Chapter 4: Recruitment
Rogue's Point of View
Just another day in hell, and I hate every second of it. Most Mutants perceive their powers as a gift, but mine are a curse. What good is it to have a power when the price is not being able to touch anyone without putting them in a coma? If only is all I can I say. All I do is run from the MRD, the bastards trying to persecute all of us Mutants, under the orders of Senator Kelly, who swears he is protecting the people.
Just recently I had a run in with one of the MRD's latest advancements in Mutant hunting technology, the Prowler. If Scott and the X-Men didn't show up when they did, I would've been done for. Their offer is tempting, but I just can't accept, not without Logan. Logan is the reason I always stayed with the X-Men, he made me feel like I belonged. Without him, I feel alone with the X-Men. For the last year I've been trying to find Logan after he went on his hunt for Jean. Some went looking for Jean, others looked for the Professor, but most just walked away.
As I walk down this alley, I see something in the shadows. Immediately, my training as an X-Man fights to kick in, but I keep the urge suppressed. I don't want to give away that I'm a Mutant in case this stranger decides to alert the MRD. I've been able to avoid them simply by staying in the shadows, and it's been working well so far. The stranger decides to step out of the shadows after I pass by, and I notice that the stranger is actually a Mutant. A green, slimy Mutant.
"Hey there, girly, you got anything nice?"
"I've got nothing that would interest you."
"Oh, I don't know, those would say otherwise," the slime-ball says as he points to my breasts.
"Get lost, pig!"
"Oh come on, I'm just trying to be nice." His tongue shoots out of his mouth, and it wraps around my wrist, trying to pull me towards him. I'm not about to let this pig assault or even rape me, so I let him take off my glove with that slimy tongue of his. I then make my move, taking grip of his tongue, and siphoning his powers away. His tongue feels disgusting, like a wet, slimy snake slithering around in my hand. The bastard's eyes shoot out as pains roars through his body before he collapses on the ground. Before I know it, my tongue begins to grow, and is pouring out of my mouth. Luckily, I have learned to quickly adapt to new abilities over the years, and my tongue is back where it belongs in seconds. My mouth tastes like slime though, and I proceed to walk away when more strangers begin to come out.
One's a giant, the fattest, most repulsive guy I've ever seen. Another sports a green jumpsuit decorated with a white lightning bolt streaming across it, and his silvery hair slicked back. The third is wearing a grayish set of armor, the part visible being his eyes and jaw.
"Now, now boys," a woman's voice calls out, "let's be civil here. We should all learn from Toad's mistakes." Toad seems like a fitting name for the slime-ball, but I don't divulge my attention from the situation at hand. The new girl has pale bluish skin, and a scar across her left eye. I can't help but notice the huge amount of cleavage she shows off, clearly trying to keep the attention of the boys on her.
"Don't bother, I'm not interested in talking," I grunt before attempting to walk off.
"How about we talk girl to girl, huh? The guys can give us some privacy." I contemplate her offer, mainly debating the possible outcomes of declining, and decide it'll be better if we just talk.
"Fine, I'll talk, just the two of us though, nobody else."
"Good, Pietro, secure the area. Blob, help out Toad, and Avalanche, guard Blob."
"I don't need a guard!"
"Yes, you do. You can't fight an MRD tank, and hold Toad." Blob just walks off, picking Toad up along the way. Avalanche follows, and Pietro is out before I can even blink.
"So, Rogue, how's life been since the incident?"
"How do you know about what happened at the Institute?"
"Please, every Mutant has heard about that. Professor X goes missing, presumed dead, and the X-Men disband. That broke a lot of Mutant's hearts, you know. Still, how's life been?"
"A living hell, but why do you care?"
"I care because you're one of us, a Mutant who is trying to only survive."
"It would be easier to survive if you and your gang would quit fighting this war with the MRD!"
"We didn't start this war, Rogue. We simply decided to defend ourselves. They stormed into our homes to arrest us, and we fought back in a way many other wouldn't, by fighting back. There is strength in numbers though, and we could use someone like you, an X-Man." I'll admit, her offer is convincing, and I'm sick and tired of running. It might not be the X-Men, but at least I'm not going to be reminded of Logan every time I turn around.
"Okay, I'm in," I accept with a smile.
Scott's Point of View
As we close in on Bobby's house, I start to drift off into my thoughts again. I haven't spoke to Bobby since we parted way after the incident, and I've only seen his parents once, which didn't go so well. I already what to expect though, and I don't expect this to be easy. I've warned Hank of what Bobby's parents are like, and we've decided that only the two of us will go up to Bobby's house. Meanwhile, Rahne will be staying on the chopper, keeping an eye on the radar. The X-Men are growing slowly, but I wish this was a little easier. I wonder if the Professor had as much trouble gathering up a team.
