disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men, Marvel does. I do not expect any monetary benefit from this work of fiction which is intended for entertainment purposes only.

Ordinary People
by Dizi

Chapter 14: The DragonLady Cometh

Upon learning of Maggie's location and the reason behind it - no other details were necessary - Bobby had to be physically restrained. Nobody wanted him driving when he was so emotional. Rogue had to tackle him when he immediately made a run for her car, the closest means of transportation available.

One of his greatest fears in relation to Maggie had been that she would be attacked on duty. Now it had actually happened... Needless to say, he didn't take the news well.

Not quite as upset as Bobby, Betsy also became emotional. To the point of losing control enough to alert those who hadn't heard Bobby's commotion.

Arriving just in time to prevent everyone from invading the hospital en mass, Charles stepped in with the voice of reason. "I know you're all concerned, but such actions won't do. It would be far too much of a disturbance in a place where the people are already traumatized. There is no need to draw attention to both us and Maggie."

"Let me go!" Bobby shouted from the stranglehold Rogue still had on him. "You can't seriously think I'm staying here when-"

"Robert!" Charles said sharply. "No one is suggesting anything of the sort. You will leave momentarily. Who all else is going is the question, because I will not allow you to drive any more than they will and not everyone can go."

"I refuse to be left behind," Betsy spoke up quickly.

"Your friendship with Maggie has not been forgotten." Charle resisted the urge to rub his head. It was still aching from her inadvertent psychic invasion. "I don't believe you are in a condition to drive either. Warren seems to be the best choice."

"But I-" Jean began.

"No," he stopped her firmly.

"Perhaps-" came from Ororo.

"No," he repeated and continued before anyone else could speak up. "I like Maggie too, but we should let those with a closer connection be there to comfort her."

"I fail to see why our avian teammate should be given such an honor," Hank said stiffly. "He can hardly be called a friend to Bobby's lovely companion. A phsysian, such as myself, may be of assistance."

"Hank, he's going for Betsy and to drive. I'm quite sure the doctors are capable of helping Maggie. We will all go see her, but not now." Charles was clearly exasperated. "Rogue, you may release him."

Bobby was off like a shot as soon as her grip loosened, Betsy and Warren not far behind.

With the number of officers on site, it didn't take long for them to finish processing the scene. They had actually done so when Logan had arrived at the QuickStop the first time. Mr. and Mrs. Slover had been taken home and Dave Brubaker was still in the midst of a "cash count" by the time he returned.

Of the initial five police cars, only one was still there when the amount stolen was determind, a grand total of eight-hundred-sixty-three dollars. To their credit, the two remaining cops did not express their sympathies in either direction as Dave once again began to rant. Keeping stoic expressions on their faces, they listened to him go on about the untrustworthiness of mutants in general, Xavier's in specific, and how Maggie being in collusion with them was the only explanation for the amount to be so high.

Logan wondered how the arrogant man thought anyone could possibly believe that considering Maggie had only come into work an hour and a half before the robbery. Even if it had been an exceptionally busy night, the late shift wouldn't bring in that much money by morning. Half might be possible if every customer paid in cash instead of credit cards, but would still be doubtful. In less than two hours? Impossible.

Guessing the officers were about to leave and since he wasn't really hiding, Logan decided to avoid suspicion and go inside like the regular customer he was.

To his surprise, the manager immediately pointed a finger at him. "He's one of them! From that school! Do your job and at least question him!"

Rasing his brows, Logan watched the two policemen - though that was a misnomer as one was a woman - exchange glances. "There a problem, officers? Jus' wantin' a pack o' cigars."

With a sigh, obviously humoring the irate man, the female cop tapped the badge pinned to the front of her uniform and pulled out a small notepad. "I'm Officer Sanchez, this is Officer Ansley. You may not be aware there was a crime committed here earlier."

Shrugging, Logan admitted, "Guessed that. Seen the cop cars out front on my way back from the Auger."

"That'll make this easier then. What time did you leave?"

He had to think about it. "'Round 'bout ten ta midnight, 'cause I drove by at straight up twelve."

"Okay." She jotted a quick note, snapped the pad shut, and shoved it back into a pocket. "Thank you for your cooperation."

"That's it?" Dave demanded. "That's all you're going to do?"

The two exchanged glances again. Sanchez said coolly, "Mr. Brubaker, the Auger Inn has video cameras in both the bar and the parking lot - which I can assure you are in working order unlike the ones in your establishment. If he's lying, we'll know within thirty minutes. Since I'm a frequent visitor there and at Harry's, I personally happen to know that is where this man normally spends his evenings. So yes, that's it for now. We will be investigating."

