Disclaimer: I do not own X-Men.
LPOV
"Magneto is here, on Liberty Island."
We were all standing around some giant circle which had some sort of liquid like substance that was morphing in front of me as Cyclopes spoke. A miniature replica of Liberty Island morphed on the circle.
"Now, presumably, his objective is to mutate the world leaders at the UN summit on Elis Island." Again the liquid morphed so now there was a miniature Elis Island along with Liberty Island.
"He doesn't know his machine kills," Storm said, "And judging from what the Professor saw, if Magneto gave Morgan enough power-"
"She could wipe out everyone in New York City," Jean finished for her. A small tidal wave of power flowed over the miniature New York City in front of us.
That was what Morgan was going to do. Their concern was no longer just for Morgan but for also every human in the city. If they didn't stop Magneto in time, Morgan would kill them all.
Although that fact was alarming, my mind was solely on Morgan.
When Storm had told me that Jean had been able to use Cerebro long enough to find Morgan, I had wanted to leave instantly. But unfortunately, these guys never did anything without a plan. I knew my plan. Go there, kill Magneto, get Morgan.
But as the fastest way to New York City was their jet, I was forced to wait for them to decide the 'best course of action'.
"Alright," Cyclopes said, "we can insert here at the George Washington bridge." Immediately the bridge appeared before us. "Come around the bank, just off of Manhattan, we land on the far side of Liberty Island, here." A small line streaked through the liquid towards the island, presumably that was the jet.
"What about harbour patrol, radar?" I said. I didn't want anything to jeopardise this. We would only get one shot.
"If they have anything that can pick up our jet, they deserve to catch us," he replied in a slightly boastful tone.
I stared at him. He stared back.
"Lets go," Storm said.
We walked through the halls to the large underground hanger with the jet. Storm passed me the uniform I had to wear as well as some headpiece with a small microphone. Some part of me wanted to reject it but I focused on Morgan. We all changed and entered the jet.
I couldn't deny it, I was impressed. It was the most high tech thing I had seen with buttons and switches covering the entire panel at the front. Cyclopes and Storm took the two front control seats while Jean and I sat in the 'passenger seats' behind them. Storm began flicking switches and instantly the sound of engines powering up filled the hanger. My hands, complete in leather gloves, went to my throat where I tried to loosen the tight hold of the uniform. I honestly had no idea how they could stand the skin tight things.
"You actually go outside in these things?" I questioned.
"What would you prefer," Cyclopes retorted, " Yellow spandex?"
I resisted the urge to bark something back. Instead, I watched as Cyclopes hand flew to a small lever in the middle of the panel. He slowly pushed it upwards, causing the jet the lift off the ground. I began to wonder how we were going to get out when I got my answer. Through the large front window I saw the basketball court had opened up to allow us out.
As Cyclopes steered the jet towards the direct of New York City and gave the engine more power, my mind suddenly thought back to the first time I had seen Morgan.
I had wondered what I kid was doing inside a bar, especially the kind of bars I went into. Her long dark blonde hair had been spilling down her shoulders, her cheeks had held a flush from the outside weather and in her eyes I had seen hope.
She had been hoping for me. For so many years I had been ignoring the possibility that my past had held something special. If it had been so damn special, I would have remembered it...or so I thought. And all that time, there had been something out there waiting for me.
What if Three Mile Island never happened? Supposedly, I had been shot with an adamantium bullet which caused my memory loss. If only it had missed. Would I have found out about Morgan sooner? Would I have taken her from that orphanage and raised her properly? Been there was she walked and talked for the first time?
Or would my life still be the same, going from town to town, bar to bar.
I couldn't think about what if's. That was in the past and I had to focus on the future. The future I had with Morgan when I got her back.
"I'm taking her down," Cyclopes announced, breaking me from my thoughts. It had only been 5 minutes from the time we took off, yet already we were flying low on the Hudson River.
"Storm, some cover please."
I couldn't see whatever it was Storm was doing but a second later, thick mist was swirling above the river, completely obscuring the view. I was about to say that to fly a jet you normally had to see where you were going when Cyclopes flicked a switch and the entire front window went into night vision mode or something. Despite the thick cloud, the approaching island could still be clearly seen with the equipment.
The giant statue loomed ahead. Cyclopes pulled up close to the island before lowering the jet suddenly into the water.
"Sorry," he said sheepishly.
"You call that a landing?" I asked.
MPOV
I wanted to scream and yell, but nobody would hear me.
I was inside the machine and ,gathering by the weird sensation I had felt, I was up high on the torch. Of course Magneto would want it on display, so everyone could see it. Now I was actually in the thing, my nerves had increased.
I sat upon the floor, encased in the machine. It was lucky I wasn't claustrophobic as I could have barely stood in the machine...although if I had been lucky, I wouldn't be here.
My handcuffs had been attached to two long poles coming out of the floor. I had tried struggling for a while but like before, nothing budged. The situation seemed hopeless. I couldn't stop a few tears from escaping. I had thought they would come to rescues me but time was running out.
