All characters owned by Marvel Comics
Author's note: Sorry no Rogue last chapter, but everybody's favorite Southern belle is back this round. Nearing the end of the story, and things get pretty exciting from here to the finish line. Thanks again for reading and I really love all the reviews!
Chapter ten
"Fuck!" Remy slammed his hands into the closed elevator doors. "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" His arms spread, he left his hands on the doors and hung his head down in between them.
Lorna pulled out her phone. "Rogue? Yeah, we're done…" Remy took a deep shuddering breath in an attempt to calm himself. He rarely allowed himself to feel angry but his hands were shaking with rage. His miscalculation had put them all in serious jeopardy. "Prep the jet," Lorna continued. "We'll be there soon….we need to be airborne ASAP…Okay, see you shortly." She hung up and placed a hand tentatively on Remy's back. He sighed shakily. "It's okay, Remy," she whispered and reached her other hand beside him to press the button for the lobby.
He laughed bitterly. "Hardly. They made us like we're fucking amateurs and then whoever's feeding your daddy information is gonna lead him right to us." He shrugged her hand off as he straightened to his full height. "Two days ago! He's probably waiting for us right now!"
"Maybe it's time he knows we're coming?" Lorna said softly and leaned her back against the glossy elevator wall. "The whole point of this mission was to find him and convince him to end this…crusade he's on. Maybe if he knows we want to talk to him…"
Shaking his head in disgust he turned to her. "You're out of your mind, you and your sister, if you think he's gonna listen to reason. This ain't gonna end well."
"Then what?" The elevator stopped and the doors slid open. Remy strode briskly along the edge of the lobby towards a nearly deserted side entrance with Lorna hot on his heels and hissing in his ears. "Exactly how did you see this ending? I don't know about you, but I kind of doubt we could take him in a fair fight if that was your stupid plan. If you think Wanda and I and Rogue are all crazy for wanting to talk to the man," Remy glared at her over his shoulder as they stepped into the parking lot and the early morning light. "Yeah, you heard me, your precious Rogue agrees with us. I know you two are all hot and heavy and in love again, but she cares for my father and has always tried to see the good in him. She thinks she can get through to him. Deny it all you want, but we have a good chance of making this work."
They reached their rental car. Remy unlocked it and angrily stuffed himself into the driver's seat as Lorna climbed in and buckled up. "You're ignoring my question again, Remy," Lorna said icily as they pulled out of the parking lot. "How did you plan on ending this? Or…" she turned partway in the seat to glower at him. "…did the master thief not have an exit strategy? You saw your little Roguey running off after the competition and you jumped without a parachute?" She grinned in satisfaction at the withering stare she received from Remy. "Uh huh," she said smugly and sat back in the passenger seat.
They drove in silence the rest of the way, Lorna playing with her wig and Remy fuming. He hated to admit it, but she was right. Again. How had he expected to finish this mission? He had been so shocked by Rogue's appearance at Serval and the state she had been in that he had come to the rescue like he always did, t'hell with the consequences. He had helped plan their strategy so far for this half-baked mission, following Magneto's breadcrumbs, but what he didn't want to admit to Lorna or any of them was that his ultimate goal had really been to avoid a confrontation altogether. He had hoped by coming along he could drag out their investigation, have them chasing shadows until either SHIELD or the Avengers had caught up to the villain ahead of them. The last thing he wanted was to have things come to a head with the love of his life caught in the cross-hairs.
The private airstrip where they had stashed Snow's fancy Cessna came into view. It was deserted today, they had paid for anonymity on this trip, not wanting to deal with major or minor airports. The sun glinted off the pathetic sheet metal buildings along the single runway and Remy pulled their car up to the nearest and parked. Lorna opened her door and stepped from the vehicle. Remy stayed in his seat and sent a quick text message to Rent-A-Car letting them know where to pick up their vehicle later. He rummaged in the car's console for the case his contacts had come in and pulled down the vanity mirror. He breathed in relief as he peeled the film from each eye and stuck them in their liquid filled container. Lorna stretched and removed her wig and cap, shaking her tangled green hair free. Wanda waved, and she and Pietro stepped down the stairs of the jet. Lorna waved back and walked towards the twins. Remy unfolded his long legs and stepped from the vehicle, and Rogue emerged from the doorway of the building, smiling knowingly at him.
"Trouble, sugar?" She asked and he snaked an arm around her waist, pulling her into an embrace.
