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DISCLAIMER: I do not own any Marvel Properties! This is pure Fan Fiction, and is not intended as a violation of the appropriate Laws. I only lay claim to the OC's I have made.
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Chapter 14: Rescue!
Meanwhile, Back At Xavier's Institute
Lance called me back saying that Pietro Maximoff has returned. Lance would like to know if a place could be set for Pietro. I said "That will be fine. You know that I love you, Lance. I shall see you when you get in."
Informing the Professor of the new arrival, I was, of course instructed to let Lance know that he will be sharing a room with Pietro. I was tempted to just have Lance join me, as secrecy is no longer a need. However, PRIVACY is almost non-existent.
Even as the gooiest lasagna is being prepared, I quietly inform Tabitha "Set one more place, please, Tabitha. Your old friend Pietro is on his way here, with Lance."
This brightened Tabitha's outlook. I had no sooner turned around to add a few more dashes of spices into the mix, when I spotted him. He was there. Really there! I was speechless.
I breathed his name. "Evan."
He was looking so big, and so strong. He also was still armored with bone plate armor that had grown from his flesh.
I asked "Evan? By what miracle are you here, child?"
He looked serious as he answered my question "Auntie O, The Morlocks need help. I've been sent to ask for it."
I bade my nephew to sit with me. He took my hands in his own.
"Auntie O...We're being hunted. Some group calling itself 'Purity' is using religious fanatics to go into the tunnels with guns, knives, machetes, clubs and axes...They're killing us, Auntie O. Sister Snake. Strainer. Goldie. All of them are dead, Auntie O. They even took Goldie's corpse. Sister Snake held off a group of them, so that the children in that tunnel could escape. Hammer, Misty, Scaleface, and Brick are all hurt. Lumin is missing. She went looking for food, and never came back. She's only fifteen, Auntie O. We need the X-Men's help."
I was HORRIFIED! I called for the Professor mentally, and he assembled the X-Men. Lance walked in with Pietro. Oh dear. I held up a hand "No fighting! Evan, Pietro and the other Brotherhood boys are here at our invitation! Pietro, Evan is here for help. Religious fanatics have hunted Morlocks in their own tunnels. Three are dead. This is extremely serious!"
Lance, Goddess bless him, walked over, and put his arms around me asking "What can we do to help, Ororo?"
Evan and Pietro were both astounded! I guess Lance had yet to tell Pietro. Evan simply had no way of knowing ahead of time.
I ignored them for a moment as the Professor answered the question "Lance, I am grateful for the offer to directly aid, but we cannot have anyone with us who is not trained with us. If a particular command is given, such as 'Twenty Nine Delta Red' Only we will know what it means. If we said openly what that meant instead, they will have a good idea what is intended, and prevent Rogue from getting close to the opposing leader."
Lance nodded, and in a burst of maturity said "Well, how about we hold the fort? With everyone else gone, we can watch Wanda, and make sure that she isn't going anywhere. That way you don't need to leave behind somebody to guard her. We'll do it."
The Professor nodded at the wisdom. "Very well, Lance. I accept. Do you recall the communications protocol?"
Lance thought a moment, and haltingly recited it. Close enough to correct, that Professor Xavier nodded "Excellent. We'll leave you to it, Mr. Alvers. We'll be leaving young Mr. Madrox and Mr. Guthrie here. Jamie is too young, and Mr. Guthrie's Cannonball power is of dubious value in narrow, winding, and dark tunnels. It's also his turn to watch Jamie."
Sam was obviously regretting having swapped out such a duty, with Amara last week.
I was nervous for a variety of reasons. Claustrophobia being number two on my list. Finding Lumen, and returning her alive, however, is absolutely number one.
We got there in time for dinner, only to see it cancelled. I was shocked to see Evan Daniels. He hardly looks like he did before. Even Pietro is keeping his yap shut. This IS serious stuff. I want to go into the tunnels with Ororo, but the Professor is right. Still, there is one thing I can do.
I tore some of the T-shirt I was wearing from my job, and offered it to my Ladylove. "Ororo? Here. Take this. Keep it with you. If you need calm. If you need something to take your mind off of your fears, hold this, and think of me."
Evan and Pietro BOTH could have been knocked over with the wave of a feather.
