"Huh," Pete Wisdom tossed his cigarette in the garbage as he heard Rachel's telepathic report, "couldn't have happened to a nicer bunch of folks." The black haired man smiled slightly, "Kate'll be bringing you home in a jiff." Jackie Crighton smiled wryly, the red and gold Spitfire watching as Kate opened a teleport gate. "Britannia and the copter are still on the same course," the blonde noted as they waited. "Knock on wood," Pete muttered as the other half of the team reappeared in the waves of rainbow light. "Are you all right?" Kate asked softly, the silver skinned woman taking Rachel Summers into her arms. Rachel smiled up at her girlfriend, her red hair falling into her eyes. "I'm fine, love," she reassured her gently. Dani and Rahne leaned on each other, Dani limping slightly as they headed to a chair. "I'm all right," she said quickly to Pete's concerned look, "just took a stupid fall." "Pete, there's something odd going on out here," Britannia's voice came through over the communications system. "What's going on?" Kate asked quickly. "The helicopter with Bezerker has started to slow... it looks like they're planning to land out here in the middle of nowhere," Britannia explained. "Somebody was on the helicopter then," Jackie muttered. "Find some good cover and keep an eye on them," Pete ordered briskly, "we'll be out to join you soon." "Got it," and Britannia cut off. "What's the plan?" Dani asked promptly. "You, Rahne and that flying handbag," Pete nodded to Lockheed, "stay here, the rest of us will go back up Britannia." "Rrrrr," Lockheed glared at him. "But..." Rahne started. Dani put a hand on her lover's arm. "Pete's covering his bases," she said, "just in case the Marauders or Sinister's forces hit here." "Pretty much," Pete nodded then looked up at Kate, "let's go." Kate Pryde's body rose as light welled up within her, spilling forth in rainbow circles that formed into a shining gateway. One by one they leapt through until finally Kate herself went in, the portal winking out after her. They reappeared on a windswept plain in England, low shrub and stones scattered around. Almost as soon as they hit the ground Llyan raced to where her lover crouched behind some boulders, kneeling down beside Britannia as she asked, "Are you all right?" Britannia smiled back at her reassuringly as the black, red and blue clad heroine said softly, "I'm fine m'love." Pete looked out into the distance where the helicopter waited, rotors still as the wind swept by. "Any movement?" he asked tersely. "Dead quiet," Britannia answered, "which has been pretty eerie." "I could try a telepathic scan," Marvel Girl offered. The redheaded telepath frowned slightly, "Though I have to admit I'm getting a odd kind of telepathic static." "Give it a try," Pete asked. Marvel Girl focused her concentration, a faint glow appearing around her then her eyes popped open in surprise. "I'm not picking up thoughts from the copter." "How...?" Kate blinked. "No point hiding," Pete stood up from behind their protective cover and strode forward, "let's check it out." In a flash of red and gold Jackie was off, Spitfire racing towards the copter before anyone could stop her. She opened the door to look inside, stopped, then raced back to their side as she muttered, "Bloody hell." "What?" Britannia asked as the rest of them reached the copter. "A hole?" Marvel Girl blinked. In the back where, at one point, the Marauder called Bezerker had been sitting there was a hole in the seat, the undercarriage of the copter and down into the darkness of the earth. Reaching out Kate felt that the edges were cool and perfectly smooth, almost as if it had been polished and buffed. The pilot still sat up front, looking straight ahead blankly, his body stiff as a board. There were no sign of the guards, just the faint smell of plants in the air. "He's alive," Jackie nervously checked the pilot's pulse, "though damned it I know what's wrong with him." "Probably a poison," Pete muttered, distractedly looking at the hole. "Anyone want to make a guess?" Pete finally asked everyone. "The guards were changelings," Llyan said promptly, "false people crafted by some dark magik. They brought the warrior here so that he could be taken, though why I do not know." "Actually I think I agree," Marvel Girl admitted after a moment. She smiled grimly, "If Sinister is targeting the Marauders for some reason, this could be connected." "Good for Sinister," Britannia said dryly, "if he's taking out the Marauders the country's probably better off." "Maybe," Pete admitted, "but the Marauders might help us get Sinister, too." "You want to go down there?" Kate nodded to the hole. "I suppose it's wide enough for one or two at a time..." Marvel Girl said a bit dubiously as she tried to estimate it by eye. "Only way we'll know," Pete shrugged. "Me first," Britannia said firmly. "But m'love..." Llyan started. "If there is something nasty down there," Britannia looked at Pete and her lover, "I'm best equipped to handle it." Pete nodded, "Okay, point." He looked at the hole, "You in first, then Llyan, me, Jackie, Marvel girl and Widget takes up the rear." "To be ready to pull everyone out in case whatever is down there is tougher than we think," Kate got it in seconds. "Exactly," Pete nodded then looked to Britannia, "Ready?" Britannia put her hand on the edge and vaulted into the hole as she smiled, "Go!" In a second Llyan was following her, then one by one the team members jumped in, sliding down the slightly curved tunnel easily. "Oof!" Pete yelped as he hit the floor with his tailbone, grimacing. With a sigh he got up, "I thought I was done with that..." "Not my fault," Kate said as they looked around, the massive chamber stretching out around them. There was a musty smell, like rotting almonds, and lights flickered off an on off in the distance. "This place is heavily telepathically shielded," Marvel Girl said as Kate helped her up, "I can barely pick up our group's thoughts, much less beyond this." "Should I do a high speed recon?" Spitfire asked softly. "Let's stick together," Pete shook his head, "we have no idea what we're facing here." "Let's find out," Britannia said calmly and the group headed off down the hall.
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