Counting The Numbers (Narrative)
It had been a tough decision, but one which had needed to be made sooner or later.
Some of the team members - well, admittedly, one in particular - had just become too much of a liability to allowed to remain within the squad. Stryker could all-too-easily remember the permanent look of contempt that had seemed to be etched upon the young firestarter's face, and he didn't regret for a moment signing the papers which authorised the young man's one-way trip back to the States. The same had gone for the little lady with the white streak in her hair; she may well have had a certain Southern charm about her, but at the end of the day she was still a mutant, and she'd go where she was needed.
Yuriko, too, had been sent away, although unlike the others, not a word of protest had passed her lips at the decree. She had been blunt about his way of running things, but he'd appreciated that. At least she had been honest with him. Emma, too, had been less than complimentary about her stay, but she hadn't protested too much at being shipped back 'home'. The woman had medical needs which just couldn't have been catered for within the Russian camp, no matter how experienced Doctor Milbury seemed to be. It only remained to be seen how Victor would cope with having his 'mate' forcibly removed. The Major certainly didn't envy whoever would have the task of informing him.
Besides, he had other things on his mind at that moment; the mass exodus of team members, for one. Manuel, Allison, and most importantly, Jean Grey, to name a few; when he'd discovered that several of them had managed to break free of the compound and essentially 'escape', he'd been furious. The guards on duty at the time would be punished, and he'd make sure to alert all possible branches of the U.S. Military that there were several rogue mutants abroad. Other than that, he'd have to try and limit the damage done within the camp itself, both physical and otherwise.
Rubbing at his temples, he popped yet another painkiller and sighed. It was going to be a long night.