His eyes twinkling at her authoritative tone, Logan took another look at Sanchez and Ansley. He had vaguely recognized their scent but her reminder of where from brought other images of them to mind. They looked much different in uniform. 'Course it was his experience that everyone did. "This mean I can get my smokes?"

"Be our guest, it's illegal for him to refuse you service." Gesturing to the register, Ansley nodded complacently to him before they left.

Muttering under his breath the whole time, Dave slapped the cigars down on the counter after Logan pointed them out. He then jabbed the keys to ring them up and slammed the drawer shut when the sale was complete.

Just to irritate him further, Logan made a show of counting his change.

To make it look like he was leaving, Logan revved his Harley and exited the parking lot with a roar. But he only went around the corner, parked his bike, and sprinted back to the store. In the shadows by the side window, he leaned against the wall and listened for what was going on inside. More importantly, what might be said. It was doable, but he might not catch everything if the man were whispering. He wasn't worried, the man didn't seem to be the whispering type.

He didn't have long to wait. It was only a few minutes later a car pulled up with the new kid and an older version of him who Logan guessed was his father. Larry was in what the women would call a 'tizzy'.

"Dave, we heard about Maggie - the police called. Is she okay?" Larry asked in a worried tone. "What's her condition?"

"How would I know? I've been here, not the hospital."

"Son, why don't you wait in the car." The older man said it as though it were not a suggestion.

"But, Dad-" the boy protested.

Logan supposed he was technically a young man but he smelled like a boy, so 'boy' he would remain in his eyes.

"Go, Larry. I promise I'll tell you about the girl as I get more information. For now, I need to talk business with Dave." He waited for his son to leave, then rounded on Dave. "What the hell happened?"

"What do you mean?" Logan could hear the confusion in his voice. "I did just as we planned and left the money under the drawer before Larry took over in the afternoon. The robbery went just as we wanted. When do I get my cut? I know my share's not much, but I want it."

"Just as planned, huh?" was the sarcastic reply. "The plan was shot to hell! Greer didn't have the chance to get the money. The cops were already here. Do you know what that means?"

Dave didn't answer.

"Let me tell you. It means someone else got here FIRST. We don't have the marked bills to frame that clerk. To top it off, this evening I got a call at home from the main office asking about company policies in this store. They're watching us and we look incompetent!"

"What do they care about how I run my store?" Dave was starting to sound worried himself.

"My God! You are incompetent and stupid. They care because your clerk contacted them, you imbecile! This was the wrong time to pull your stunt to implicate her."

"She's a mutie-lover and I hate having her work here!" he defended, a trifle frantic. "You thought it was a good idea, too! You wanted her gone just as much as I did so she wouldn't get that scholarship instead of Larry. You said you couldn't change her records because she came from another district and they were already at the main office. You even introduced me to Greer at the rally last week!"

Knowing the rally he referred to was held by the local FOH, Logan's fists clenched. He'd been there keeping an eye on them. There had been too many to listen in on everyone but he hated that he had missed this piece of information.

Pushing away from the wall, Logan headed back to his ride. He had heard enough to have a full picture. If they hadn't been such amatures, they might have been successful. There was no way for him to prove what they had done or why, but the facts would most likely bring them down. Their bosses would hold them accountable since they had been incompetent and stupid.

Thinking over the conversation he had eavesdropped on, Logan almost laughed outloud. They had been foiled by a real robbery when they had been trying to stage one of their own. He just loved irony.

They made it to the hospital in a record time of twelve minutes and thirty-seven seconds because Bobby and Betsy both kept urging Warren to go faster. Their urgency - possibly with the unsconscious help of Betsy's mental abilities - seemed to be catching. Pulling into a parking spot as near the emergency entrance as he could get, Warren was grateful they hadn't been pulled over for speeding. There was no telling what his companions might have done with a delay like that.

"Come on, she's this way." Betsy started in the direction of a hall off the lobby of the emergency room.

"No, you don't." Warren took her by the arm. "We have to check where she is."

"That's not necessary, I know where Maggie is," she told him sharply.

"Yeah," Bobby agreed with her. "She knows where Maggie is, so let's GO."

"It will look a little odd if you go straight to her. We have to do this right." Without letting go of Betsy's arm, Warren dragged her with him to the nurse's station. "Hello. We're looking for a friend of ours. She was brought in some time ago."

"Are you family?" the nurse asked without looking up from her paperwork, seemingly too busy to put forth the effort.

"Good friends," Warren answered, and elaborated. "We understand she was hurt in a robbery and are very worried about her."

Still writing, she tapped some keys on the computer, saying in a bored tone, "Name?"

"Maggie Gaines," Bobby jumped in impatiently. "I'm her boyfriend."

The woman finally lifted her head, her expression completely astonished. She looked Bobby up and down as though searching for something. "You're a brave one, aren't you?"

