October 5, 1962
"-and that's about the time that I figured Irish dancing wasn't for me," Sean said.
Susanna laughed and Lorna smiled. Her mother seemed a bright spot in a room that was still smarting from being chewed out. It seemed a little much for that though: only Raven and she had had relatives lecture them. Maybe she'd missed something.
There was a sudden thud. Darwin began looking around him, his face confused. Lorna dismissed it just as she heard another thump. Several other sounds followed the first and she got up, heading towards the window. Lorna moved her hand and the curtains, on metal rings, parted.
"What is it mama?" Anya asked.
Lorna put her hand behind her, hoping that they would stay where they were. A second later a body fell into the courtyard with a sickening crunch. Raven and Angel screamed and she heard one of the boys shout. Another body followed it, and another.
She didn't make a sound though. Her mother was calling out to her, no doubt shielding Anya. Lorna had a more pressing need though: something was happening. Feeling sick, Lorna took another step forward. She looked up and saw several agents standing on the edge of their windows, peering down. In unison they stepped out, falling onto the courtyard below them.
Erik burst into the room, Charles next to him. It had been irritating getting a lecture from Charles on the way in. He hadn't asked him to come, and it wasn't as though he had killed those guards. He'd made a concentrated effort to avoid that.
Now though, now they were there. He saw the two men talking in front of a table, but they both looked up when they came in. The red man snarled at them, and the Minister of Defense began to get up. Charles immediately put his fingers to his temples, and the minister fell backwards.
The red man had better instincts. He disappeared and reappeared next to Erik. He managed to duck his knife and Charles whirled around, only to have the man disappear again. Erik grabbed Charles by the foot and pulled him to the ground moments before the red man reappeared and slashed the air where Charles had been.
Erik reached out for the metal in his swords, but he couldn't quite get a lock on it. It was difficult to fight someone who wasn't even there half the time. He could feel the swords, but they were never close enough for him to do anything about it.
Charles was having the same problem, as the man's mind wasn't in any one place either. So far they had been able to fend off his sword blows, but it was getting increasingly difficult. He glanced at Charles, who was looking exhausted.
Erik saw another puff of black smoke. He lashed out, knocking him back. The man stumbled and Erik kicked him in the chest. He could tell that the man was trying to teleport, and Charles put his fingers to his temples.
The man stumbled again, and Erik flicked his wrists. Metal from nearby window pulled out and grabbed his hands and feet. His swords clattered to the floor and the man snarled at the two of them.
"What now Erik?" asked Charles, keeping his fingers to his temples.
"We start by telling the CIA we've captured one of Shaw's companions," he said.
The man began laughing. Erik narrowed his eyes.
"What's so funny?" he demanded.
"CIA will not respond," the man said, "They will be busy."
His grin unnerved Erik and, for the first time, doubt began creeping in.
"What do you mean?" he demanded.
"Shaw figured should pay little visit to new enemies," the man said.
He leaned in a little, as did Charles.
"Them and your family."
Erik lunged for him, but there was another cloud of black smoke. Erik found himself grabbing thin air, his heart pounding in his ears. He looked over at Charles, his vision blurring with fear and panic.
"I'm sorry, he had some sort of block. I didn't know Emma could-" Charles began.
"Forget it. We have to get back," he said.
"Erik," Charles said, his voice shaking, "Erik, we're hours and hours away from-"
"We have to get back!" Erik shouted.
They couldn't be too late. They couldn't be.
Susanna kept Anya close to her, shielding her daughter's face from the sight of the dead agents.
"We have to get out of here," Darwin said, "Come on."
Susanna picked up Anya and held out her hand to Lorna. Lorna stared at the bodies in the courtyard for a moment more before taking her mother's hand. They ran out into the hallway, where armed soldiers had formed a block.
"Get back!" one of them yelled.
"We can help!" Darwin shouted.
"Just get the hell out of our way!" snapped Lorna.
Fire filled the hallway. One of the soldiers gestured to them, pushing them back. Lorna moved forward, but Susanna yanked on her hand.
"Lorna, please," she said.
