The phone rang, and Kitty smiled happily as she recognized that familiar, gravely voice on the other end. "Logan," she exclaimed happy. "Hey, Kitty," Logan replied, and she could almost imagine him leaning up against a door frame in the Mansion, a cigar in hand. "How's Rogue?" he asked. Kitty grinned impishly, and in a sultry voice replied, "Better that you could imagine." Silence, then a mix of laughing and coughing coming from the other end. "That's not what I meant," Logan chuckled. "Sorry, I guess I'm just a bad girl," Kitty laughed. "This ain't a social call," Logan said with a sigh. "Looks like you're taking on Elektra has got certain peoples attention. There's a Hand cadre lead by a master assassin on their way to Sydney," he reported grimly. Kitty began to swear. "It's a kill mission, probably," she mused, "they want to prove that they can take out the best." "That's how I read it," Logan agreed. Quietly, "You want some backup? I can fire up the Blackbird and be down in Australia in a few hours." It was tempting, Kitty had to admit. It would be nice fighting by Wolverine's side again, but... "No, I think we can handle it," she smiled. She could hear the approval in Logan's voice, "Call me once the Hand's been ran off the place with their tails between their legs." Kitty laughed, "Will do." Kitty set the phone down and picked up her communicator, dialing up Ororo and the others to let them know what was going on. Bishop answered on the first ring, and her eyes grew wide as she listened, "What?!" The hospital corridors were bustling as Kitty ran through the hallways. "What happened?" she demanded as soon as she reached Bishop's side. "Poison, probably in the food," Bishop snarled. "We all went out to lunch, and whatever it was kicked in while you were out," he explained. "Are they going to be all right?" Kitty asked grimly. Bishop nodded as he reassured her, "It was a bit touch and go initially, but yeah, they'll be fine. It looks like what they used on us was meant to incapacitate, not kill." He paused before asking, "Do you know who did this?" "It was the Hand," Kitty said, looking through the window at her unconscious teammates in their hospital beds. Her eyes widened, noticing that someone was missing from the group, "Rogue?" She turned on Bishop, "Is Rogue...?" "Just fine," she heard from behind her, and turned to see Rogue standing there. She was as bit pale, but other than that she looked all right. Kitty hugged her fiercely, "Don't scare me like that." "Sorry," Rogue smiled, wrapping her arms around her gently. "My invulnerability, along with a bit of Wolvie's healing factor was enough for me to shrug off the poison's effects," she explained. "Lucas," a voice cried from down the hall. A blonde haired police officer ran up to them, her expression serious. "There's been a kidnapping," she said. "What's the situation, Cat?" Bishop asked. The blonde haired Cat looked grim, "A group of kids, babies almost, got grabbed from a school bus on their way home." "Any ransom note?" Bishop was all business. Cat flipped open her notebook and read, "Do not attempt to flee us, Pryde. Face our challenge, or their lives are forfeit." A numerical code was read off next. "Those bastards," Rogue murmured. "We're going back to the house," Kitty said to Rogue, and then to Bishop, "then we're going after them. Do your best to keep the police off our back." "Wait a minute," Cat grabbed at her arm, "what's going on here?" "My name is Kitty Pryde," she said, "and those kids were kidnapped as bait for me." A grim little smile as Kitty added, "I don't intend to disappoint them." With that, Kitty phased out of her grip and she and Rogue simply disappeared. Cat gapped at them in shock. She looked up at Bishop, "She's the best, isn't she?" Bishop thought about denying it, but decided not too, "Yep, she is." "And you're helping them," Cat looked up at him thoughtfully. "Might be our best shot to save those kids," Bishop defended himself. Cat raised her eyebrow, "Uh huh?" Kitty took her team uniform from the closet, checking it over before pulling it on smoothly. The Black and blue uniform blended into the shadows, helping her move about unseen. Tonight, she was going to need it. "What's the plan?" Rogue asked, her own black and red suit on. Kitty opened up a silk bag in the bottom of her drawer, drawing forth a handful of silvery shuriken. She slid them into pouches hidden around her costume even as she said, "I'll slip inside, and track down the master assassin leading them. Once I take him down, the Hand will pull out." "How can I help?" Rogue asked. Kitty sighed softly, hesitating. "I could use a distraction," she admitted. "But they use magical weapons, love. It could be dangerous," she cautioned her. Rogue smiled, "Danger is our business." Quietly, she added, "There's no way I could let you go into danger and at least try to help." "Thanks, love," Kitty hugged her gently. "But how, exactly, are we going to find them?" Rogue asked. "Those numbers Bishop's partner read off," Kitty explained as she lead Rogue downstairs, "are for a coordinate system. I bet it's a location in town." "Should we split up?" Rogue asked as they stepped outside. She locked the door, then turned to Kitty, who smiled gently. "I don't really want to," Kitty admitted, "but it's a good idea." She