I gave Ororo a goodbye kiss that definitely raised the temperature in here for sure!
I told my sweet Storm "Be careful, and be safe…"
After the rest of the X-Men left, I turned around to see Sam, Jamie, and Pietro standing there with their mouths open. Seriously, Jamie needs to get over her. He is WAY too young for her! He's what, twelve? I feel bad for him, but not bad enough to step aside for the kid. Pietro sat down in shock.
Looking at me, Pietro babbles "I can't believer you an' Storm….You KISSED her!"
Before I could respond, Todd had hopped in from the kitchen with Fred.
Todd announced "Pietro, youse shoulda had the room we was in the other night. We heard EVERYTHING those two did until three twenty nine, in the A. M. !"
I was more red that Jean's hair, right now. "Shut it, Todd!" I commanded.
How I kept my anger in check, I'll never know, but I'm glad that I did. This is NOT my home. I'm a guest here. I really do NOT want to wear out my welcome in seeing Ororo here…
I looked at them "Everyone, get a plate of dinner, and eat."
We ate and did our best not to worry. Sam had Jamie in a video game contest. Fred and Todd were playing air hockey. I went down to the Containment Center. Checking on Wanda, I found her to be sleeping. I checked her chart. Wow. Thorazine. And a good amount of it. Oh, yeah. She is going to be a very good girl for quite a while. I made sure to adjust the lighting to 'Sleep Mode' for her.
Going to the Main Communications Room, I found everything going smoothly. The missing Morlock girl, Lumen, was found in a cell, at Purity Headquarters. Kitty found her, and phased her to Kurt who is now on his way here. I ask if I should ready the infirmary.
Kurt answered "Nein. She is scared, und needing a meal, in a zafe place."
I let Kurt know that we'll have a plate ready for her. That's exactly what I do. When Kurt arrives, Lumen is dirty and scrawny, but not seriously hurt. She was kinda cute in that 'waif' sort of way. Not my type, but then, I am spoken for. Kurt is already on his way back.
We get Lumin fed, and I ask Sam and Fred to keep an eye on her. Oddly, it's Todd that suddenly is all 'How may I help youse?' to Lumin.
I made sure to save food for the rest, when they got back. It was going to be a little thin with a few extra mouths to feed, and those would be eating are going to be VERY hungry.
I make a whole pot of pasta 'Shells', and ask Sam "Finish making this, please? Then just keep it warm for the others?"
Sam just nods, and gets to it. Fred is keeping Jamie busy with a Classic Board Game. Pietro is watching the X-Men's TV. Todd is taking care of Lumin.
It wasn't until I got back to the Main Communications Room, that I realised it. Todd was acting towards Lumin that I had been acting towards Ororo...Oh boy. At least he picked a girl that isn't crazy. She didn't even act offended by his interest.
I keep an ear out, on the Mission. It was OK, until Daniels lost his cool and got into a fight with armed Purity Guards. Now the X-Men are pinned down inside the facility. Great move, Spyke. I don't say this out loud.
I try to get a sense of how bad it is. There is a call from Wolverine about 'gas', then silence.
I am not waiting for anything. I go up and get Pietro.
"Pietro? I need Quicksilver's help."
Sam looks at us, but I do NOT want to panic anyone.
As Pietro looks at me, trying to figure out what I need, I say "It's a wardrobe thing. I need to impress Storm…"
Once in private, I level with him. "Quicksilver, I need a ride from you to the following address. Ororo and the others have been captured, and I will free them. I just need a lift…"
We had infiltrated the Purity Compound, released Lumen, and found several other mutants in bondage. As we were attempting to release a wounded mutant, Evan became truly angry, and he launched several of his spikes at the Purity Guards. He kept their heads down, but that was all. Then the alarm sounded and there was the hissing of gas!
When I came to, I was in a set of restraints, that included a collar, shackles and leg-chains!
The vile excuse for a Reverend, was there gloating. I tried to create a fog to hide the other's escape efforts.
Nothing happened. I could not feel ANY connection to the Weather at all! I was underground. I was trapped!
I WAS TRAPPED!
I tried to calm myself. I did try! Lance! The very thought of Lance calmed me greatly! I realised that I could reach the scrap of T-shirt from Lance. Bringing it to my face, I could still smell his manly/boyish/teenager scent!