"You could say that." He rested his chin on her shoulder and breathed deeply the smell of her shampoo. Her presence acted as a balm for his raw anger and he held her tight for a few minutes while he watched Lorna chatting with her siblings. "We need to get out of here. Pietro missed a whole squad of SHIELD agents watching the hospital."
Rogue pulled back, her mouth a small 'o' and her eyebrows raised high in surprise. "Wondered why Lorna called me instead of you." She placed a gloved hand on his cheek. He closed his eyes and leaned into it gratefully. "Don't keep yourself too riled up, sugar. It's not your fault." He grabbed her hand and kissed the palm. She smiled and they started walking towards the Lehnsherr children arm in arm, Rogue's head resting on his shoulder. "How'd the contacts work out?" she asked.
He shrugged. "All right, I think. My eyes are real goddamned dry, though. Only had them in a few hours. Hate to think what they would have felt like after a day."
"Or days…" she added.
"Yeah. I hear that. Some feedback for the guild's engineering friend, I guess."
Pietro, impatient as ever, crossed his arms and sneered at Gambit. "Why are you two still in hospital scrubs?" His lips twisted into a smirk.
Gambit untangled himself from Rogue, his anger rising again. "Had to leave in a hurry, Quicksilver." He stood nose to nose with Pietro. "I share the blame in this, believe me, but you two were sloppy. SHIELD made your asses two days ago." Rogue laid a hand in warning on his forearm.
Pietro started in surprise. "Impossible," he scoffed.
"Heard it from Agent Haines herself. You two missed a whole squad in and around the hospital, we all missed them casing our every move. Then they fed our names into their leaky little database." Remy was seeing red again and shrugged Rogue's hand from his arm, but her super-strength gripped him almost painfully tight, letting him know she'd yank his ass back if he stepped too far over the line. With his free hand he jabbed a finger into Pietro's chest emphasizing each of his next words. "Your. Pops. Knows. Mission. Over."
"Don't touch me, LeBeau," Pietro said darkly.
Wanda tried to force her way between them. "Stop it. You two have been at each other's throats this entire operation. It is tiresome." The petite Witch pushed each of their shoulders, harder than Remy would have expected, separating them. "If our father is alerted to our activities, it does not mean we turn tail and give up. The confrontation would come eventually…"
"OH…!?" Lorna gasped in surprise and pain and doubled over. She nearly dropped to her knees but Wanda awkwardly caught her sister around the waist.
"Lorna!" Wanda cried frantically, the others rushing to the sisters' sides. "What is it? Pietro, help me with her!" Pietro knelt on Lorna's other side and helped Wanda lower Lorna to the runway.
"NO!" Lorna cried, a spasm of pain rippling through her body. She groaned in agony. "It's…can't you feel..?" she choked out through clenched teeth. "….too late…!" she hissed, spitting. A wave of pure energy slammed into them, Remy's body buzzing with the familiar feel of magnetic force, his face scraping the concrete runway on the way down.
Magneto's voice echoed shatter-shot from overhead, amplified by the empty steel buildings. "I am not fool enough to think you are all here to join in my cause." He floated above them, bald head shining in his civilian costume of blue jeans and a battered army jacket. "I just did not think you were all fool enough to directly challenge me."
From his stomach, Remy managed to push himself up onto his arms but that was as far as he could get, Magneto's power pressing into them. He caught a glimpse of Lorna. The mutant, her powers nearly identical to their adversary, was on her back, her face contorted in pain and rage. He saw her bear down and a pulse of magnetic energy moved out from her to wash over them. As it passed, he found he could move again. He rolled over and sprang up to a fighting stance, but Rogue pulled him back down onto his knees.
"Hold on, sugar," she whispered in his ear. "Let's see how this plays out. He didn't come to talk to you." She nodded towards Magneto's children who were staggering to their feet.
Wanda made it up first and walked slowly towards where her father floated above them. "We're not here to challenge you. None of us want that. We are here to ask you to stop what you are doing. This cannot continue! Your actions have far reaching repercussions that are bringing you and the issue of mutant powers to the attention of the wrong people. You place too many at risk, most of all yourself! Stop your mad crusade, come with us, and turn yourself in to the authorities. We will do all in our power to see that you are treated fairly!" She held out her hands pleadingly, but Lorna and Pietro held back.
Magneto floated lower until he hovered inches from the ground. "Turn myself in? To be tried again in a human court?" He crossed his arms insolently. "Mutants are above mere human laws. I am the justice that is delivered to those who abuse our kind."
