Chapter 10

Jasmine looked up at the house as the limo pulled to a stop. The house looked ominous, the color of the bricks dark, the windows shuttered. The door was painted black. She looked over the yard, and saw that the grass was dead. The shrubs in front of the house were drooping. The place looked like an evil hideout that the super villains in a cartoon or the comic books might have. She had to suppress the urge to laugh at that thought. Mark might be a bad man, but he was not a super villain.

At least she hoped he hadn't turned into one. The men got out of the car, waiting for her to come out. Jasmine gripped the handles, pulling herself up and out the door. The men once again took hold her arms, practically dragging her up the steps and into the house. She felt a presence in her mind, recognized Charles as he looked around through her eyes, as he scanned her brain, reliving the journey there.

We know where you are, Jasmine. I'll be watching you.

Then just as suddenly as he had come, he was gone. Jasmine fought the urge to smile. Mark had no idea what was in store for him when the X-Men came to get her. The urge was lost as she saw the room she had been dragged to. It was a laboratory with a gleaming steel table in the middle of the room, surrounded by monitors and machines. She was forced down onto the table, straps placed on her wrists and ankles, and across her middle.

A door opened and she sensed two more men come in. She was shocked to find that one was a mutant. When they came into view, she skipped over Mark and went straight to the tall blonde man with the most startling green eyes she had ever seen. His eyes were glazed over, vacant. There was absolutely no life in him.

"What have you done to him, Mark?" She spoke for the first time, still not looking at her ex. Her eyes were on the tall man. "He doesn't know what he's doing here, does he?" She finally turned her eyes to him. She saw his eyes gleam, the sickening glare of evil emitting from them. She had been wrong. He was a super villain.

"I've found that the only good mutant is one that I can control. You might have heard of a colleague of mine. William Striker? He had some contact with your mutant friend, Charles Xavier." Jasmine's eyes widened at the mention of her mentor. "I see that you have. His technology was wonderful. He invented something called a neural inhibitor. If I'm not mistaken, he used it on Xavier a few years back. He also invented a serum that allows the giver to control any mutant on which he uses it. I tweaked it a bit. Instead of a topical application, I made it to be injected. It last longer that way."

Jasmine watched as the tall man walked over to a cabinet. She watched as he pulled out several vials of a clear liquid. He then picked up a syringe. He filled it with the contents of the vials, then turned back to her. Jasmine read his mind, knowing what he intended to do.

"Since you're stronger than Xavier was, I've decided to use both the serum and the inhibitor on you. I'm still not sure what effect they will have, if any. But it will be interesting to watch." Mark's eyes gleamed with evil intent. Jasmine laid perfectly still, readying her mind and body for the assault that was sure to come.

"You'll only feel a little pressure, and then nothing at all." She felt the sharp jab of the needle in her arm. She looked to Mark, his image becoming distorted. Then there was nothing.

000000000

Jasmine? Are you there?

Charles?

Jasmine, you had us worried. I couldn't find you on Cerebro. Can you tell me what's happened?

They brought me here, and strapped me to a table. Mark had a mutant, a prisoner, inject me with a serum. I have a neural inhibitor on as well. That might be why it's so hard to concentrate on you.

I would think so. Don't worry Jasmine, we're not going to let you stay there long. Erik's already on pins and needles. Just a bit longer to have the information that we need.

Alright. Charles, keep a lock on me. I have no idea what they plan to do.

I will Jasmine. We'll see you soon.

I know you will. Be careful, Charles, and take care of Erik.

Jasmine closed her eyes feeling the darkness engulf her. She felt a presence in her mind, something that was vaguely familiar to her, but she couldn't understand what it was. And in the end, it wasn't important. She floated on a sea of black, the calm soothing her nerves, losing her thoughts, fading into nothingness.