The Reverend Stryker laughed and asked "Figured out that your Unholy powers aren't working, eh?"
Chuckling at our distress, he went on "The Suppression Devices are so useful! Only I have the key. Attempting to remove them without the key causes a failsafe to explode. severing your heads. We are Pure Humanity, and shall TRIUMPH! Orderlies, prepare to execute the first of them. The growling one, will do."
Wolverine was dragged to another room, and it took eleven guards to get him fully restrained. Five of them had injuries. One of them had serious injuries to his ribs. Even shackled Wolverine is a terror in a fight. Logan was keeping his Adamantium Claws a secret. I wondered why.
In the mean time, I was doing everything that I could to calm down. If Logan was still holding back, then he believed that something was going to happen in our favor. He was expecting reinforcements! The Brotherhood could stage a breakout!
Sure enough, before the 'Orderlies' could actually restrain Logan, the whole building shook! Then the Fire Alarms went off! The loudspeaker began blaring classic music. The refrain included the phrase "Gimme Three Steps"...
Reverend Stryker was not happy. Good.
I saw a wall suddenly collapse, leaving a good sized hole.
A moment later, Lance walked in. "Let's Rock!"
A moment later, a blur went by, and wherever it passed a Purity Orderly, that one was simply no longer armed. A small figure hopped though, yelling "It's slime time *Ptui*" Todd slimed Stryker's face! The one Orderly who tried to grab Todd was backhanded by Fred. After Lance walked in, I could see the he was flanked by FIFTY Jamies! Each Jamie was armed with a super-squirt gun. I could smell the lemon juice from here. Gambit was here. Where did he come from? Sam Guthrie was nowhere to be seen. He is probably in the air…
Lance called out "Operation Prison Break is a GO!" At the word 'Go' ALL the Jamies sprayed Purity forces in their faces! Ouch! This caused many to stop fighting, and grab their faces! Many of the rest were pinned down by angry Jamies!
A moment later, Gambit took out some lick picks, and walked over to us.
"Ah, Petite', this t'ief's heart beats again on seein' yo' sweet face unharmed…"
Rogue, however just yelled "The collars are BOOBY-TRAPPED, ya Swamp Rat!"
Gambit, acted like Gambit, however, and grinned, as he set to work "'So Kay, Chere. Gambit understan' dat."
Several Orderlies attempted to swarm Fred, but were...less than successful. Half of these were swarmed in turn by irate Jamie Clones. A child against an adult is a bad match. A DOZEN children against one adult, heavily trained in unarmed combat, is still a bad match-for the adult!
Pietro was attacking Purity forces so fast I literally had a hard time seeing him! He taunted Stryker, and made the wicked man fall flat upon his own face. Twice!
I heard Pietro mocking Stryker "Ooooh. Laying down on the job is a serious matter. You're fired." He even used The Donald hand motion. Quite a good imitation, really.
By this time Gambit had freed Rogue, and was reaching for Cyclops when Cyclops said "Get Kitty, next, then she can simply phase us out of these things, and time counts now."
Lance was punching a blond Purity guard in the face, and grinning as he sang " 'Cause that's my woman there, and I'm a man who cares, and this might be all for you..." *POUND!* *Thud!*
Stryker was STILL unable to touch Pietro, but then, I am NOT surprised.
A few Jamie Clones came over and helped Professor Xavier into his wheelchair. Todd was kicking a Purity guard who had grabbed a club, and was unable to land a single hit on Todd. Todd's kicks, however were rather effective.
In another minute, Kitty had phased that horrible collar off of me, then tossed it into a pile with the rest of them.
Pietro had Stryker tied up, and in MAKEUP? Where did he get it?
"Ohh, burnt ochre! It's JUST your color, madame! Say cheese!" *click* went Pietro's cell phone's camera.
Strykers response was totally unprintable! It was so horrendous, Logan quietly said "I thought that I was the only one still alive, who knew THAT one?!"
Fred said "I just hope I can forget it! I feel dirty just having heard it..."
Todd could be heard asking Tabitha "If'n he's a Reverend, how does he know THAT kinda language?" Tabitha just shrugged, and was glad to be unlocked.
Fortunately the conflict was over soon, and we all retreated back the the X-Van, and Lance's Jeep.