The Fourteenth Chapter is Called: Friend
Ronny could only stand there with his feet rooted to the ground as he watched the x-men carry Brooky's unconscious form off the jet and into a medical room. He had known they would get her back but never in a hundred years had he imagined that she would look like that. She was bruised and cut, her once white bandages stained red from blood.
"Go upstairs kid, get a drink or something," said Logan as he walked passed. Numbly Ronny nodded and turned to leave the lower levels, leaving the others to work on Brooklyn.
"Set her down here," ordered Dr. McCoy, leading the others to a flat, padded table. As she was maneuvered onto the table Brooky moaned and moved her head back and forth. "Brooklyn…you are at the manor again. I'm going to give you some medication for the pain while we close up your wounds," said McCoy, using soft tones for the half conscious girl.
"Wait," Brooky moaned, her voice raspy. "I know…he going. I...where you catch him."
"Who Brooklyn? Who can we catch?" asked Professor Xavier. Brooky coughed dryly, flecks of blood falling on her lips.
"Tanner." Saying what was important, the woman's dark head fell back onto the table as she once again fell into nothingness. Dr. McCoy looked to Professor Xavier, awaiting his next instructions.
"Clean her up, I'll check her mind for the information I need." Dr. McCoy nodded and immediately plunged an IV needle into Brooky's arm before setting to his work.
Charles Xavier for a second time entered the circus ground that represented Brooklyn O'Connor's mind. The circus ground was still assembled on the desert like terrain, stormy skies mixing silently above. Standing at the ticket booth was a lone figure, staring at him with dark eyes.
At first Xavier thought it was the girl who helped him the first time, but as he walked closer he could see that this girl was older, possibly thirteen. Her long black hair blew in the warm wind, wrapping itself around her black dress. A fleeting thought in Xavier's mind was that she looked like that Emily the Strange character some of the students were crazy about.
"Hello," said the Professor, smiling warmly at the version of Brooky.
"I'm supposed to show you where the memory is," said the girl, her face grim. "She doesn't want you to get lost in here."
"That's very kind," said Professor Xavier. He motioned to the girl to lead the way and she turned and began to lead him through the confusing maze of tents and caravans.
"She's not schizo," said the girl, staring straight ahead as they walked. "She's just complicated. Very complicated." The girl stopped in front of a small stage, covered by a navy blue curtain covered in gold stars. "Take a seat."
Professor Xavier sat down on one of the long wooden benches as the dark girl walked up a few steps to the side of the stage where a long cord stood. She heaved down on the cord and slowly the blue curtains parted pulling Xavier into Brooky's memories.
The memory was recent, only hours before they rescued the girl. Brooky was sprawled on the floor of the boathouse, breathing heavily and holding onto one of her bloodied wounds.
Her dark eyes followed the movements of Tanner as he rose from his crouching position and walked from the shed, locking it behind him. Xavier watched as the injured mutant painfully pulled herself across the floor to the locked door. Voices that had only been a mumble before became audible. Tanner was talking to someone, giving directions, locations!
Immediately, Charles Xavier was spat out of the vision. He was once more sitting on the wooden bench, watching as the girl tugged the curtains shut once again.
"Was the information useful?" asked the child, her voice still void of emotion.
"It was, thank you."
"Thank her. She always asks us to keep people out, not let them in," stated the girl.
"I will do that. Will she be okay?"
"If she has the will to, then she will. Now you must go."
Before Professor Xavier could say anymore the girl pushed his chest and he found himself sitting back into his wheelchair at the head of the bed Brooky had been placed in. Xavier was not sure how long he had been in her mind, but all Brooklyn's dressing had been changed and she had a more peaceful look on her ashen face.
The Professor was worried. It had been a few days but Brooklyn had not stirred from her bed. Did she have the will to live? To his relief she awoke on the sixth day. Storm had come down to check on her and had a sense of déjà vu when she found Brooky's dark eyes following her.
"Brooky, how are you feelings?" asked Storm, feeling less startled this time around, already knowing the odd woman's disposition.
"Dry," Brooky rasped, using her voice for the first time in days. Storm quickly helped Brooklyn drink some water to clear her dry throat. "I was dreaming of the circus," said Brooky, once the cup was taken away from her mouth. "Once a year, Mr. Cody would take me to whichever circus was in town. I always imagined myself as an acrobat flying through the air, a lion tamer, even a clown. One year he paid for me to ride the elephant. It was one of the best moments in my life. I like elephants."
