To Save a Rogue
By:
C.D. Lamarr
Chapter 3
"I think it's a mistake to let Rogue go on this mission Charles."
Wolverine shook his head decisively.
"She's been actin really weird lately. She ain't focused enough to face Juggernaut!"
"She has to", the Professor replied abstractedly, his fingers steepled underneath the cleft of his chin, "If Cain is to be stopped it will take all your powers combined to do it!"
"Which begs the question", Storm interposed, "Why aren't you going with us? We may slow him down Charles but your mind is the only thing that can stop him!"
"No, I think not."
Charles hesitated briefly before continuing.
"I believe", he said with a look of mystery about him that causes Storm's blue eyes to narrow in suspicion, "That the team can handle him! Remember Ororo they've faced him without me before! When Mystique abducted me and imprisoned me in that horrible cell, it was their united power that took him down! And with Logan along--
"Wait a minute—you mean Ro ain't goin with us!"
"Charles", Ororo began to protest when the Professor interrupted her.
"With Magneto still at large I need at least one of you to remain here with me and the rest of the students! And I need it to be you Ororo. Were Magneto to attack the Institute, the metal on Logan's bones would—forgive me for saying Logan—prove rather a liability giving the nature of Magnus' power and that helmet he wears shields him from my telepathy! If worse comes to worse, Ororo is the only other Level 5 Mutant who could survive and encounter with him!"
"I see", Ororo replied regarding Charles now with a look of intelligence that clearly showed she wasn't buying his story, "Very well. I'll stay behind then."
"And you still think it's safe for Rogue to go along with us Chuck", Logan pressed?
"Er-yes Logan", said Professor—another of his mysterious looks passing briefly across his countenance, "As a matter of fact—I believe", here he hesitates again, "That she must go this time."
"Alright", Logan said with a shrug as he turned to go away, "Guess we better be off then. Hopefully there'll be somethin left of Soho Square ta save—that is if you brother hadn't leveled it by now!"
"You know something", Storm said to him after making certain that Logan was out of ear shot—not that it would have made a whole lot of difference. Storm well knew that if the Feral really wanted to he could hear them three corridors away easily!
Charles hesitates—eyes distant and with a look of abstraction as though he were miles away.
"You know something", Storm repeats, "There's something you're not telling us—and I have a feeling that it involves Rogue!"
Charles turned and looked at her in surprise.
"How do I know? Well there was something about the way you insisted that Rogue be there and that in spite of the way she's been acting lately! What's going on Charles?"
The Professor sighed.
"Right now—I'm not really sure myself Ororo. Logan's right Rogue is changing! There's something about her Mutant ability—ever since the Niagara Falls Incident—that's—different!"
"Like what?"
"I'm not sure", the Professor replied abstractedly, "But lately I've been—picking up on conversations—on mental impressions that have convinced me that Rogue is on the threshold of a very dangerous shift in her development--
"You think she's in danger?"
"Remember what happened when Jean's powers accelerated out of control?"
"Yes", replied Ororo gravely, "She nearly brought down the entire Basement! She nearly killed us and herself into the bargain--
She stopped and looked at Charles.
"Now", said he, "Multiply that times three—and you'll have some idea of what Rogue will be capable of if ever her powers reach that stage!"
"Oh good god!"
"We're talking about at Mutant whose powers are, for all practical intents and purposes, multi-dimensional! And unless—certain things fall into place—or let's just say unless certain things are—allowed to happen—she would never survive such a transformation!"
Storm's eyes narrow again.
"You let her touch you yesterday—didn't you? That was no accident! You did it on purpose Charles—Why?"
"Well let's just say—today was no accident!"
"But with her power so unstable is it wise to let her go up against the Juggernaut—now??"
Charles merely looked at his friend for answer but replied:
"That's not Juggernaut."