“Tut tut,” Jean cooed as she traced a finger across Logan's jawline. He was still unconscious from the combination of Laura's fist and Jean's telepathic attack. She had underestimated Xavier's psychic defenses, and that had cost them all,dearly. Logan had managed to get off a two-second message to the Avengers. He had earned the attention of the very people that she had wanted to avoid. This meant that she had to jump-start many of her plans, and now had Celeste working with Sophie and Esme to force most of the student body into submission. “You really messed things up for me, didn't you?”
“My Queen?” Laura asked from where she stood, against the wall. “What do you require?”
“From you?” Jean replied as she continued to try and worm her way around the psychic blocks put in place by her professor. “Nothing, at the moment, my Knight. I wantyou to rest, because your Father may have put us under a dangerous microscope. And new enemies may be approaching us as we speak.”
“As well as new allies,” Laura reasoned with a half a snort.
“True,” Jean said with a shrug as a psychic barrier gave way, only to be replaced with two more. “Very true. It will take time, however. Perhaps to much time for me alone.And even with the Cuckoos and Frost under my sway, we will be hard-pressed to attain a victory. Wolverine will be the key.”
“If he can be revived,” Laura said with a smirk, “then he can convince them that there is no danger. Correct?”
“Correct,” Jean said as she felt Logan's resistance begin to crumble. “But we only have minutes. I can feel them coming now. Go, and assemble the court. Then, I want you to scout them out. Tell me who they have brought, because something seems to be blocking their thoughts from me.” She curled her lip at the thought of someone being able to beat her at her own game. How could anyone ever match the power of the Black Queen?
***
Psylocke walked down the halls of the Xavier institute. At the moment, she was vulnerable, having left her Katana's in her room. She did this because she felt safe within the walls of the school, most of the time. But, at the moment, something was nipping at her mind. It was like a presence that was lingering just beyond her reach. It felt like someone was trying to contact her from a great distance. Perhaps even the other side of the world, or beyond.
She had tried to answer, but found onlya blank abyss. Nothingness was before her on the psychic plane. No Xavier calming a student, no Frost invading another person's privacy,no amateur Jean Grey trying to master her powers. 'In fact,' Psylocke remembered, 'Jean has not used her powers for nearly two weeks. Odd.Very odd. Almost unnatural.' For a moment, Betsy considered talking to the young girl about it. But, that seemed like it would be an intrusion on her privacy. Betsy had never been to close with the teenage version of Jean.
Her mind returned to the subject of the lack of psychic activity. She reached out with her mind, and tried totouch someone. But, she found that there was nothing. So the problem wasn't other telepaths. It was her own powers. Which got her very worried. She turned around on a dime, only to be confronted by a blur of motion.
She had no time to react as something sharp dug into her neck, allowing blood to spurt out. But strangely, it felt...good. Orgasmic, even. It was as if a great pressure was being lifted from her mind. She no longer felt vulnerable. Instead, she felt more alive than ever.
***
“My fellow Queens,” Jean Grey said as she tapped her fingers against the throne. “We have encountered a slight problem. A recent....blunder on my part as earned the attention of the Avengers. As we speak, Storm is distracting them long enough for us to form a plan.” She looked around the room, at both Emma and Jubilee, who was in the middle of wiping her mouth free of blood. The vampire queen gave her a toothy grin as she continued.“I suggest we-”
“Who are you to suggest anything?”Jubilee scoffed as she licked her fingers. “After all, it was your mistake that put us in this mess in the first place. I say that your reign should be over.”
“And you should rule in her place?”Emma shot back as she half-rose to her feet. “You? A mindless beast? One who has done nothing but hide in the shadows and leech off of our success? I think not!” Emma continued as she turned to face Jean, “but neither should you. Under my leadership,the Hellfire club would-oohhh!” Emma reeled back as Jean assaulted her mind with a powerful psychic wave,which brought the woman to her knees. Curiously, it should have also cowed Jubilee, but she remained standing, still licking her lips free of the scarlet blood that stained them. Obviously, the girl was playing another hand here, and she was already planning to overthrow Jean. She guessed that the blood was from a recent victim of hers. After all, Jean had been sure to lace the supply she had been giving Jubilee with mind-numbing drugs, and those weren't working. She had to get the blood-sucker away from the court, quickly.
“This bickering is pointless,” Jean said clearly. “None of us will reign for long if the Avengers have anything to say about it. I want you to-”
“Iam not your servant,” Jubilee snapped with a growl.
“Trust me, you'll enjoy this one,” Jean replied in a commanding tone of voice. “I want you to sneak aboard their plane. Hitch a ride backto New York City. There, you can set up your own court.” The former Mutant did not protest this. She only smiled with bloody glee.