Her daughter looked at her. Anya had started crying and Lorna clenched her teeth. She headed back to the room with the others, Susanna tightly clenching her hand. They arrived just as the window broke. Susanna was knocked off her feet, managing to block Anya from most of the blast. The glass sailed over their heads. She felt some of it skim her back as she looked up.
Lorna had managed to get down in time too, but she was too close to the courtyard. To their left she saw a tornado sweep through, destroying one of the installations. The other window broke and more glass scattered throughout the room.
She stared and Lorna offered her her hand.
"Mom, we need to-" she started.
The man that Erik had nearly killed walked through one of the windows, straightening his jacket. Emma walked through the other window, examining her nails. She took a deep breath, trying to calm down, but there was a scuffle outside the door.
"Wait, you want the mutants? They're right through that door. Just let us normal people go. We're no threat-"
There was an unpleasant sound and Susanna clutched Anya closer to her.
"Bastard," Lorna murmured.
Susanna rose slowly to her feet, moving Anya so that she was behind her. The CIA had failed. She doubted she would be more successful, but she needed to do something. Shaw walked into the room, wearing some sort of helmet. Her mind went to her husband, who had thought that he'd gone after him.
She held Anya tighter and reached for Lorna's shoulder. Lorna put her hand on her mother's, giving it a squeeze.
"The telepath's not here," Emma said.
"Well, then there's no need for this," said Shaw, taking his helmet off.
He looked at them all, smiling and friendly.
"Good evening," he said, "My name is Sebastian Shaw, and I am not here to hurt you."
The metal statue tore off of the podium and flew towards them. The dark-haired man flicked his wrist and a gust of wind carried the statue away from them. Susanna looked at Lorna, whose eyes were glowing green.
"Miss Lensherr," Shaw sighed, "There's no need for that."
"You stay the hell away from us," Lorna hissed.
"You're your father's daughter, I'll give you that," he said.
He laughed.
"My friends, there's a revolution coming. When mankind discovers who we are, what we can do," Shaw said, "each of us will face a choice. Be enslaved, or rise up to rule. Choose freely, but know that if you are not with us, then by definition you are against us."
"And choose torturing children?" Susanna said.
"Ah, Mrs. Lensherr," said Shaw, "If it hadn't been me looking into your husband's rather unique gift, then it would have been others. And they wouldn't have been as gentle as me."
"I doubt that," Susanna said.
He laughed again and looked at the teens.
"So, you can stay, fight for the people who hate and fear you, or you can join me, and live like kings," he said.
His eyes sought out someone's: Susanna couldn't see who.
"Or queens," he said.
Susanna heard someone sigh, and then Angel walked forwards. The group gave a collective start, but Lorna was the one who spoke.
"Are you kidding me?" she demanded.
"We don't belong here," said Angel, "And that's nothing to be ashamed of."
"Did you see what he just did?" Lorna asked.
"That guy was going to just let us die!" Angel said, pointing to the door.
"And the rest of the base is littered with people who died for us," said Susanna.
For a moment Angel hesitated.
"Come on Angel," Darwin said.
"You don't know what it's like out there, the kinds of things people do-" Angel said, her voice condescending.
"You just decided to turn against your friends and join a madman," Lorna said, her voice a snarl, "Yeah, I think I know what people are capable of."
Angel tossed her head and walked over to Shaw. He tucked his helmet securely underneath his arm.
"You know Miss Lensherr, I'd rather hoped that you would have accepted my offer," he said.
"And why's that?" Lorna snapped.
"So I wouldn't have to kill you," Shaw said.
Susanna moved forwards, but something froze her in place. Lorna went limp and fell to the ground.
"Nicely done Emma," he said.
Susanna could feel her heart pounding, terror blurring her vision. Shaw walked over to Lorna, his hand outstretched.
"No!" she screamed.
Shaw turned to her as he took her daughter's neck in his hand, smiling.
"Sorry about this Mrs. Lensherr," he said, "Now, anything to say Lorna?"
"Go to hell," she said.
"I'll pass on that," Shaw said.
Susanna couldn't believe this was happening. She looked for someone, anyone to do something, but the rest of the group was frozen in place. Emma.
"Please, leave her alone!" Susanna begged, "She's only sixteen!"