We arrive, and I think about how amazingly short a flight appears when one gets absorbed in their thoughts. It looks different though. The windows are boarded up, but the boards look rather new. Someone in there is scared, and I'm pretty sure I know who.
"Hank, you're with me. Rahne, I want you watching the radar. If anything comes up, alert us via com."
"Yes, sir," Rahne replies compliantly. Hank and I leave the chopper, and cautiously approach the house. Hank rings the doorbell, but nobody answers. We try the door only to see that it's locked, and I decide enough is enough and knock the door in. I walk in to see all the lights off, and with the automatic night vision that comes with my visor I see nothing but furniture.
"Hank, put on your night vision goggles." He complies, and we then work our way through the house. Each room on the first floor has nothing inside besides furniture so we continue on to the second floor. One room has light shining through the cracks of the door, and instead of knocking or trying to open the door though I just knock the door in like the front door, brash, but effective. I see a terrified family in the corner holding Bobby as if a band of muggers are holding guns to their heads. The father pulls out a shotgun, and Hank and I back up in response.
"Calm down, Mr. Drake," Hank begins.
"Shut the hell up," Mr. Drake yells, cutting Hank off. "You monsters are not taking my son again. I'll die before he is forced back into that hell."
"Maybe," Hank calmly responds, "you should ask your son what he wants? He is a legal adult."
"Say one more word, and I'll put a damn shell in you, furball!" I know that's the worst thing anyone could say to Hank, and he proves me right by charging at Mr. Drake, knocking him out before he can even comprehend what's happening. Once he is knocked out, Hank just looks at Bobby.
"Are you coming or not?" I ask. Bobby shoots up and leaves as Hank follows. I look back the rest of the family, a mother and Bobby's little brother. "Bobby's a Mutant, get over it!" With that, I walk out. Bobby looks like he just went through hell, and I don't blame him. "What was all that about, Bobby?"
"My parents panicked when Hank called, and they started boarding up the house, afraid someone would storm in and take me."
"The MRD is getting more lethal, actually. They killed a human just for helping me."
"Well, we were trying to break out a dozen Mutant along with him and his family," Hank adds in.
"Only five Mutants got out of there with us though, and now there's a little without a father thanks to the MRD," I grimly state. Bobby looks mortified by the fact, and I decide to move on to a new topic.
"Looks like the X-Men are coming back," Bobby eagerly declares. "Who else do we have?"
"Warren is financing us along with some other Mutant groups, and we have a new member with us," Hank answers. "Other than that, we're it."
"Warren isn't an official member?"
"No," I answer, "Warren is more helpful off the team, his family's money will help more Mutants than he could in the field."
"Okay, and what about this new member?"
"You'll meet her in a moment," Hank says. When we reach the chopper, Bobby is the first one on. He sees Rahne waiting for us, and stops in his tracks, wanting to seem polite.
"Hey, I'm Rahne."
"Hey, name's Bobby, but you can call me Iceman in the field."
"Okay, code-name 's Wolfsbane."
"Cool, what'd you got in your arsenal?" Rahne offers Bobby a little show by turning into her werewolf like form, and snarling a little for show. Bobby chuckles a little from the semantics, but is still impressed. "Nice, but not as good as this," Bobby gloats as he turns his entire body into ice, shocking Rahne.
"Dang," Rahne utters.
"Sorry to interrupt Bobby," I interject, "but would you happen to know where Kitty is?"
"Oh, she's on her way to Genosha. Didn't she tell you?"
"Hank!" I call, and he instantly takes off, searching through records for which ships are inbound for Genosha. I only hope that we find Kitty in time.
Rogue's Point of View
We arrive at Senator's Kelly's mansion in the dead of night. I always wanted to give Kelly a piece of my mind, and here I stand a little over a hundred yards away. Domino is watching the mansion with her sniper rifle at the ready while Pietro scouts out the area. He comes back holding a box of noodles, looks like take-out maybe, and a pair of chopsticks.
"Building's empty, nice kitchen though."
"Good, Avalanche, give them our calling card." Avalanche begins to focus on the ground around the building, and it shakes violently. I think about trying to stop them, but something inside me is keeping me where I am. The mansion falls, and the Brotherhood cheers in triumph.
"What now?" I ask.
"Now, we hit the Worthingtons," Pietro answers.
Warren!
"Hey, guys," Toad calls out, "check out what we found." Toad and Blob are standing next to a green jeep, and Blob rips the top off so he can fit.
"Nice ride, let's move," Pietro says as he speeds into shotgun. "Rogue, you drive." I know that I have no say here, being the new member, so I do as he says. I wait for everyone to get packed into the jeep before I drive off, and I make my way to Worthington Manor. I always hated Warren. I used to think he was a true angel, but he's absorbed by greed. He left the X-Men so he could chill in his daddy's big fancy home with mountains of money, what a selfish prick! These guys are after his father I bet, but I just want a chance to take down Warren.
