I'm sandwiched between Emma and Jubilee at the massive oval table in the war room, trying not to fidget while we wait for Xavier to show up.
"Hey," Jubilee whispers, leaning so close her shoulder bumps against mine. "Kitty's starting a session of D&D this weekend, and I know you were worried you don't have enough friends, so I think you should join."
I turn to her, surprised. "Would she be okay with that?"
"Yeah," Jubilee nods, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "I already asked and she said it'd be good for you."
I consider for a moment.
"Is it a hard game?" I ask, genuinely curious. I've never played D&D before.
Jubilee shrugs, the yellow fabric of her coat rustling with the movement. "Nah, it's more just us hanging out and pretending to be orcs and pissing off Kitty."
That sounds nice. Normal, even.
"Sounds fun," I say with a smile.
"You'd rather play a kid's game than play with me, Jack?" Emma's voice cuts in from my other side. Her ice-blue eyes lock onto mine, one perfectly shaped eyebrow arched in challenge.
"I, uh..." I stumble over my words, suddenly feeling like I've stepped into a minefield. "Kitty might let you play too?"
Jubilee snorts beside me. "No chance. Kitty hates Emma."
I wince at her bluntness, but Emma just smirks, unfazed by the comment.
"Some people struggle to move on from the past."
Before I can respond, the door opens and Professor Xavier wheels in, followed closely by Angel and Morgan. Angel looks better than when we rescued her, her wings folded neatly against her back, though there's still a haunted look in her eyes. Morgan looks... well, like Morgan. Short, muscular, and perpetually pissed off.
I glance around the table, noting that Gene and Scotty are already here, sitting close together across from us. Scotty looks rigid and professional as always, while Gene's auburn hair cascades perfectly over his shoulders.
"Thank you all for coming on such short notice," Xavier begins, positioning her wheelchair at the head of the table. Her voice carries that natural authority that makes everyone straighten up a little. "I've detected something... unusual."
She presses a button on the arm of her chair, and a holographic map of South America materializes above the table, with a pulsing red dot highlighting a densely forested region.
"While using Cerebro to scan for new mutant signatures, I detected a strange blip in the Peruvian jungle," she explains, her fingers manipulating the hologram to zoom in on the location. "It didn't last long, but it seemed large, powerful, even."
Gene eyes narrowing with concern. "Did it seem malicious, Professor?"
Xavier shakes her head slowly, her expression thoughtful. "No, not malicious, exactly. The only impression I could gather was that whoever, or whatever, it was, they were searching for something." She looks around the table, meeting each of our eyes in turn. "I'm more curious than concerned, but I believe it warrants investigation. I'd like to send a team to take a look."
Gene's eyes light up with that fiery glint he gets when he's about to throw himself into the spotlight. He leans forward, pressing his palms against the table's polished surface.
"This would be a perfect mission for you to lead, Emma," he announces, gesturing toward her with a graceful flip of his hand. "You've been wanting to take point on something, right? Prove yourself?"
Emma straightens beside me, her shoulder brushing against mine as she shifts in her seat. "Yes, I agree."
Gene nods, then turns his emerald gaze toward Angel, who's been silent this whole time. "And Angel, if you're feeling up for it, maybe this would be a good time to…"
"I'm not ready," Angel cuts him off sharply, her wings rustling with tension. The haunted look in her eyes intensifies as she wraps her arms around herself. "Not yet."
Gene's expression softens immediately. "Understood."
Scotty clears her throat, adjusting her visor slightly. "I'd be nervous if I didn't at least go to watch over…"
"Nonsense," Gene interrupts, waving a dismissive hand. His eyes scan the table before landing on Morgan. "Morgan, you be the babysitter, alright?"
Morgan grunts, crossing her muscular arms over her chest. "Yeah," she says with a shrug, "it'd be nice to stretch my legs."
Emma's perfect lips curve into another predatory smile. She places her cool hand on my forearm.
"And of course I need Jack with me," she purrs, giving my arm a squeeze. "He's my secret weapon."
"Of course," Gene mimics Emma's accent with eerie precision, though the smile on his face makes it clear he's actually pleased I'm going.
"Can I go too?" Jubilee pipes up from my other side, practically bouncing in her seat with excitement. "I haven't been to South America in a while."
Xavier surveys our little group, her expression thoughtful. "Yes, I think that would be beneficial for your training, Jubilation."
"Awesome!" Jubilee exclaims, bumping her shoulder against mine. "Jungle adventure!"