Please comment here with your character epilogues (as mentioned previously on the OOC comm board by myself). I know many of us have begun to drift away from the community but I'd really appreciate if you could just take the time to post a little drabble piece telling us where your character went after the team was disbanded.

Many thanks

Charlie

aka Captain E. Sykes and J. Esteban

It had all been a lie.

A terrible, mutant created dream world in which Ethan had done terrible things. He'd cheated on his (dream) wife, okay so she had proven to be a bitch and cheated on him resulting in a son but still... Ethan had always thought he was better than that. Then there had been the thing between him and Angie Angel. Oh gods, he'd cheated on his wife with his best friends girl, a woman he considered a friend, a good decent woman who he'd been unable to resist and it wasn't her fault. Okay so Angie had a husband, freaking Vance of all people, and a gorgeous kid and... fuck. Fuckfuckfuck!

Anything that had once been on his desk went flying across the room as Ethan shoved his desk, his anger barely restrained as the sturdy piece of furniture flipped over, papers fluttering in the air and a photo frame shattering loudly.

At first they had been all blissfully unaware of just quite what had happened, and then, clearly intended as some sick and twisted joke by those who'd done this in the first place, they started to get glimpses of what they'd all probably brushed off as dreams or random thoughts. Flashbacks and odd moments of clarity randomly struck around camp and before too long a package arrived, addressed to Ethan. In it had been the schematics of the camp, every little detail and a huge hint that much, much more was known than just this. Sadly they were only ever to get fleeting glimpses of the reality that they'd existed in thanks to these unknown mutants, that was to be their punishment, the knowledge that what they'd experienced had either been the best of their pathetic existences, or revealed a side to them that they didn't want to know.

Immediately Ethan put the camp into red alert and, after carefully reading the note sent to him, he briefed the team.

The camp had been infiltrated and data regarding the team and other aspects stolen, ergo the Team was now compromised and military could no longer guarantee safety for the team mates. Rather than keeping them all together and sending them off to yet another country, the decision had been made to disband the team.

They would all be paid off, a mixture of military money and unspent funding from Miss Frost finally being put to good use, or at least that is what Ethan argued. He carried the heavy burden of feeling like he'd let the team down, that he hadn't done enough but as the culprit had pointed out in their note, they'd done it to countless others and it was all down to their mutantion.

When it came down to mutant versus mutant... well no-one was the victor really.

They had a week, to pack their things up and ship out. Ethan was to be transferred back to his home state of Texas, to Fort Hood, located outside of Killeen. There he'd resume his military career after a short break and with a promotion to Lieutenant Colonel, skipping the stage of Major because of the issues he'd endured whilst leading the team. Ethan was well aware that it was just another way of trying to keep him sweet and not blaming the military for their downfalls.

His office was a mess, his uniform was far from impeccable and the 5'oclock shadow on his jaw was going to be left untouched at this rate, but Ethan didn't care. He had yet to speak to Angel and try to work out a) where they would go from here and b) if she could forgive him for his actions, did she want to move to Texas with him.

Slouching into one of the comfortable seats, back turned away from the mess of his overturned desk, Ethan massaged his temples and tried to calm his mind.

Between the extra work outs, the drive to do better, and the sudden lack of a social life was starting to take it's toll. It had to be pent up testosterone or something because the Carolina boy was feisty and on edge. Little things were being blown up or turned into a competition.

It was coming out in other ways too. Wet dreams in which he hadn't had since early pubescence. And fantasies so vivid there were times he wasn't sure if it really happened until he can gauge the reaction of the person he was having them about. Especially when it came to Emma Frost.

Perhaps it was the fact that she was a smoking hot female in a place of power above him, or maybe it was just because he interacted with her more regularly than many of the teammates. Either way, she was star in many of his daytime fantasies. Not the only star. He fantasized about most of the women on his base and if they knew the props, costumes, or situation he put them in, they would collectively beat him to a bloody stump. It was a recipe for disaster... or hilarity.

It was a cold morning, and that was probably the first sign that it wasn't going to be a good day for Adrian. He'd slept in for probably one of the first times in a while but telling from the pounding in his head and nausea settled deep in his stomach he knew today was going to be low in any degree of expectation.

He stumbled from his room, he didn't bother showering, but simply sprayed himself with some deodorant and pulled a hoodie over his head. Chewing some gum he slowly makes a zombie-crawl of a journey to the Mess, pouring himself a cup of coffee and slumping gracelessly in a darkened corner of the room Adrian loathed the idea of making polite conversation.