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Jasmine came to slowly, wondering where she was. She looked around the sterile steel room. It came back suddenly. She remembered the needle. And the tall blonde man that had inserted it. She felt the pain again as she moved her arm, looking up to see an IV. She closed her eyes, using her powers to lessen the pain a bit, to be at least bearable. Even that little bit of exertion was tiring. This was going to be harder than she thought. She reached out with her mind.

Charles?

I'm here, Jasmine.

You'll need to keep the connection open, Charles. This is taking more out of me than I thought it would.

What have they done?

I have an IV in my arm, but I was out for awhile after I talked to you last. As I was fading out I felt a presence in my mind. It seemed familiar. But I don't remember who it was. I don't know what was done if anything at all.

Let me do a scan. Her mind was quiet as Charles worked. Nothing is different. Other than you being under the serum. You're too strong for either treatment to work completely on you, and even both together aren't strong enough.

Could've fooled me. My body is tiring from holding the effects back. You need to hurry, Charles.

We are, Jasmine. Just a bit longer, my dear, then you'll be back here with us, and in Erik's arms again.

I hate that you can read my thoughts so easily now. Charles chuckled in her head.

That's what happens when I hold the connection, little girl.

You haven't called me 'little girl' since the time I came to you crying because I didn't know why I was bleeding between my legs.

I know, Jasmine. I miss those simple days. More than you will ever know.

I don't, Charles. I wouldn't trade everything that's happened for the world. I've learned so much since then. Even everything that happened with Erik.

Was I wrong to keep you apart, Jasmine? Would it have made a difference in him?

I don't know, Charles. Don't start second guessing yourself. If You hadn't gave him that ultimatum, he would have asked me to leave with him, and I would have went. Even at fifteen, I knew I was in love with him and would have done anything for him. Maybe even killed for him. I don't even won't to think about it.

I don't either. They were both distracted by a door opening. Mark came in followed by the tall blonde. Jasmine heard Charles gasp in her head.

Do you know him?

Yes. He's my son!! Jasmine managed to hide her shock, but the blonde looked at her sharply, understanding in his suddenly clear eyes. Jasmine didn't know what had happened, but knew that Charles was involved somehow. She felt Charles leave her mind, saw the glazed look in the man's eyes, knew that Xavier was talking to him.

We're coming, Jasmine. Sit tight, don't do anything until I tell you.

Alright. I'll be ready.

"Time for an experiment." Mark grinned evilly. He moved to Jasmine, his hand coming to her face. He caressed her skin, his hand moving down toward her breasts. He squeezed cruelly, laughing when she winced. "We're going to see how you react to sex, Ms Englham." He ripped her shirt off, making the buttons fly. He tore at her bra, easily ripping it off her, then staring at her naked breasts.

Jasmine tried to use her powers, but found that she was too weak from holding back the serum. Her mind yelled out for help, even as she screamed with her mouth. She felt his rough hands on her tender breasts. Then one hand went to her pants, pushing in and finding her mound. She screamed again as he violated her with his fingers. Memories of that time so long ago filtered through her mind. Only now it was so hard to protect herself.

"I'm going to take you, Jasmine. You will be mine again. I'll keep you chained to the bed and drugged until you beg for me to fuck you all day long. You'll want my cock in your pussy all the time. You'll be useless for anything except sex."

Jasmine felt something in her mind snap. Power surged through her, making her glow green. She would not let him talk to her like that. She saw the tall blonde out of the corner of her eye, watching with wide eyes. She focused on Mark, who was still intent on invading her body. He hadn't noticed anything different about her. Until she spoke.

"That won't happen. I won't let it happen. I will never be your sex toy. I will never want your cock in my body. Get off of me. Now!!!!" Jasmine focused energy, throwing him back, off her, making him hit the wall. The buckles on the straps holding her down came undone. She sat up and pulled inhibitor from her head, feeling her powers flow back into her body at full force. She healed herself from the serum. Then she turned to look at the blonde man. He immediately started to remove his top shirt, a simple white T-shirt. He handed it to Jasmine and watched as she pulled it over her head, tucking it into her pants.

