EAGER TO PLEASE


JOURNAL ENTRY: ROGUE

Let's go; back shall we? Context clues are important. An older sibling ain; gonna allow their younger sister scurry along wit' friends. Unheard of. They are the babies. They get the most love and attention. Like my sister Lyla. No way Ah was gonna let her out shine me on the mission and yet, mama insisted. Ah need brownie points. Ah need mama to see Ah can manage movin' to the boarding house in New York and lead. How on God's earth can Ah accomplish such a feat if Ah gotta drag my temperamental sister wit' me everywhere. Ugh.

JUNE 15th, 2016

00:02 ETA

SEATTLE PORTS

"Keep yah thoughts clear. Don' lose control. Mic always stays on. Got me?"

With a roll of her honey brown eyes, Lyla put the earpiece in, slapping Rogue's glove hand away. Incompetent they, Rogue and Wanda, think of her. If she fucks up, they fuck up. Neither cares about her wellbeing; they want her to do everything they want. Make sure she doesn't go off script. Mystique, her mom, won't tolerate defeat of any kind. Plus, like her sister, she wants to head up to New York and join the brotherhood, live outside of the shit little, country, redneck town of Caldecott. Same people. Same day. Same shit. On Replay. All. The. Time. They are driving her slowly insane with each passing moment. She needs the mission to go smoothly, so she can ship out and experience the bold world outside of her boring town.

"Ah ain' stupid Anna."

"Coulda fooled me." Rogue snarked. "In and out. Don't take yah sweet time."

"Then stop harpin' and touchin' me so Ah can get."

Once more, she pushed away Rogue's hands, then stepped out of the van. The smack of oil and water filled her nose. A smile climbing across her lips. Around her nothing but black. Void of light. The sky a blackhole of nothingness. No stars. No moon. Just, black. Allowing her eyes to adjust, her eyes guided her to where she needed to go. Show time.

Slamming the door behind Lyla, Rogue slumped in her chair next to her partner for the night. Her emerald eyes following along with her sister. Quick and efficient. Then they can hop on the next plane home and get on with their lives.

"Nice of you to your sister carry the load for us."

"Not my idea. Mama has been harpin' at me to get Lyla's feet wet."

Wanda, deciding to come along for the action, removed her Doc Martens from the table. Her perfect brow, raised. Sounds like Raven. If she wants something done, she gets it done. What she says, goes.

"Well, mama will have Lyla to do all the dirty work while Ah can finally move to Bayville."

"You think she and the gumbo will go for it?"

"Puh-lease." Rogue snorted. "The swamp-rats always in New York trying to steal something."

Snorting, Wanda reached for her chips. Odd habit. When in crisis or on a mission her go to ends up being snacks. Bring snacks, never know when a disaster will arise. How she hasn't gained weight from all the snacking, the world may never know, especially with a boyfriend like John.

"You right. Still—" Crunching on the cheetah, Wanda smirked, "—You have other needs to address."

"We'll work out those details when we cross that bridge."

"If you say." She shrugged. "Have to say, you at the house will be a major stress relief."

"John?"

"Yeah."

"No one helps out."

Wanda paused for a moment. "No. Lance is stuck on Kitty—"

"X-Man?"

Munching on a chip to confirm, she continued, "Fred's always cooking, ignoring the drama. Pietro is too engrossed in himself. And Todd gets high with him so…"

"Ah say dump him."

"I can't."

"Yah can. Simple. 'John. Yah addicted and not to me. We done.' See, simple."

"It's not that simple."

"Course it is."

"I love him."

"and if he loved yah, he wouldn't be doin' what he doin'."

What's it going to take for the gal to open her damned eyes? John isn't addicted to her as he claims. Each word he stumbles on ends up being a lie. 'I promise not to do it again. This is the last hit…I-I will do better. I had a long day, need somethin' to take off the edge.' When will she ever be enough? When will Wanda ever get to the point she says enough?

After a minute pause, Rogue rubbed her eyes, "Fine. Ah'll help yah with yah boyfriend."

