run into one of the Mistra operatives, who may perhaps be holding a bit of a grudge from the warehouse in August.

( Defying gravity )

There's very little in Mistra's files about Kylun. Another operative gets the chance for some information-gathering to rectify that. Lucky him.

( Okay, so the swords make more sense that I thought. )

Kurt finds himself fighting... himself? The not-Kurt is not quite as committed to the fight as he should be, however.

( Confusing the issue )

Lost and Found, part three: Besieged

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Hank and Madelyn head for MacInnis' downed helicopter, but Hank is intercepted by a Mistra operative who winds up fighting himself, not just Hank. Madelyn finds MacInnis and his people holding their ground as best they can, and makes with the triage.

( Holding the line )

Lost and Found, part four: The Space Between Black and White

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Alison, on her way to the crash site, is diverted. Light-manipulation and Darkforce shields do not mix. She runs into a Mistra operative who finds himself with a surprising amount of leeway - and takes it. A trend is definitely developing.

( His tactical imperatives were giving him the option to retreat. They were actually giving him the option to retreat. )

Nathan isn't so lucky. There's a long-standing kill-order out on him, and a fellow precognitive decides she's the one to carry it out. Given that Mistra knows each and every single one of Nathan's weaknesses, he finds himself in deep trouble.

( Ten seconds is a very long time. )

'Take out your enemy's command structure'. It's a common-sense sort of approach. Unfortunately, Morgan is the one in the position to take it.

( Enter the big gun. )

Lost and Found, part five: A Tale of Two Helicopters

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Haroun makes his move on the Mistra team's helicopter. It isn't undefended, and ambiguity about their mission or no ambiguity, the defenders aren't about to let him take their ride home.

( I'll take out the bird, him, and you before I let you take it. )

Another pair of Mistra operatives move in on the downed helicopter. One gives Hank a choice he doesn't take, and then proceeds to demonstrate why the X-Men maybe should have had a couple more energy-projectors along. The Darkforce shield goes down.

( Shadows and light )

Lost and Found, part six: Full Circle

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Alison tries to hold off Morgan, and manages to take out his com with a well-placed laser. She triggers more than she expected. Elsewhere, Nathan hears her call for assistance and decides that it's time to stop letting Konstantakis beat the crap out of him and get down there.

( Anytime now, Nathan... )

Kurt meets another Mistra operative and finds out that near-invisibility is an awkward thing. Fortunately, she's summoned elsewhere to deal with her team's wounded.

( Ghosts in the snow )

Morgan, backed into a corner, has no more loopholes to exploit. Then Nathan makes his grand entrance. They both knew it would come to this.

( Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight... )

Lost and Found, part seven: On The Brink

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While Nathan and Morgan have at it, Alison tries to head for the helicopter. Konstantakis, looking for another opponent since Nathan left her mid-fight, finds her. Alison, with some effort, finds a way around her ten-second advantage. But something's happening to the world around them, thanks to the two telekinetics battling in the forest.

( Blinded by the light )

At the wrecked helicopter, the defenders try to hold out, amid panicking children and worsening medical conditions. Then the explosions start.

( Last stands )

Haroun manages to take out the two operatives at the helicopter. Unfortunately for him, he's too focused, and not paying much attention to the pyrotechnics behind him. This winds up biting him in the ass, but he's saved by the final explosion - which has some unexpected effects on the Mistra operatives around him.

( Why don't you people just STAY DOWN? )

Lost and Found, part eight: Clash of the Titans

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One last duel for two latter-day Spartan champions. Nathan and Morgan are very busy obliterating the landscape around them when something unexpected happens - or is it, really?

( No chains shall sully thee / thou soul of love and bravery / Thy songs were made for the pure and free / they shall never sound in slavery! )

After the final explosion, Alison finds herself in the remains of a forest made of glass. She makes her way down into the crater to Nathan and Morgan and discovers, incredibly, that they're both alive.

( Though they go mad they shall be sane / Though they sink through the sea, they shall rise again )

Lost and Found, part nine: The Way Home

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After the explosion, the Mistra operatives try and regroup to get themselves out of there. But they're short one field leader, and something is very wrong with their conditioning.

( Find as many as you can. )

Kurt helps some of the children back to the Blackbird. Amazingly, they seem to have come through it all better than any of the adults.

( Can we go home yet? )

Madelyn discovers on the flight home that while Nathan is conscious, he's not precisely lucid. MacInnis' telepath tells her what happened, and Nathan is stunned by the implications of what it all means.

( A suddenly altered world )

Madelyn, Hank and Kurt regroup a little and take stock, in one of the flight back's rare quiet moments.

( How are my two favorite blue men doing? )

Haroun tries to hold it together despite his injuries, knowing he's still got to land the Blackbird. Luckily, Alison is there to help him hold on.

( Move and not only am I knocking you out, I'm having a go at landing the 'Bird myself. )

Alison checks on Nathan, who's remembered something else from the moment of the explosion, something that makes their victory bittersweet.

( Leave no man behind? )

Forge and Kyle, Tuesday afternoon

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After the conquering heroes come home with the rescued, Forge finds one of the other Mistra survivors, and brings him the good news.

( Mr. Dayspring was smiling, and not his usual 'durr, my brain done 'sploded' smile. )

Lost and Found, epilogue: Finish Line

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The mission comes to a close when a very, very drugged Haroun manages to land the Blackbird safely, even if he does give Scott some gray hair in the process.

( Scott was suddenly very glad he'd cleared the hangar floor. )

Hank, Scott, Tuesday evening

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With all the wounded more or less settled in the Medlab, Hank steps out to catch his breath and lean against a friendly wall for a minute. Scott encounters him, and they talk a little about what happened. Hank explains why he couldn't land the Blackbird, and they reassure each other that everything's more or less under control. Hank also suggests a means of explaining the big glassy crater to the general public.

( They're my little spongy yellow rock of reliability in a heartless world )

Jubilee, Madelyn; Madelyn, Scott - Tuesday night

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At the same time Hank and Scott are discussing the mission, Jubilee is dropping in on Madelyn. What she finds isn't exactly to her liking.

( But hey, don't let me keep you from your new superhero lifestyle. )

Overhearing Jubilee's outburst, Scott checks on Madelyn first, and finds one shaken-up doctor.

( Sorry. Jubilee hit me right in the what-ifs. )

Scott and Jubilee, Tuesday night

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After overhearing this argument, Scott goes to talk to Jubilee, who gets the straight goods on what happened today, why Madelyn was involved, and something of a kindly delivered verbal smack upside the head. Scott doesn't so much as raise his voice, and Jubilee is left with quite a bit of food for thought.

( You have to deal. If the worst happens. If it doesn't. If you want to care, if you don't want to shut off your feelings, then you have to deal, Jubilee. It's that simple. )

Dani & Mr. Wagner - after everything has calmed down

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After all the commotion dies and the medlab is as calm as it will be for a while, Dani brings Mr. Wagner some dinner. Pancakes for Fat Tuesday! They find solace in their prayers over the children.

( Hail Mary full of grace, the Lord is with you... )

Paige and kidlet

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Because we clearly haven't been attacked by enough logs today. Paige has gone down to the medlab to add her capable hands to the bunch. It's a long night. Before heading upstairs she checks on the kiddos, finding one little girl still awake. Cuteness and a side of strange, foreign thoughts.

( The door to the kidlets room was left slightly ajar, just enough for Paige to see through. All of them, tucked up in their cots. It made her smile; they'd brought them back alive this time. )