"I know you're Xavier's son. I'm Jasmine."

"Cameron. Dad told me why you were here." They both looked out the door when they heard yells down the hall. Jasmine took off in a run, Cameron following her, without a second glance to Mark. Jasmine motioned Cameron ahead of her, to show her the way. They burst into the foyer, into chaos. The small group of X-Men were battling hundreds of FoH soldiers. And they were holding them off.

Jasmine heard her name shouted above the bedlam. She whipped her head around to find Erik coming toward her. She started to him, and caught a glimpse of a man over his shoulder. She ran faster knocking people out of her way. One man jumped in her path, pointing a gun at her face. She just looked at it and it exploded into nothingness. The man paled and backed away from her. When she caught sight of Erik again, the man was closer. Erik was involved in a fist fight with another soldier, and didn't sense the man coming up behind him.

"Erik, duck!!!!" He just looked up at her and went down in a crouch, taking the man he had been fighting down with him. Jasmine aimed her powers to the man that stood just behind Erik, a cure gun raised. The man started to shake then he exploded, causing everyone around him to stop. The X-Men took advantage of the fact that his comrades were preoccupied. There was a scream from the man that Wolverine was fighting.

"Jasmine!!!" She looked back to Erik, watched as he got up and ran the rest of the way to her. He took her in his arms squeezing her tightly. His lips found hers, taking them in a passionate kiss, not caring that everyone was watching. Jasmine pulled him tighter to herself, kissing him back with everything in her. Finally a throat cleared behind them. Erik chuckled softly, pulling away from her lips, but still holding her tight.

"You still have work to do, Jasmine." Charles came up to them, Cameron following behind him. "We need to destroy the Cure." Jasmine nodded from within the safety of Erik's arms. She finally pulled away, taking a step back. Jasmine slipped into Calypso easily. Everyone saw the change in her, the authority she exuded. They gathered around her, waiting for their instructions.

"Gambit, you'll pick the lock. Once you've got it open, you, Wolverine, Cyclops, Magneto, Beast, and Colossus will go in first. You're the first line of defense. Take out the guards along the walls. Don't kill them unless you have to. Charles, you will levitate the ones that aren't dead out of the building. Shadowcat, take Iceman, go to the control room and shut down everything except the lights. Cut off their radios, we don't want them calling for help." She looked around at all her friends. "The rest of us will follow the men into the building. You will have to cover me while I make my way over to the weapons." With that, she nodded to Gambit. He took off into the night, everyone following closely behind.

They watched in silence as Remy picked the locked door. He was in in less than a minute. He and the other men surged forward silently. Kitty took Iceman's hand and phased through the walls going up to the control room. Jasmine looked around at the ones left with her. Rogue, Storm, Jubilee, Charles, Cameron, and Cindy. She smiled slightly, thinking she would have to give Cindy a codename. Jasmine glanced over her shoulder at the fast approaching dawn. With a little bit of luck, they would be done with this before the sun was too high in the sky. She turned back to her team.

"Cindy, when Charles brings the men out, construct a cage around them. Make it so that no one but you and I can get them out." She only waited long enough to see Cindy's nod, before taking off into the building. The women immediately joined the men in the fight, along with Charles and Cameron throwing physic waves at the soldiers. Jasmine only glanced at everyone, before heading to the back of the building. She kept her mind open to all her teammates, making sure they were doing alright.

The lights blinked, went out, then came back on. Jasmine smiled, hearing Kitty in her head, yelling at Boddy.

Bobby Drake, how dare you!!! We are on a rescue mission, and you try to kiss me?!! If the team didn't need you, I'd phase you through the floor and leave you there. Now freeze the panel, and let's go.

Don't you feel anything for me, Kitty?

Frankly, no. And I never did. I'm with someone else now. So get over it, Bobby. Now do what I'm telling you to, or so help me, I'll tell Jasmine what you tried.