" Yes they are very nice aren't they," said Storm, softly tucking the blankets around Brooky. "You know Kurt Wagner worked in the circus, you should talk to him about that some time."
"Yes…I'll ask …him… 'bout elephannnss…" Brooky's eyes began to droop down and she fell back to sleep. Storm made sure everything was in order before heading upstairs to inform the others that Brooklyn was going to make it.
Later the same day when Brooky awoke for the second time, the school faculty gathered in her medical room and turned on the small television that had been set up in the room while the Brooky had still been in her coma like state.
The hospital bed had been propped up so that Brooky could comfortably be in a sitting position without doing any damage to her healing wounds.
A news lady was on the television screen, her straw colored hair swept back in an impeccable bun, her burgundy suit fitted perfectly.
"Today Lance J. Tanner, the ring leader of the mafia style group known simply as 'Dusk' was captured and taken before the court. He has been sentenced to death along with his leading men. The rest of his large team are being hunted down and will likely be given the same sentence as their ring leader…"
"Well…I see you got the information," said Brooklyn, glancing over at Professor Xavier. "Can't say I'm at all sorry for him."
"No," said the Professor, shaking his head. "Neither can I."
"Ha! Boardwalk! You owe me big bucks, buddy!" exclaimed Brooky, waving around her deed in proof that she did in fact own the property Ronny's metal car had landed on. Grumbling, Ronny handed over a large amount of the toy money to Brooky who began kissing it and waving it tauntingly in his face.
A week after waking up Brooky was finally allowed to ascend to the next level of the manor, leaving with Dr. McCoy the promise to not take part in any sort of strenuous activity. And so Brooky was placed on a couch in the rec room to play Monopoly with Ronny, Marina, and Rogue. Brooky had claimed that she was no good at the game but as time progressed she was thoroughly whipping the others at the game.
"Bad at this game my but," muttered Rogue, taking the dice from Ronny and rolling herself right into jail as the others laughed. "Damn." The quartet were to caught up in their game to care about the chime of the doorbell they could hear in the distance.
"Ummm, Brooke?" asked Rahne, walking into the room looking nervous.
"Yeah cupcake?"
"There is a strange man at the door, he says he knows you."
Marina, Rogue, and Ronny were immediately on their feet, racing towards the door to see who had come to visit Brooky.
"Come back here you jerks! Take me with you!" shouted Brooky, who still couldn't walk on her own two legs.
To her annoyance none of them came back to get her. Instead they returned five minutes later with Logan , and one other person who all were looking at mistrustfully. He was in tan trousers and a light blue polo shirt, both articles of clothing looking rather worse for wear.
"Hello Jack," said Brooky, placidly. She didn't look at all perturbed at his presence.
"Brooke," said Jack, he cautiously stepped towards her and slowly knelt down beside the couch so as not to alarm the x-men who were watching him closely with cold eyes. "Brooke," he repeated, taking Brooky's hand softly into his own.
"What do you want Jack?"
"Tanner has been caught…but you already know that. The authorities, they are closing in on all of us from Dusk that remain. If they catch me I will be killed, Brooky please help me."
"Begging Jack? You always were afraid of death," said Brooklyn, her face still revealing no emotions.
"Come on Brooky," said Jack, edging closer to Brooky, holding her arm to his chest, before placing a long kiss on her soft hand. "You know how…close we were in the past. Wouldn't you like that again?" Jack edged his face forward to place a kiss on Brooky's cheek. Before his lips could touch her, he felt the collar of his shirt get tight as he was forcefully yanked backwards.
"Enough of that bub." Jack tried to struggle out of Logan's grip but he held the smaller man firmly.
"Please Brooky! Tell this lug to let me go, save me. Please Brooke." Jack stared into Brooky's eyes and slowly she raised her hand, which he took, and kissed continually, sighing in relief.
"You have always been a bad friend Jack." Jack froze, his eyes widening as Brooky nodded to Logan. He began to scream as he was grabbed from behind and dragged away.
The whole time Brooky watched him with her cold black eyes, knowing what would become of the man she had once called her friend.