"Would you rather I kill your other daughter?" Shaw asked indulgently.
"I'd rather you take me!"
Shaw stared at her, a strange smile on his face.
"You would trade your daughter for yourself?" he asked.
"Yes," Susanna said.
"Mom-" began Lorna.
"Shhhh," Shaw said.
He looked at Susanna, his eyes alight. Susanna stood strong, her eyes darting to Lorna. His hand was still around her throat. He could kill her with a simple movement of his hand, and she would be unable to fight back.
Emma yawned.
"Sebastian, she's just stalling," she said, "Kill the girl and let's get out of here. I'm getting another headache."
"No, no," Shaw said, "She has a point."
Susanna swallowed. Shaw's eyes were fully on her now, and she had to clench her fist to stop herself from shaking.
"After all Emma," he said, "Do you think that the younger Lensherrs will ever get over watching their mother's sacrifice? Or what Erik will think when he realizes that he wasn't able to protect his wife from having to make this choice?"
"That's little psychological, even for me," Emma said.
"Perhaps," he said.
There was a pause, and then he smiled.
"Walk to me," he said.
"Let Lorna go first," Susanna said.
He looked at Emma. Emma nodded, and Lorna's eyes glazed a bit more. Shaw tossed her aside and Susanna felt her throat go dry.
"Now," Shaw said, "Come."
"Mama!" Anya cried.
She shook her head.
"Anya, stay back," Susanna said.
"She can't move, so forget her," said Shaw, "Come here, before I change my mind."
Susanna walked forwards, keeping her back as straight as possible. She had to concentrate on every step, because otherwise she was going to falter and fall. She couldn't let her daughters see her waiver.
Emma seemed bored, and the dark-haired man was smirking as she got closer. She looked over at Angel. Although the young girl looked horrified, she wasn't moving.
"Kneel," Shaw demanded.
"No," Susanna said.
He seemed surprised, but Susanna was going to die with dignity.
"You're being rather disobedient for a willing sacrifice," he said.
"I don't expect you to understand," Susanna said, "But you said that we had a choice. Well, I've decided to die on my terms."
She tilted her chin upwards.
"I chose this: not you."
Emma crossed her eyes and Shaw looked her up and down.
"I wonder," he said.
Susanna's breath caught in her throat. She had never been so scared in her life, but she just kept thinking about her daughters. She had to do this, had to stay strong. Anya's sobs were echoing in her ears, Lorna's strained voice as she struggled, and it only made her more determined.
"Erik had some wonderful potential," Shaw said, his voice soft, "But I only really saw its peak when I took something from him. No physical pain that I created could ever reproduce that effect, sad to say."
His hand reached out and touched her cheek. Susanna jerked away, but he grabbed her chin. The force of his fingers made her wince. She put her hands over his wrist, but his grip just tightened. Susanna became aware that he could break her jaw if he wished.
Not that it would matter. She'd be dead soon.
"I wonder how he might feel about having you taken away?" he asked, "I wonder how he'd feel if he comes back and finds, instead of his pretty little wife, a cold corpse. I wish I could see that. I wish you could see that really."
She forced herself not to swallow. Instead she looked up at him, daring him to carry through his threat and saying a silent prayer for her family when he did. Specifically, she prayed for her husband, for his soul and sanity.
"You don't give him enough credit," she said.
"And you give him too much," said Shaw.
"Mom, don't-" Lorna said.
"I love you," said Susanna, not daring to look at her daughters, "You and Anya. So much. Your father too-"
"Stop talking," Shaw said.
He jerked her head back and forth, as though examining her. Finally he settled on having her face him, his glowering eyes meeting hers.
"You all but healed the scar I left on him last time," he said.
His grip increased, but Susanna managed to maintain eye contact. She saw her death reflected back. Her life began to flash before her, her parents taking her with them on their medical tours, hearing the news of their deaths, feeling her world fall out. She remembered Erik taking her hand for the first time, Lorna's small, baby fingers grabbing onto hers and giving her hope.
Her memories of her wedding were there, as well as Anya's infectious laughter. There had been so much love. She could be grateful for that.
"This time," Shaw said, "I want to leave a scar that will never heal."