"I'm sorry?" He had no idea what she was talking about, but he really didn't care. There was only one thing on his mind. "Can you tell me how Maggie is? Is she okay?"

"She's a brave one too." Swiveling the chair, the nurse called to a woman behind her. "Shannon, got some visitors for the girl in exam room five. Want to take them over?"

The new nurse dressed in blue scubs, said incredulously, "You've got to be kidding. I'm not going in there, Norma."

"Who said anything about going in?" she shot back. "Just show them the way."

"Nuh-uh," Shannon shook her head emphatically. "Not me."

"Wimp." Norma turned back to the three visitors. "It might take me a minute here."

A male nurse pushed his way through a set of swining doors. Shannon called out a warning, "Better run fast, King!"

"Too late," Norma said smugly. "King! Take these three to exam room five! And don't even try to back out of it."

"But I'm on break," he protested desperately. "And I had to go last time!"

"Now you're going back again." Norma turned back to her paperwork and computer, saying to the three confused visitors, "Follow him. And know you have our condolences."

"What!" Bobby and Betsy panicked at her words.

"Anyone who voluntarily goes near that woman gets the same," Norma muttered low, continuing in a deceptively cheerful voice. "Go on. If she tries to kill you, don't worry. You're in a hospital."

Sighing heavily, King gestured for them to preceed him through the double doors he'd just come through. Once on the other side, he said flatly, "Look, I admire you for wanting to go in there, but you have to understand I can't. I'm sorry, but that woman scares me."

"Maybe we're going to the wrong place." Warren couldn't imagine Maggie being this much trouble. However, it did look good for her health. She couldn't be too hurt if she was running the nurses off. They were usually a tough lot. "Blonde girl with blue streaks in the front, about yay high," he held a hand up to demonstrate her height, "a little outrageous but normally nice."

"Who? Oooohhh! You mean the patient." King shook his head. "She's not a problem. It's her mother."

"Her mother?" Betsy repeated before understanding dawned. "Maggie's mum is here?"

"Came in the ambulance with her and has been giving everyone who comes near pure hell," he confirmed. "She shouted at the doctor and threatened to sue everybody from whoever it was who attacked her daughter to the policeman who took her statement. What she threatened to do to me while I tended to the girl's knee can't be repeated in mixed company."

Warren hesitated a step and suggested, "Maybe we should wait and come back later."

"Sorry, can't back out now." King placed his hand on a doorknob, turning it slowly. "We're already here."

"Don't tell me to calm down, Sandy!" They heard a woman shout who sounded a lot like Maggie, only meaner. "By the time I'm done we'll own that company! I'm holding them responsible! You should have heard what that police detective said!"

The door swung wide with King standing to the side so he couldn't be seen. They all three took a step in just in time to see Maggie lift her head and shout hoarsely, "Mom, will you stop! I'm not suing anyone!"

She fell back to the bed, holding her head and wincing in pain. Bobby didn't hesitate one bit. He ran to her side, took her hand in one of his, and brushed the hair back from her face with the other. "Just lay still, Maggie."

Her eyes drifting open, Maggie looked at him dazedly with happiness. "Bobby. Wow, there's five of you. That's so cool."

"Are you feeling quite the thing, luv?" Betsy asked in concern. That statement didn't bode well.

King's head popped around the doorway. "Psst!" he said loudly and popped back out of view.

Leaving the others with Maggie, Warren stepped outside.

"She's on pain medication so might not be herself. Nothing to worry about," King reassured him. He then fidgeted a little. "Um, would you mind closing the door behind you? I don't want the dragonlady to see me."

Shaking his head, Warren did as he asked. It couldn't be that bad.

"You have to be very quiet," Maggie was saying in a loud whisper. "I don't want my mom to know you're here."

"For God's sake, Maggie!" Janice shouted. "I'm right here! Sandy, for the last time, stop telling me to calm down! My baby girl could have died!"

Eyes narrowing, Betsy decided she was fed up with the woman. With every loud word Maggie winced, and she was not putting up with that. "Madam. You will lower your bloody voice or leave. What kind of mum are you that you can't see what you're doing to your daughter?"

"I'll call you back, Sandy. Be ready to start the paperwork," Janice said into the phone, though in a much lowered volume. Her own eyes narrowing back, she closed the tiny cell phone with a distinct snap. Nobody but her husband had ever dared take that tone with her. She didn't like it then either. "Who do you people think you are?"

"He," Betsy waved a hand in Bobby's direction where he hadn't moved from Maggie's side, "is the one who convinced her to call you when no one else could. Maggie's boyfriend, don't you know. We are the ones who had to live with him moping around while you were visiting. We are their friends, and I-"

"She is very worried about Maggie and would appreciate being told of her condition," Warren interrupted. A fight in her room couldn't help Maggie much afterall, though it wouldn't be much of a fight. Whether she knew it or not, Janice Gaines was very close to having a psychic knife shoved into her brain. That wouldn't go over well.

