Part.11. (The Adventures of Slym and Redd)

Betsy had been unable to continue her regular duties for awhile after Katherine's birth, but insisted on continuing to help with the escapes.

About three months after giving birth, Scott called her into his office and told her about an urgent rescue that he wanted to attempt, and that he would be doing it alone. Apparently, one of Magneto's X-Men had been captured, and was about to be transferred from Sinister's private labs, to a secret location. He didn't know the identity of the X-Man, but figured that it would be a good opportunity to make contact with Magneto.

Betsy insisted that she help, but Scott was adamant about her not getting involved. "It's too dangerous, Bets; I won't risk you on this one. This isn't like one of our regular rescues, where I have everything planned out, with multiple redundancies; I may have to play this one by ear, and improvise." He says.

"All the more reason to bring me along, Luv; so I can watch your back." She replies.

"No; all the more reason not to bring you. On our regular rescues, I know exactly what you're doing, and where you are; but I'd be distracted worrying about you if you came on this one, and that could get us both killed." Scott says, reaching out and cupping her cheek. "I trust you with my life, Betsy; but I don't trust myself with yours."

"Scott…"

"No, Betsy; this discussion is over." He says, in an assertive voice. "I'll be leaving in a little while, and should be back within a couple of days." His voice softens. "I love you, Betsy; take care of Kat."

With that said, he walks out of the office, leaving her standing there.

She waits until she hears his bike drive away, and then calls Healer.


'You had to do it; she'll understand.' Scott thinks to himself as he drives along. 'You can't risk her on this one; it's too dangerous.'

He comes to a stop, on the outskirts of the war-torn city, and hides his bike inside a crumbling house. He has to make the rest of the trip on foot, if he is to have any hope of not being discovered.

A short hike through the woods, and he finds himself at the location he had prepared for his attack. Understanding that he can't use his powers, or he'll be discovered, he had hidden several firearms, and set up several traps along this path.

Finding the sack, he puts on the disguise, grabs the firearms, positions himself, and waits.

He doesn't have to wait long, as around the bend, the convoy comes. He sees two guards walking in front of the armoured carriage, which has two guards riding in it along with the prisoner, and two more guards walking behind the carriage.

He watches, as the front two guards approach the first trap he has set. The first one suddenly disappears, as the ground gives out from underneath him, while the second guard, who was a step behind, manages to spin and grab the edge of the hole that is now in the middle of the road.

Scott cuts the rope that is tied to the tree he is hiding behind, and takes aim at the guard trying to pull himself out of the hole. A net holding up several large rocks, comes crashing down on the two rear guards, just as Scott fires; hitting the guard in the back of the head, and causing his dead body to fall into the hole.

He switches his aim to the two rear guards, and sees the one of them is still alive; so he fires, killing him.

Sprinting away from the tree he is using for cover, he ducks behind a boulder to the side of the carriage, just as the side door opens, and one of the guard's steps out. Without hesitation, Scott puts a bullet between his eyes.

As his body collapses, a bolt of electricity comes flying out of the open doorway, and slams into the boulder; Scott barely manages to hide in time.

'Shit! Crisp!' He thinks to himself.

"Show yourself, filth!" He hears a familiar voice shout. "Show yourself now, or I kill the gene-traitor!"

Scott peaks out from behind the boulder and sees that Prelate Crisp is holding the prisoner, a red-headed woman, in front of him; using her for cover.

"I know you're behind that rock; come out!" He shouts, shooting off another bolt of electricity at the boulder.

Scott hadn't planned on Crisp being part of the guard, and isn't too happy about having to face off against one of his own men. He tries to think of a plan, but a cry of pain from the woman forces his hand.

He removes his visor, and pockets it, before stepping out into the open, and tossing the rifle he had been using away.

Just as he expected, as soon as he is in the open, he is hit by a bolt of electricity, sending him tumbling to the ground. Seconds later, Crisp is on him, rolling him over onto his back, and lifting the hood up so that he can see his face. "Summers?" He says, shocked.

"I'm sorry, Ray." Scott manages to say between clenched teeth, as he opens his eyes, and blasts Crisp.

Once he regains control of his limbs, Scott puts his visor back on, stands up, and looks around; what is left of Crisp if lying on the ground several feet away from him. He walks over to the prisoner, and helps her up off the floor.

"Thank you." She says, but Scott ignores her, and walks around to check the other guards.

Inside the hole, the bodies of the two first guards are impaled on the hidden metal re-bar that Scott had planted at the bottom. At the back of the carriage, one guard had his head crushed by the falling rocks, while the other has a bullet hole in his head.

He walks back to the prisoner, and searches the dead guard at her feet. Finding the key to the inhibitor collar, he removes it from around her neck.

"Thank you again." She says, before collapsing.

Scott manages to catch her before she hits the ground. 'Great; she's unconscious. Well, this is going to complicate things.' He thinks to himself. 'I won't make it back to my bike carrying her, before I'm discovered.'

He looks around, and quickly comes up with an alternate plan. Scooping up the woman in a fireman's carry, he jogs down the road until he is back within the city limits. He sees a storm drain off the side of the road, and decides that it will probably be his best chance for escape.


Betsy surveys the carnage; amazed that Scott had apparently managed to kill six EMF soldiers alone.

'No sign of any of Sinister's forces; so this must have just happened. Scott couldn't have gotten that far away.' She thinks, and starts heading back towards Scott's bike; which she had used it's built in locator, to track him with.

She does a cursory scan with her telepathy, hoping to pick up on his whereabouts, and is surprised when she senses him heading in the opposite direction. 'Where are you going, Scott?' She thinks, turning back.

'Why is he heading away from his bike? Did something happen? Is he hurt?' She thinks, wondering if she should risk opening up her connection with Scott to find out. 'Better not; he might be in danger, and it might distract him.'

She arrives at the edge of the city, and starts to get scared. 'What if it was a trap, and he was actually captured? Why else would he come this way?'

She does another quick scan and senses him, but somewhere below her. She looks off to the side, and sees a storm drain that has its grate slightly ajar. 'What is going on here, Scott? And, where are you going?'


After about fifteen minutes of trudging through the ankle deep sludge, Scott can feel the woman starting to stir; so he finds an elevated dry spot, and lays her down.

Not long after, her eyes start to open, and she begins to moan. "Relax." Scott says. "You're safe."

The woman tries to sit up, but lays back down quickly. "Ow, my head."

"Yeah, those inhibitor collars can be pretty bad." He says. "Take a minute and try to gather yourself, but we need to keep moving."

"Where am I?" She asks, finally able to sit up. "Who are you?"

"I'm a friend, and we're underground, in the storm drains. I wouldn't have made it to my transportation, while carrying you, before being discovered; so I came here." He says, looking around. "I figured it would provide enough cover for me to get you far enough away that we could call for help."

She shifts over, until her feet are hanging over the edge of the dry spot, and says, "Well then, we better keep moving."

She hops down, and slips, but is immediately caught by Scott. "Careful; it's really slippery down here, and you're still not one-hundred percent." Scott says, steadying her. "Maybe you should lean on me?"

"Thanks." She says, placing her arm around his neck. "That sounds like a good idea. I'm Jean, by the way; Jean Grey."

They continue walking; Scott guiding her around the turns and bends.