I had always imagined someone coming to the orphanage when I was little and rescuing me from that hell hole. But just like back then, no one was going to come save me now.
LPOV
Surprisingly, getting into the Statue of Liberty had been easy. All Jean had to do was stare at the lock for a moment before it sprung open for us.
I thought there would be a chance that no one would know we were here until I walked through the metal detectors near the front desk. Immediately blaring sirens filled the quite space. I growled, extracted my claws and sending them slicing through the machine. They silenced. Any chance of surprising Magneto had just vanished.
Obviously Cyclopes was thinking the same as he looked at me with a hard stare. I retracted two of my claws, leaving my middle one standing, giving him the finger. He actually smiled.
I retracted my remaining claw and followed them as they began walking through the lobby. It was filled with glass shelves and tables containing crap no one would ever be interested in. We walked past a small replica of the Statue of Liberty, going further into the large room. I walked out in front as I suddenly picked up on a very faint scent. The whole room was filled with the scents of the humans that had visited today but this one was different; it was a mutant scent and it was recent.
"There's someone here," I said as I took in short, sharp breaths. The scent was unfamiliar.
"Where?" Cyclopes asked.
"I don't know. Keep your eye open," I said. I walked away from the group, keeping all of my senses on high alert. Something wasn't right.
"Logan-" Cyclopes began before I cut him off with a wave of my hand.
I walked up to a glass cabinet filled with various items before turning left. Something about this scent was off. I could hear with my heightened hearing Cyclopes whinging back with Storm and Jean, but I ignored him. I needed to find this person before they found us.
But the scent was getting weaker until it faded entirely. After a moment hesitation, I turned back. Then I became aware I was hearing something I shouldn't be. I was hearing me.
I ran back the way I had come. I arrived back where I left them to see me, well someone looking exactly like me, complete with a set of claws, going for the turned back of Cyclopes. I pushed myself forward and grabbed them an instant before they were to attack.
We rolled onto the ground and into a small side room before I was slammed up against a brick wall. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. They looked exactly like me, complete with the stupid leather get-up. The imposter blew me a kiss with a grin. I growled and managed to pull up my leg, kicking the imitator in the stomach, pushing him back against the wall.
I slid out my claws and took a fighting stance. The imitator grinned as they did the same. Storm, Cyclopes and Jean ran up to us. Cyclopes hand was up to his visor, ready to shoot the attacker. He hesitated, unsure of which of us was the real Logan.
"Wait!" I shouted. The imposter did the same before slicing through some cables. Instantly a door slid across the room, sealing in us from Cyclopes, Jean and Storm.
I didn't have a second to waste. This imposter was a distraction sent from Magneto. I needed to find Morgan.
I charged towards the imposter. They threw up their arms, trying to block the attack. I sent my foot into their stomach, forcing them against the wall. I brought my hand down, ready to slice straight through them. They once again threw up their arms to block the attack. I brought my hand down with more force. Their claws were nowhere near as strong as mine as I sliced through them with ease. The imposter let out a high pitch squeal. I hadn't been expecting my attacker to be a woman but I couldn't let that phase me.
I pulled back my arm and sent it towards the imposters face. They ducked in time, causing me to send my claws into the brick wall. I yanked them out and turned to the imposter, ready to kill. The imposter seemed to be sweating as they reached out and swiped at the power box on the wall. Immediately the bright lights above us cut out, to be replaced by a red light. In the momentary darkness, the imposter had taken the opportunity to escape, running down a small hallway.
I ran after her.
LPOV
"Damn it!"
I was walking down endless halls, trying to follow the faint scent left behind by the blue skinned bitch. She had managed to get the upper hand on me and had used my momentary distraction to escape again. She had given up looking like me and was now running around naked with blue skin and scales. I had no idea if it was another disguise or if that was how she normally looked.
For some reason, she had virtually no scent, meaning she was a bitch to track. All I could smell was my own sweat and all I could hear was my own panting. For a moment I had forgotten why I was here, my mind was wholly concentrated on hunting her down. My instincts had kicked in and I was a hunter after its prey.
Until I remembered her.
Her smile broke through my mind, reminding me why I was fighting. If this chick wanted to play hide and seek, she'd have to find a new toy because I wasn't going to waste anymore time. Turning a corner, the dark halls disappeared. I was back in the displays rooms filled with junk. None of the other X-Men were here.
I began to briefly wonder if I should just go up and get Morgan myself when I heard someone behind me. I didn't turn around. I heard the person step out from behind a wall. Their heart rate was steady and they barely had a scent.
"Logan? Is that you?" It was Storm. But something was off. Storm had a scent; she smelt like rain and fresh air...yet this Storm didn't.
"Shh." My body was tense, waiting for action.
Her soft steps echoed in the silent room as she cautiously approached me. I took in short, sharp breaths, taking in every scent in the room.
"The other one ain't far away," I said.
"Come on," Storm said as she stepped closer, "we have to regroup."