Satisfied with the answer, Wanda crunched down on another chip. Her eyed fixated on the monitors. The mic's cutting out. The ring of bullets flying sounding off. "Should we help."

"Nah, Lyla will figure it out." Rogue replied, leaning back in her chair, "Tell me about Lance and the X-Man."


JOURNAL 2: MALAKAI

The Inner Circle's main goal. A seat at the right hand of Emma Frost opened. I'd do anything to get on her, their, radar. Kill target. Win over father. He brags to the members of the Hellfire Club; they rave to the Circle and Emma's, please. And boom. I'm in. Nothing will get in my way.

OUTSKIRTS OF SEATTLE

00:15 ETA

DOCKS

Malakai, needing to see, pulled her hair out of her face, tip-toeing around. At the ready, a knife, given to her by her mother, ran between her fingers. 'never let your guard down' her father repeated.

She cared for her twin. Who wants to fight their blood? And yet, her father reprimanded her for not taking the final blow. Fine. This time, she will get what her sister wants. A seat at the big adult table. A seat next to the White Queen. No honor higher. She can't wait to see the look of anger and disgust on her sisters face when she wins the queen's favor — no honor higher.

As she began to run close to the edge of the docks, her foot slipped on a fresh puddle of water. Her body reeled back. If it weren't for her savior, she'd look like the seaweed monster parents tell their kids when they're wrong.

Yanked forward, by the diamond necklace draped her neck, her face pressed against the other's body. The fragrance of rainy musk and fried food filled her nose. Oddly enough, she found the mixture riveting and satisfying.

"Thanks for shattering the necklace my mother gave me." She snapped, her knife pressed to the 'saviors' neck — her mom's last gift to her, shattered to pieces around her feet.

"when yah ask her for a new necklace, also ask her for some manners." The other snapped, voice harsh.

Removing the knife, Malakai, pouted. "I'll get right on that when I raise her from the dead."

Void of concern, amber eyes met her dark green ones, "Yah get right on—" She stopped, her nose to the air, eyes squinted.

"Now who's the one without manners hmm?"

Her index pressed to Malakai's mouth. Unable to process what happened, she shoved the hand away when a sniper bullet clawed its way through her 'savior's' shoulder. Shit. The damned stranger put themselves between her and the round. Well, win some you—wait.

"how the hell aren't you on the floor bleeding out?"

"They ain' that great of a shot. Besides, Ah think yah target's runnin.'" She snorted, pointing in the direction of a 5'11 male, with black hair, ivory skin, and a white Italian suit. First, who the hell wears white to the docks? Second, how the hell did the stranger know whom she was hunting?

No time for this. Mali gave the stranger a nod of thanks before following her target. Like a puma, she pounced on his back, knives ripping into the shoulder blades. A squeak of pain came from him and then nothing. Damn, more accessible than she thought.

"Now a picture for father." Whipping out her phone, "Say Cheese."


JUNE 17th, 2016

SATURDAY

08:05 ETA

DARKHOLME KITCHEN

On top of the marble counter, legs kicking against the sage green cabinets, Lyla nursed a cup of coffee. The intoxicating hint of dark roasted Italian bean swept her off her feet. Her heart skipped a beat. Damn. Life can't get any better. She deserves the victory drink; the mission went well the other night.

Then, ruining her relaxing morning, Rogue leaned against the counter, glaring. "Yah are an idiot for not callin' us for back up the other night."

"Yah couldn' have told me that on the plane last night?" she replied. "Plus, Ah thought Ah was supposed to do everythin' on my own."

Ready to pull out her hair from frustration, growled, "The mission escalated. Yah was outnumbered. We were ready to help."

"Then why didn' yah."

Rogue opened her mouth and closed it when Wanda stepped in. "We did. We got out of the van in search of you, but you disobeyed a direct order and took out your earpiece. The brotherhood's a team; if you want to be on that team, you need to ask for help."

"Ah, don' know what the problem is. Ah caught the guy didn' Ah?"

"Actually. No, yah didn't."