As we drive up to the monster of a building that is Worthington Manor I see that some of the lights are on. Good, I hope Warren is there.
"Okay," Domino begins, "here's the plan. Pietro and I will take down the guards, and when we give the all clear Avalanche will tear down whichever wall Pietro tells you to. Pietro, you'll only tell him to tear down the wall that Warren Worthington, Jr is in, don't bother with his boy."
"I want to take his son out," I demand.
"Rogue, this isn't part of the job, we need you to take the information we need from Warren Jr."
"I'll take the information; then take down Warren the Third. I have a matter to settle."
"Come on, Domino," Pietro interrupts, "let the girl have some fun."
"Fine, but make it quick. We have to be able to get out before the MRD gets here. Now, let's move!"
Pietro speeds off while Domino starts picking off the MRD snipers on the roof with her sniper rifle. Pietro races through the mansion, snapping the necks of every MRD officer in his path. The alarm is triggered the moment he barges in, but this is something the Brotherhood expected.
"Move!" Domino yells at the Brotherhood. They charge on Worthington Manor, and when Avalanche gets close enough he begins to tear down one of the walls. Behind is Warren Jr. being held down by Pietro, and I look around instantly to find Warren the Third.
"Where is he?" I yell.
"Rogue, settle your vendetta after you get the info!" I walk up to Warren Jr., and I remove my glove. He must already know what I'm capable of since he begins fighting to keep himself away from me. It doesn't matter though for I have taken everything he knows by simply thrusting my hand forward.
"I have it, now let's find Warren." Pietro drops the old man, and he collapses on the ground unconscious.
"Shouldn't we just kill him?" Avalanche asks.
"No," Domino answers, "we take him out, and a million investors will start helping out the MRD. It's better we just have him fund them."
I'm already in the halls, and Pietro speeds ahead to find Warren. He comes back with a tall blonde man sporting a trench coat in his grasp.
"Here you go, Rogue." Pietro drops Warren on the ground, and I look at the rich kid.
"Rogue, what are you doing?" I stare at Warren, anger welling up inside me.
"I'm giving you what you deserve for your sins against Mutant kind and the rest of society, Richie Rich." I throw a punch, but Warren flares out his wings and flies up. He blows a gust of wind down, creating a short lives tornado, but when we recover, Warren is done. "No!"
"We'll get him next time," Domino assures me, "but we need to get out of here." We abandon the mansion just as MRD choppers close in on Worthington Manor. As we drive away, I watch the skies, looking for any trace of Warren.
"Next time, Warren. I'll get you next time."
Scott's Point of View
As we close in on another ship in the vast expanse of water between the coast and Genosha, I scan for a communicator incase Kitty is still carrying hers. Luckily, I find one, and ID shows that it's Kitty's. I'm overjoyed to have finally found her, and I go to the hanger. We can't land on the ship, so we plan to open the hangar so Kitty can see that it's us. From there, she knows what to do.
"Hank, you know what to do."
"Yes, sir," Hank answers. Rahne and Bobby strap in, and Bobby continues boasting about our many adventures over the years. Those adventures were from the easy days, back when the idea of losing an X-Man was inconceivable. Now we're in a war, and we need an army. Kitty is standing on the bow of the ship, overlooking the vast ocean ahead. The look she wears is all too recognizable. She still misses her days with the X-Men.
As Hank brings the chopper down, the hangar opens to reveal me in uniform. The moment Kitty sees me, her look changes completely. She jumps through the hangar door, onto the ship, before it finishes opening. As soon as I confirm she is on board, we fly off.
"About you guys picked me up," Kitty exclaims.
"Nice to see you too," Bobby says as he raises from his seat.
"Bobby!" Kitty squeals as she gives Bobby a hug. She gives me a hug next, and then hugs Hank from behind. "I missed you guys."
"We've all missed each other," I say. "Also, this Rahne, she's new." Rahne nods to Kitty, and gives a small show of her gifts.
Suddenly, the radio begins to receive an incoming message. "Angel to Cyclops, come in Cyclops." I come up to the radio, and pick up the microphone.
"Go for Cyclops."
"The Brotherhood just attacked Worthington Manor. They were looking for information. Rogue was helping them. They also left Senator Kelly's house as a pile of rubble."
"Where are you?"
"The Institute. I couldn't find anyone so I tried the radio."
"We've got Bobby and Kitty; we'll be making our way back to the Institute. Cyclops out." I put down the microphone, and get in the co-pilot's seat. "Everyone strap in, we're heading for the Institute."
"What about Piotr?" Hank asks.
"He'll have to wait, Hank." As Hank begins closing in on the Institute, I can't help but wonder what the Professor would have done.
Sorry this one took a while. I've been busy this week. Hope you enjoy it and give a review.
