X-Traction

Wolverine makes a bit of theatre out of sniffing the air. He scrapes a claw along a metallic bench, to send shivers up the spines of those gathered inside.

Cyclops clenches his fists and readies himself to rush in after Wolverine primes those goons for a fright.

Nightcrawler ducked in upside down from the door lintel, immediately climbing up one side of the inner wall much like a friendly neighbourhood acquaintance he had met before.

The door shuts with the sound of rattling metal. There is darkness for a moment when Jubilee launches some fireworks into the air to shed multicolored illumination. The brief lighting reveals a large hangar converted into a science workshop. Large spotlights click on, pinning the group under blinding lights. A voice from the shadows behind the powerful spotlights speaks.

"I always knew someone would come meddling sooner or later. You must understand I can't let you leave now. I must harvest your powers to even the playing field, you understand. It is hardly a mano a mano fight when mutants are involved, is it? You can surrender now and I promise I will not kill you. I just want to strip away your powers. I think this is a generous offer, don't you?"

Logan grunts with dismissive confidence!

"Come on out so we can carry out negotiations face to face!" he commands, though the mutant has no intention of talking things through, of course!

Logan tries to spy someone behind the spotlight, so that he can pounce and take him out!

Seeing a shape just behind the light, Wolverine snarls and then springs! Summoning all this power, he leaps at the figure!

Kurt didn't like having the lights on them all without being able to see who it was that was speaking with them. He figured the best course of action is to get away from the range of the spotlights, right at the back and as high as possible, in order for him to figure out what was his next move was.

Gambit swings his bo staff at whoever may be behind the workbenches they saw people briefly run behind during Jubilee's illuminations.

Cyclops charges into the room to throw a mighty punch!

Jubilee puts up her fists, ready to pummel any fool daring enough to test her!

With Jubilee's fireworks, you can see there are only five people in this room. Two of the injured FoH members, two members operating the double spotlights, and an elderly man in a lab coat and with two cybernetic gauntlets on his hands.

Cyclops rushes the one he recognizes as grabbing him previously and stealing his powers. The guard raises the gauntlet to defend or maybe counterattack, but Cyclops easily dodges and lands a mighty punch that hits the FoH member, crumpling him into an unconscious pile immediately.

Wolverine leaps to one of the enemies behind a spotlight. The member is caught off guard and Wolverine's claws rip into him.

Gambit rolls close to the enemy that stole his powers and unleashes a brutal swing of his staff. The man crumples to the floor.

"Two gloves? That makes you a zwei hander!" Nightcrawler quipped as he got his bearings; now he could see clearly who to go for, and he leapt towards Dr Strain to see if he could trip him up before his gloves came into play!

"Aaaghhh!" the doctor shouts as Nightcrawler dives in from the rafters and sweeps his legs out from under him. The wind is knocked out of him and there is an audible crack of bones. But his will to succeed pushes him on and from his place on the floor he aims both gauntlets in an arc at the X-Men. Crackling energy surrounds them and then leaps out in arcing electrical jolts!