She wanted nothing more than to live her life quietly. But as her black boots ate up the pavement under them, she came to a heartbreaking realization that others wouldn't allow for that. The October night chilled her to the core despite the layers of black covering all but her panicked face and hair, she tried to keep in darkness, though the streetlights reached for her in the middle of the road.
She swallowed the sob that rose in her throat, long red waves flying like a war pennant as she tried to flee her pursuers. They were closing in, she had slipped their searching hands too many times. There was nowhere else she could hide.
She sensed their approach, calm and sure that their prize was won. Fear stalled any other way for her to defend herself, she could only run.
"Bring her here," came the bored command.
Even weighted down with her duffle bag, she put on a renewed burst of speed, thanking the years in track she took in high school. It wasn't enough, and she was knocked to the ground by a foul-smelling Mutant, Toad.
"No," she gasped, kicking out blindly.
"Bollocks," Toad grasped his groin, watching as she rolled to her feet.
"Sorry 'bout the stones," she smiled wickedly.
"You'll be sorry," he warned.
Sabretooth emerged from the dark alley, grabbed her hair and twisted, bringing her to her knees. Blinking tears back, she found her face was twisted at an angle that didn't allow for her to see much, though she could sense many more than the last chase, their open minds flooded her own at such speed she was incapacitated and close to blacking out.
"We'll cure you of being so rude," the woman of blue skin whispered in her ear.
"Don't you know when to leave well enough alone," Jean snapped as the woman's cool hands searched for weapons.
Oh God, please help me!
"MAGNETO!"
She closed her eyes to the bold of lightning that ripped the night in two, Sabretooth had freed her unknowingly, covering his eyes in reflexive action.
"The bloody do-gooders," Toad spat.
"Meet them," Magneto commanded.
Jean had fallen forward onto the asphalt, wet from a recent rain. The absence of pain gave her a moment to gather her wits, and looked through the legs of her captors. A group of Mutants, in dark form-fitting uniforms approached.
"You have no claim on her," Magneto drawled.
"Neither do you, bub," a rough voice growled in response.
"You do like pain, Wolverine, don't you?"
"Lets ya know yer alive," the rough voice replied.
By some unspoken word the battle began, and Jean's adrenaline-fueled blood had her running before her mind could catch up. A quick glance as she turned a corner, more than her eyes could take in for a second, and she was gone into the night.