kissed Rogue gently on the cheek, whispering the location in her ear, "I'll meet you there." With that, she seemed to simply disappear. "I have got to get her to teach me to do that," Rogue said to herself, rising into the air and soaring off into her own mission. She reached the target in moments, spotting the guards nearby and simply ramming into them. Kitty could hear the alarms wailing as she neared, slipping into and out of shadows nearing the building. She phased down into the sewers, and made her way forward cautiously. The only guard left was nervous, hesitant, holding his sword white knuckled. "Hi," Kitty said cheerfully as she came around the corner, "could you direct me to the Opera house? I'm lost." He gaped at her, hesitating just long enough for a smoothly thrown shuriken to find it's way to his throat. A soft gurgle, and he dropped to the ground, dissolving. Silently, Kitty ventured on into the building itself. The news covered the kidnapping, describing the assailants costume. It was sketchy, but for her, it was more than enough to recognize the culprits. "The Hand," she murmured softly. She had chosen to face Pryde honorably, in combat. What the Hand were doing had no honor at all. "Kidnapping children," she muttered angrily, rising from her chair. Such a thing simply should not be tolerated, not by any true warrior. She dressed silently, pulling on her battle garb, then disappeared into the night. Rogue grinned, watching the Hand soldiers surrounding her. It was actually kind of fun, fighting against a bunch of goons in pajamas. Yes, they were dangerous, but normally she had to hold back against most enemies. But whatever the Hand were, they weren't fully human any more. Rogue blew out a weary breath. Overwhelming numbers, on the other hand, could be a bit of a problem. She had already taken out dozens of the ninja, but they just kept coming. Suddenly, they leapt, and Rogue was swamped in black clad figures. She struggled to try and free herself, but there was just too many of them. Then she heard a soft cry, as a flash of metal blades gleamed in the darkness. The Hand pulled back, revealing a crouched figure, blades extended. "Wolvie?" Rogue asked, surprised. "Not quite," Lady Deathstrike said, offering her hand to Rogue. Rogue took it even as she asked, "But why?" Deathstrike smiled, "I have no fondness for the Hand." More seriously, "And those who would threaten children are below contempt." "You got that right," Rogue agreed. The Hand began to mass for another attack, and Rogue grinned, "Let's take them, shall we?" Deathstrike grinned back, "Lets." The fingers of each of her hands extended, becoming sword like blades. 'Two can play at that game,' Rogue thought. She called upon the powers that she had once absorbed from Wolverine, and popped bone claws from the back of her hands. They exchanged a glance, and together charged. Kitty watched silently as the black clad woman watched the situation falling apart on her. "How many Ninja have fallen?" she asked again disbelievingly, sweeping her long white hair back with a gesture. "Fully half our cadre," the young man admitted. He didn't see the blow coming, coughing as he spat blood on the floor. "They are only two," she said disbelievingly. "And where is Pryde?" she demanded. 'Sounds like my cue,' Kitty though, tossing out shuriken into the few soldiers into the room. "Right here," she declared. "How did you," the assassin turned, shocked, and Kitty was upon her, They fought gracefully, across the cramped control room. Blades flew midair, but Kitty dodged them gracefully, managing to catch the woman across the cheek with a shuriken. "Give it up," Kitty said simply. "You're faster than me," she murmured, reaching up to touch her bloody cheek. She smiled, her expression one of honest pleasure, "I'm glad." She pressed a switch on her control panel, quietly, "Release the children." A surprised sounding voice replied, "Mistress, they're gone." The white haired woman looked up to meet Kitty's eyes. Kitty just shrugged, "I would have been here sooner, otherwise." "My name is Sakura," the white haired woman bowed, "and I look forward to meeting you again." Kitty threw her shuriken, but they just passed through her as she teleported away. 'Why do I get the feeling she's going to be back?' Kitty wondered. The Hand slowed, then stopped. As if receiving a silent cue, they pulled back, disappearing into the shadows. "Looks like Kitty reached their leader," Rogue sighed. "Indeed," Deathstrike said, turning to leave. Rogue gently took her arm, "Wait a minute." Deathstrike frowned, flexed her finger blades threateningly, but Rogue carried on, "At least stick around long enough for Kitty to thank you." Deathstrike hesitated, then, "Very well." Kitty phased through the building's outer wall, airwalking down to the ground. "Look who's here," Rogue cried. Kitty smiled, dropping down to the earth. She smiled, bowing respectfully, "Thank you." Deathstrike smiled just slightly, "You're welcome." She turned, and slowly walked away. "Care to join us in a victory celebration?" Rogue asked. She paused, "well, actually we're going to be tending to our teammates for a while but once they're better..." Deathstrike surprised them with a laugh, "I'll think about it."
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