Rogue, ignoring her own advice, stood up behind Remy. "One man can't be judge, jury and executioner. Your vigilantism is doing nothing but adding fuel to the fire of human hatred. Don't separate yourself from your humanity, from those who care about you…"
A small smile touched Magneto's lips, almost one of affection. "My dear, sweet Anna. As always, passion colors your words…" His eyes lowered and blackened when he caught sight of Remy apparently for the first time. "But perhaps the passion you feel is no longer for me?"
"Father!" Wanda drew his attention back to her. "Rogue is correct! This has gone much too far. No one wants to see this escalate further! You must listen to reason, I beg you!"
"Beg?" Magneto sneered. "Isn't that usually done from one's knees?" He extended a hand and Wanda cried out and dropped to the ground, completely in his control.
"No!" Pietro flung himself at his father, cracking him with a flying fist. Remy pulled Rogue back as Magneto landed on his hands and knees and with his powers sent Pietro crashing and unconscious in their direction.
"Enough!" Lorna caught Pietro with her powers before he slammed into the Cessna. She rose into the air, her green hair crackling around her. "None of us wanted it to go down like this. We hoped you'd be reasonable and see that we're trying to protect you." She rose higher and Remy felt her push her energy against Magneto's. "But," Lorna growled, "You're coming in, one way or the other!"
Magneto struggled to his feet and pushed back against his daughter's powers. "Protect me?" He mocked and rose into the air, stretching a hand wide. Lorna screamed and grabbed her head in pain as Magneto's influence tangled and overwhelmed her. He ruthlessly redirected their shared energy, draining and immobilizing her. "Protection is something I have never needed, my child."
Rogue sprang into the air between Magneto and the writhing Polaris. "Listen to what your girls are saying here, Erik! SHIELD is hunting you, who do you think is coming for you next? Can't fight the whole world, though I know you're too goddamned stubborn not to try." She floated closer and held out her hands pleadingly. Remy, despite the danger of the situation, had to look away as it seemed her words and honeyed voice were getting through to the villain. "You can be so much more, Erik, I've seen it, seen you become that beacon for those who have lost all hope. Charles believed in you, always believed in the good in you! What would he think of what you are doing here? Would he be proud of you? Could you look him in the eye after what you've done?" Her voice had gone low and throaty with emotion and Remy couldn't help the staggering of his heart at the sound. She had moved closer to Magneto, her hand resting on the man's chest. "Erik," she whispered, "can you look me in the eye?" Her eyes pleaded and Magneto reached for her suddenly and laid a hand on her cheek. Rogue jerked back, too late to stop the slight pull of her power.
Magneto faltered slightly from the contact. Not enough to drop him or cause any real harm, but rage and betrayal seared across his features. "No, Erik," Rogue reached for him again but he recoiled in disgust. "I didn't mean to, I can't…" A piece of the small hangar ripped from the building faster than Remy's eyes could follow and wrapped tightly around Rogue, pinning her arms. The strain of holding Polaris and the Scarlet Witch showed on his face, but with Lorna's added energy Magneto tightened the steel's grip on Rogue.
"Anna…Flying into the air like the bold and brassy Rogue of old. Strong enough to push the limits of my magnetically strengthened binding. Tell me, dear, whose powers did you manage to seduce away this time?" Remy charged a brace of cards and flung them towards the villain, but they were easily deflected. Magneto's eyes blazed furiously with power. "Stay out of this, LeBeau. Count yourself fortunate I no longer find you culpable in the Marauders more punishable offenses." Shifting his attention back towards Rogue, Remy saw the villain concentrate and a wave of his power coursed down Rogue's body. "I see him, I feel his power…ions…" he whispered. "This is finished. We are finished." The Master of Magnetism flung Rogue away, hard. She landed on her butt and skidded down the runway, the steel crushing her body sending sparks shooting out around her. Remy raced after her, leaving the siblings to their father's tender mercies. He knelt beside her as she struggled against her binding and charged a line down the steel. Lorna's tortured screams began again and they both stared in wide eyed shock back down the runway. Lorna floated in the fetal position, energy radiating from her body and channeling into her father.
"Ahh, hell! He reinforced this shit!" Rogue grunted and pushed on her steel bond. "One more time, sugar," she ordered Remy, who zipped his power down the other side of the steel. Straining with all of Wonderman's might, Rogue cracked the steel to pieces.
"What's he doing to her?" Remy asked, pulling Rogue up from the ground. She grabbed him under the arms and rose into the air. Lorna glowed so brightly Remy could hardly look at her directly and the girl continued to shriek heart-wrenching sobs laced with torment.
"Don't know. Can't be good." She streaked towards them, too late. The magnetic duo exploded and a shockwave drowned out their world.