Despite the gravity of the situation, Jasmine laughed. She wouldn't have to do anything to Bobby. Charles would beat her to it.

Damn straight, I would.

Charles, you're a very naughty man. You shouldn't be listening in on things in my head.

Can't help, little girl, I'm still connected.

Well, then unconnect.

Tsk, tsk, who taught you you're English?

You did. He faded away with a laugh.

For the dire circumstances they found themselves in, the entire team was as a whole, rather jovial. Jasmine wasn't even going to try to figure out why. She was just going to accept it and go about her business. And right now, her business was destroying all the weapons that the FoH had. Including all the vials of the Cure. She listened to her teammates talk to each other as she walked. She found the weapon store easily. Mark must have expected something to happen when he took her. There were at least twenty men on guard. One saw her then motioned for all the others.

"Well, well, well, what do you have here?" The man smirked at his friends. "Looks like the little mutie came looking for more action." He turned to Jasmine, his smirk still firmly in place. "What is it, little girl. The bossman didn't satisfy you enough. You come looking for real men?"

"I assure you gentlemen, if she wanted a real man, she would have called me." Jasmine smiled as she looked over her shoulder. Erik lead the others over to her, his stride confident, his smirk arrogant. Jasmine turned back to the men in the room. She couldn't resist playing with them for a bit.

"You see, kind sirs, the kind of man I like isn't a normal man like you. I like a special kind of guy, one that's been a around a bit longer than any of you." Her smile widened as she watched their eyes take in the scene before them. Erik moved behind her, his arms snaking around her waist, pulling her lean body into his hard one. Jasmine suddenly stopped smiling, causing the men to step back. "But that's enough with the pleasantries. I have a job to do and you're in the way." Jasmine raised her hands and moved the men physically, making the float out of the way. She waited only until she felt Charles...and Cameron?...take them from her. She felt Cindy start to build a cage for them.

"Let's finish this." Erik stepped back as Jasmine started to glow, her hair flying around, though there was no wind. Erik watched with wide adoring eyes as she started to float above him. The crates before them started to shake and glow, the room itself hummed with the energy. They all watched Calypso intently.

Jasmine created a force field around her team. She knew that nothing would happen to them, but better to be on the safe side, than not. She focused her powers on the crates, the spillover from them would take care of all the other weapons in the room. She closed her eyes and suddenly pushed her power out, and the crates exploded, destroying all the guns in the room with them.

Jasmine cleaned everything, dissolving it into nothingness. She floated down to the ground, her hair settling around her as she landed. She dissolved the force field around the X-Men, freeing them to move around. Erik came back to her, his arms settling on her hips, surveying her work. There was nothing left in the room, just a thin layer of dust.

"Well done, Jasmine." The words had just left Charles mouth when they both heard feet pounding toward them. And the thing that Jasmine dreaded the most.

Charles, Jasmine, help me!!! Kitty shouted into their minds just as Bobby rounded the corner.

"He's got Kitty, Howell's got Kitty!!!" Jasmine was already running out of the room, everyone following her. She stopped abruptly, Erik nearly running in to her. In front of her was Mark, holding Kitty at gun point. He had a collar on her neck which would explain why she hadn't phased away from him. His face was twisted into a mask of rage, and all of it was directed at Jasmine.

"Don't come any closer. I will kill her, Jasmine." Jasmine sent everyone a message to stay back.

"This is between you and me, Mark. Let the girl go."

"Now why would I want to do that? I can hurt you the most by hurting the people you love." Mark held the gun to Kitty's temple, cocking it.

I can stop the bullet Jasmine, take her collar off, and strip the gun from him. You can do the rest.

Then do, sweet cheeks.

You have got to stop with the nicknames, Jasmine.

Never, my love. But concentrate on getting Kitty to safety.

"You picked the wrong one to hurt then, Mark. She's a friend, nothing more. Now if you really wanted to hurt me, you would take a shot at Erik." She gestured to him. "He's my lover."