Take it as no surprise then, that should you choose to engage in conversation with Ade this morning you'll get an earful of abuse, an eyeful of someone who shows the mental dexterity of a teaspoon and god forbid you actually piss him off, because then you might find yourself on the bad side of gravity, as well as Ade himself.

Lorna had one task. Find out anything she could that might pertain to the attack on the so-called 'X-Men'. Frankly, Lorna wasn't sure about the whole thing; but her father was close with their leader -or had been, and Lorna had accepted Wanda's small shake of the head and a promise to explain it all later. Lorna trusted in her siblings, and thus, when Pietro and Wanda acted in accordance with Erik's wishes, Lorna didn't question it either.

Which took her, and Rogue, to Washington -which Lorna didn't understand either, because if anything, answers would be in New York. But the New York branch of the MRE weren't accepting recruits due to space and so, they were taken in by the Washington branch -a whole country away from her blood family, but relatively close to adoptive family.

It made slacking off all the more tempting. Which was possibly why Rogue kept giving her that smirking look lately. Lorna just rolled her eyes and went back to work. Although getting information out of anyone was difficult.

It was exactly why, at half three in the afternoon, Lorna found herself in the middle of the mess hall, head in her hands, stemming off a major headache and aching to call Wanda just to whine about this ridiculous notion that she would get anywhere with this lot. Rogue was fine, Rogue just grabbed a touch of the nearest soldier and figured out if they knew anything, but apparently, Lorna had to 'make friends'.

Which, just fyi, wasn't exactly a strong point of hers.

Having read through everything Ethan had managed to collate, Emma took the night to plan things out. If she was already granted her 'leave' and Ethan could see to it that Wade was given the day or two it took them, Emma only had to consider the transport. Which she took care of, in the form of a lear jet flying out of Seattle.

It gave Emma and Wade the head start -a three hour plane journey to Minnesota was better than the twenty hour car journey. It was why Emma was standing, waiting on the runway at the airport, in dark jeans, boots, vest top and with a duffel bag, waiting for Wade.

The air port staff were aware of a 'military training exercise' so no questions were asked about the weapons, and no one approached Emma, which was good, considering the mood she was in right then.

There were probably, at least, one hundred and one other more important things that Ethan should have been doing at that time; memos, emails, phonecalls, meetings, letters and paperwork. All of it however had been put aside and Ethan had taken to the open training ground where the grass had been cut back on a 150 yard long strip and a hole made into the ground at the far end. Setting the golf ball down onto the tee Ethan lines up the clubhead with the ball before stepping away and taking a couple of practice shots.

He's nowhere near the likes of Tiger Woods skills wise with this, his wife Emily had bought him the clubs for Christmas last year. She'd obviously been at a loss as to what to buy her husband but the gesture and thought behind it had been there and actually, now? Ethan was starting to appreciate having another excuse to get out the house and get away from the fighting and arguing. His father-in-law, General Porter, was also a keen golfer so it was the perfect bonding exercise to ensure he could further his career and keep the in-laws happy.

Happy with his shot Ethan brings the clubhead in line with the ball, sets his shoulders hip width apart and finally, after a moment of calm, takes a swing. The club hits the ball with a resounding THWACK and it arcs through the air and bounces at the far end of the makeshift driving range. Happy with his shot Ethan reaches for another ball from the bag.

"Any change yet?"

"I'm afraid not, Haylie. Hank is still optimistic, though."

"How're the children doing? Are they adjustin' okay to the new facility?"

"Everything is fine. We're safe. The children miss you. Logan keeps asking about Jubilee. Hank and Forge are finishing the final touches on the new Danger Room. And as for me? I miss you more everyday."

"I miss you too, Warren. I promise I'll be home as soon as I find the answers to my questions."

"...What about Emma?"

"I don't think she's comin' back from this."

"Haylie..."

"You're sorry, I know. It's not my fault, blah blah blah."

"I love you, smartass."

"I love you too, featherhead."

Click!

With a sigh, she closed the video conference line on one of the many monitors that lined the wall and got out of her seat. As she rubbed the back of her neck, she tried to decide on her next move. Make sure Jubilee is keeping out of trouble, find Emma, or start digging for some answers?

On her way down to the courtyard, she caught Jubilee showing off her powers to anyone who wanted to see them. Looks like finding answers (and hopefully Emma) it is.