Wait. What? Wanda showed her a picture of the guy, and she caught him, unless…no. No. No! They've gotta be shitting her. The guy she killed has a twin? Fuck.

"Why didn't yah tell me?!"

"If yah didn't tune me out that night then yah would have heard me say to be careful, Paul has a twin."

"No matter. The client's happy with both Marciano's dead."

"wait. Both are dead."

"The Assassins Guild was hired to take out Paul as well."

All turned to Lyla who smirked. "What?"

Stoic as ever, Raven Darkholme, stepped into the kitchen, fully dressed for the day, arms crossed. At first, she wasn't pleased her daughter fucked up, her client, however, explained she was okay with competition wholly irradicated.

"we still got paid. The mission was a success. Regardless of the rookie mistake."

"It won't happen again, mama," Lyla said, cheeks red.

"See to it that it doesn't."

Good news. Rogue can finally move to New York and oversee the brotherhood. "So Ah can move to Bayville?"

"A deal is a deal, however—" No. No. No. "—Take Lyla with you."

"What?!" Both shouted in unison.

"Irene is coming with me to Genosha. Therefore, you both are going to be in Bayville. Keep me posted about missions and so on." Raven kissed both of her girls on the cheek. "Behave."

She gave them both a smile then headed out of the house. Meanwhile, both watched her back side, speechless. The summer of 2016 will end with drama, drama, and more drama.


JUNE 17th, 2016

SATURDAY

05:05 ETA

5525 S FRONTENAC ST. SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

The Guild thinks highly of themselves. Not only do they have a throne room, but a throne made from gold to match. Shows how much power they obtain, no matter the status of the member. The King of the Assassins faction in Seattle, the twin's father, believes he's a real King. The title makes the man. Who cares? As long as she's not whipped for defiance against the 'king.'

"Let me get this straight. Malakai went out of her way to eliminate the same target you were supposed to?" the king asked, voice mild-tone, his eyes blaring holes into his children's souls, getting a feel for what happened the other night.

Neither spoke, unsure of the words to describe the other night's activities. Skylar over slept, while Malakai stole the plans and added up her own to please her father. However, standing before him, he's not pleased. Fair. He wanted his favorite daughter to succeed. The king still does which lights a fire under Mali's ass, wanting to do more, wanting to prove what she's capable of. The spot at the Inner Circle will help her reach the goal.

"Well, one of you speak."

"I don't understand why you're upset. The target's neutralized, and we got paid what we were promised. What more do you want?"

His brows creased into a glare as he descended the stairs, getting in her face. "You weren't supposed to be in the field. You aren't ready."

"Am I though? I took care of what needed to be done."

Skylar no longer sat idly by as her sister talked about how she deserved the spot. Malakai didn't earn shit. She didn't spend nights, morning, sweat, blood, tears, broken bones to get to Skylar's level. To get to the Circle's degree and she thinks she can take her spot. Not on her watch.

"That was my spot!"

Malakai looked to her sister, smirking. "Your name wasn't on the target nor is it on the plane ticket to New York."

Fists balled. Eyes narrowed. Skylar hissed, "I'll bash your teeth in you bitch."

In return, she, Malakai, rolled her eyes. However, she continued pushing her sister's buttons. "Oh?! Just like when we were seven?"

"You ate my last cookie."

"Like now, your name wasn't on it."

As Skylar, the comment causing her blood to boil lunged for her twin, the king of the princesses, stepped in, "Enough. Since you two can't get along, you'll not go to New York. Hopefully, they can teach you more about manners than I. therefore, I suggest you start packing."

The twins gave each other one last glare before walking in opposite wings of the mansion to their rooms. Once they disappeared around the corner, he slumped on his throne, missing his Queen, the first. She, when alive, understand how to oversee their girls. When she left the earthly plain, he went in search of a new wife to help with the stress. Worthless. Hoe.


A/N: You ask, why end on such a weird note. Why end on someone who isn't the main character. Because, ladies and gentlemen, it will all come full circle. Trust me. If you have more concerns, please, review.