The madman fell right into her trap. He raised the gun and leveled it at Erik. It was just what they were waiting for. Just as the gun fired, Jasmine threw her hands up to push Mark back. Erik stripped the collar off Kitty, pulling the gun to himself. Kitty phased through the floor, coming up somewhere behind them. From the whimper of relief, she guessed, Kitty was in Charles' arms. Jasmine heard a gasp beside her, turning her head briefly to look at Erik. He was clutching his shoulder, a look of pain on his face.

Once Jasmine made sure that he was being looked after, she turned back to Mark who was just getting up off the floor. Her eyes narrowed in rage. She was mad at Erik for getting shot, and she was mad at Mark for shooting her lover. She would have to deal with Erik later. First she had to dispatch Mark.

"That was a mistake, Howell. You can mess with me, but don't mess with the people I love." She stalked toward him, sensing Erik standing up, brushing both Hank and Ororo aside. The man was too stubborn for his own good. "You wanted me, now you've got me. Let's see how you stack up to all you're talk." She moved to about five feet from, bringing her hands in front of her, setting her body in a fighters stance.

"What's this, bitch? You think to fight me? You wouldn't last a minute against me." His smirk was back, and Jasmine had the urge to wipe it off.

"We'll just have to see then, won't we?" She set her feet, ready to pounce, to react to him.

"Alright, whore, we'll see who will win this fight. I guarantee it will be me." He moved in closer to her, his hands up, watching Jasmine. She refused to make the first move. She didn't have to worry about that. Mark lounge at her, trying to hit her in the ribs. She easily moved out of his way, getting a nice jab to his back in as she circled behind him. He gasped for air, then turned, and lounged again like a raging bull. Jasmine easily stopped his forward motion with a kick to the face. His nose gushed blood as he cursed at her loudly,

"What's wrong Mark? Can't you fight a girl? Or better yet, a mutant?" Jasmine heard the laughter behind her. Logan was having a ball watching her. Jasmine circled him, keeping her eyes on him. He straightened, wiping the blood off his mouth and moved toward her again.

The right hook he swung at her was blocked, but he landed a kick to her stomach, causing Jasmine to gasp and clutch it for a few seconds. Then she got even madder. She redoubled her efforts, swinging at him, hitting him hard. Taunting him, the others quite now, seeing how intense she was. Jasmine landed blow after blow, beating him to a bloody pulp. Finally he fell to the floor, barely breathing. Jasmine walked over to him, looking down at his distorted features.

"You talk a big talk, Mark, but you can't walk the walk. In the end, you're nothing but a pathetic little man, who couldn't let go of an obsession. You shouldn't have started playing this game with me, Mark. You didn't win." Jasmine turned and walked away, walking toward Erik and the rest of her family. Suddenly Rogue yelled.

"Jasmine look out!!!" She turned in time to see Mark pull a gun from his behind him. He pulled the trigger before Jasmine could throw up her hand. The Ionic Blaster did nothing to her, she just drew the negative ions into her body, feeding her own power with them. The blast stopped suddenly, leaving Mark on the floor, gaping at her.

"Why didn't it work? It should have killed you!!!" Mark rose to his feet, shaking his head. Jasmine shook her head, raising her hand toward Mark, focusing her powers on him.

"You don't know everything, Mark." The bay door opened as she said that, flooding the room with the natural light of the rising sun. Mark never looked away from her, even as he dropped the gun and started to convulse. In the next instance, just as government soldiers started to flood the warehouse, Mark Howell ceased to exist. The only thing left of him was the dust where he laid. With a flick of Jasmine's wrist, even that was gone.

"You should not have played this game with me, Mark. You'd still be alive, if you hadn't." No one heard Jasmine whisper those words, as mild chaos broke out. She turned to find Erik watching her, the entire X-Men team behind him, plus Will, who had just rushed to his wife. She walked toward them, her body aching. She swayed on her feet, collapsing into Erik's outstretched arms.