"I know but there's a problem." She was behind me now. I slid my claws out and in a second, had sunk them into her stomach. She gasped in pain, staring into my eyes with horror. Her eyes glazed over. "You're not part of the group."
Her eyes suddenly turned yellow and claws slid out of her knuckles. Her mouth was still open in surprise as she gasped for air. Her long white hair changed to bright red. I watched with mild interest, my claws still embedded in her stomach. As her smooth skin changed to blue scales, she gasped one last time before collapsing to the ground. I looked at her fallen body as the last of her skin changed. Three short vertical cuts marked her skin.
I didn't have time to stand there although I was definitely intrigued by mutant in front of me. I began to retrace my steps to where we were first separated. I slid open the heavy door with ease. My nose immediately picked up on Jean's scent, as well as Cyclopes. A moment later, they came around the corner.
Instantly Cyclopes readied himself, hand at his visor. I threw up my hands. "Hey! Hey! It's me."
I saw him tense, unconvinced that I wasn't the blue skinned mutant. "Prove it."
I searched for a way to prove my identity for a second before the answer because obvious. "You're a dick."
For a second he didn't move, although Jean did throw him a look that showed she believed it was me. Cyclopes hand fell away from his visor, satisfied I wasn't an imposter. "Okay."
"Hey." Storms voiced echoed in the large room. I looked up to see her standing on the level above us, leaning over the rails. She nodded her head to indicate that we needed to get up there.
LPOV
Magneto had torn a hole in the head of the Statue of Liberty. The basted probably knew we were coming and wanted to give us a front row view. Through the jagged hole, we could see the base of the torch.
I had no plan in my head, other than to get Morgan back. Even if I had a plan, it would have been useless as something I should of planned occurred. I couldn't move a muscle. I should of realised I wouldn't be able to just rescue Morgan without Magneto manipulating the metal on my skeleton. But in my haste to get Morgan, I had forgotten this.
"Everybody, get out of here," I said.
"What is it?" Storm asked sharply.
"I can't move."
Only a moment passed but it was enough for Magneto. I felt my body being lifted from the ground, beyond my control, just like it had been on the train earlier tonight. Without warning, I was flung across the small space until my back collided with the wall. Suddenly various bits of scrap from the Statue began flying around the room. One by one, each X-Man was pushed against the wall, held there by the scraps.
I felt my body tighten as Magneto lowered himself into the room. He had a triumphant smirk on his face that made me want to pound the crap out of him even more.
"Ah, my brothers. Welcome!"
My anger was pulsing through my veins as he turned to look at me. "And you...lets point those claws of yours in a safer direction."
I had no idea what he meant until he raised his hand, drawing his thumb to his fingers. The metal around me began to groan with Magneto's power. My arms began to move without my control, slowly moving away from the wall. With a snap, the metal pulled away from the wall and strapped my fists to my chest. I saw stuck. My fists were pointing directly at my chest, held by the metal.
In that moment, I would have given anything to get rid of the metal on my bones. Without it, Magneto would have no control over me. I didn't need my claws to beat him, I could pound the old man into the ground without breaking a sweat.
I couldn't stand the fact that I was meters away from Morgan yet unable to do anything to help her. I wondered if she knew I was there.
To make the situation freaking perfect, Sabretooth dropped in, literally.
"You better close your eyes," Magneto said, addressing Cyclopes.
Sabretooth stalked forward and ripped Cyclopes visor thing from him. I knew without it, his eyesight was deadly. And since his body and face was angled towards Jean, she was at risk of being blasted to pieces. Cyclopes scrunched his eyes tightly.
"Storm, fry him," Cyclopes said with false confidence. I could hear his pulse beating rapidly, telling me he was just as scared as Jean was.
Even I knew what a ridiculous idea that was, and here I had been thinking Cyclopes was smart.
"Oh yes," Magneto drawled, "a bolt of lightning into a huge copper conduct." He walked towards Cyclopes and Jean. "I thought you lived at a school."
He chuckled and stepped away from the pair. "Mystique?" he said, as he held the earpiece attached to his ear. "Mystique?" He seemed surprised to get no response and I smirked at the knowledge that his sidekick bitch was below us, probably now dead.
"I've seen Senator Kelly," Jean said, breaking the silence and distracting Magneto.
Magneto's hand fell away from his ear as surprise clearly crossed his face. "So, the good Senator survived his fall? And the swim to shore?" He walked back to stand in front of Jean and Cyclopes. "He's become even more powerful than I could have imagined."
"He's dead."
"It's true," Storm chipped in. "I saw him die. Like those people down there will die."
Magneto walked over to her but didn't seem concerned by what she said. "Are you sure you saw what you saw?" He studied her for a moment before taking steps backwards until he was in the centre of the very small room.
"Why do none of you understand what I am trying to do?" he asked with slight annoyance in his voice. "Those people down there, they control our fate and the fate of every other mutant." Frankly, I didn't give a shit about every other mutant. I was only concerned for one. "Well, soon our fate will be theirs."
And that's when I heard her screaming.
