xp_logs | The Caged Bird

Lorna tells XFI what's happened and a quick, not-quite-good-but-good-enough plan is hatched.

Lorna slammed the door behind her as she exited the little office she had taken over for her recent conversation. She was visibly shaken. "Emergency group meeting."

Jessica stood from her place at the front desk and adjusted her skirt. Her heels clacked along the floor as she made her way over to where Lorna was standing. She crossed her arms over her chest.

"Is someone hurt? What's the word?" She asked, her gaze intense.

Arthur, for once, was the practical one.

"We already ordered lunch," he chimed in lazily from his desk, "Although it was Bobbi's turn to pick. So, y'know, emergency maybe?"

Bobbi rolled her eyes as she balled up and threw a tiny paper ball at Arthur from her own desk. She then turned to face Lorna, waiting to hear what was wrong.

"Food is never an emergency," Sue pointed out as she took a look at Lorna's pale face, her jovial mood quickly evaporating, "I don't think that's what you're worried about though is it?"

"No. If I am hungry, I can go down to the Chinese place. This is worse." Lorna started to pace. "I haven't been honest with all of you. My past seemed to have found me. The Brotherhood of Mutants have taken my fiancé's family hostage and if I do not go there, alone, then I know Mystique is going to hurt them." She looked at each of them.

Jessica frowned, and crossed her arms. "No way in hell." Was her immediate answer, before her expression and posture softened up. "Lorna, we're your friends. I know the Brotherhood is full of major league wackos, but there's got to be a way we can cover you." The brunette thought as she reached out to place a friendly hand on Lorna's shoulder. Her gaze swept around the room, mentally cataloging her teammate's respective skills and abilities. Her brown eyed gaze fell on Sue and her head cocked to the side. "Sue? Think you can help out with that?" She asked.

The blonde cocked her head to one side, "We could probably hook you up with a wire or GPS locator. Perhaps something that's passive till you activate it so Magneto doesn't notice," she mused thoughtfully, "though if he's on the ball he'd pick it up when it tried recording regardless through remnant charge, that depends on how fine his sensitivity is." The look on Lorna's face didn't fill her with hope, "Perhaps I could tag along, promise none of them would ever know I was there."

"Wait wait wait," Arthur had abandoned his game of bejeweled to move closer to the group converging around Lorna. "Like. The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants Brotherhood?" He stated this hesitantly, but also like it wasn't obvious.

He moved on quickly without waiting for a response, proving that lightning could strike twice. "Isn't that more our friends in the basement's speed?"

"It might be, yeah," Bobbi chimed in sitting up a little straighter in her own chair. "I mean, obviously we'll all do whatever we can to help you, but it mightn't be such a bad idea to clue them in on things, maybe?"

The silence persisted a few moments before Jessica spoke up again.

"Okay, I have a proposition for you. We don't bring in the X-Men, I totally understand your reasons why. But maybe we could bring in just one X-Man. One who I know and trust to follow the plan, but also someone who can give us the necessary back up if necessary." She continued. "Someone like...Rogue." She added with a small smile.

Lorna thought about it for a moment, biting her lower lip before speaking. "Okay. She can come. Small group. Again, not planning on being attacked by the Brotherhood. It is really me that they want." Lorna checked her watch. "We have to come up with a plan quick. I plan on being on the plane in the next hour.”