"Oh, she stopped talking." Maggie pouted in disappointment. "I love to hear Betsy talk. It sounds so cool." Her mood changed and she evidently forgot she didn't want to have Bobby meet her mother. "Mommy, look! Isn't he cute? He's mine, you know."

"Very nice, darling." Janice sighed. At least she knew Maggie had someone who cared about her. She'd reserve judgement on him until later. After she'd had a chance to 'talk' to him. Albert didn't have to know.

"I'm sorry to snap, but you really were upsetting Maggie," Betsy apologized now she could feel Janice calming down. She didn't blame the woman for being angry and upset - Janice wasn't the only one. "My name is Elizabeth Braddock and this is Warren. I met Maggie her first day at the QuickStop near where we live. We've grown fond of her and really would like to know exactly what happened."

Nodding, Janice decided not to make an issue of what had been said since it was done in concern. "Simply said, she was robbed at gunpoint. The man hit her on the back of her head, knocking her out. The doctor said she doesn't have a concussion and has a hard head, which must be true because she struck it again when she hit the floor. On the way down she slammed her knee and that's where the damage is. It was dislocated and they think she has a fracture. We're waiting on x-rays to find out for sure."

"She'll be fine then?" Bobby pulled his attention away from Maggie.

"No thanks to QuickStop," Janice said bitterly, getting angry again. "That place is inexcusable. I'm not putting up with it and will be suing. On Maggie's behalf, of course."

Alternately sighing and giggling, Maggie said loudly - or she thought it was loud because it made her head ring - to no one in particular, "She's always wanting to sue somebody. Mom really needs to go back to work."

Being as all her family members said that, Janice ignored it. Continuing, she almost snarled, "By the time I'm done, we'll own the whole company."

The fascimile of a smile on her face put Warren in mind of the story 'Little Red Riding Hood'. He had a sudden vision of a small helpless girl saying "What big teeth you have, Grandma," right before the wolf eats her. Only this harmless looking woman was the wolf and didn't seem so harmless right now.

Weakly, he asked, "Isn't that a little extreme? Blaming the whole company for her being robbed?"

"Don't be silly." Still with her ferocious smile, Janice waved a hand negligently. "It's not the robbery, that's not grounds for a lawsuit. You missed the police detective by a few minutes, he had plenty to say. There was too much wrong in the store. He called it criminal negligence. The company has to be held responsible. If not, they could blame Maggie! He said the manager is blaming her!"

Her voice rose, Maggie winced, Janice saw it and blanched, while Betsy glared at Janice. Soothing Maggie, Bobby otherwise kept quiet, content to let his teammates handle her mother. But he got the feeling it would be an ongoing cycle.

Sure he would not like the answer for several reasons, Warren asked anyway, "What was wrong at the store?"

"A better question would be, what was right," Janice replied sarcastically, becoming more irate by the second but keeping her volume firmly in mind. "They hadn't found out the exact amount stolen when the detective was here, but we know it was far too much. Maggie made it clear she didn't know how it got under the drawer because she doesn't put any money there. Aparently, it's against policy. I really don't care about that, it's only money. But if QuickStop is going to hold it against her, that's something else."

"I've never heard of a company doing that unless the person was somehow involved in the theft." Relief tinged his voice. That sort of thing could be dealt with.

"That's the crux of the situation. Like I said, the manager is blaming her. The money is the least of it." Janice had to pause to control herself so as to not start yelling again. "The camera that takes still pictures was out of film. The VCR connected to the video camera wasn't working. There's no evidence. What makes me so angry though is that the phone was out. Without a phone, the alarm doesn't work. Maggie said she pressed the button, but no one got the signal. She was out cold on the floor when an elderly couple found her. What if she had woken and been unable to call for help? She couldn't have gone anywhere. What if the thief had actually shot her? She could have died because no one would have come."

Closing his eyes, Bobby felt sick to his stomach. He had always tried to make sure Maggie would be close to the 'panic' button. Which wouldn't have done her any good!

Warren also was feeling sick. He didn't know Maggie that well, but he did have a personal interest in the situation. His sick feeling got worse when Janice finished with, "Worthington Industries will have a battle on their hands."

Under the smell all hospitals universally had, Logan followed the scent of his teammates to the room where Maggie was. He didn't bother going to the desk, considering it a waste of time since he knew the way.

He had just put his hand on the doorknob when he heard a woman say, "Worthington Industries will have a battle on their hands." and got the door open in time to hear Bobby and Betsy shout at the top of their lungs, "WORTHINGTON INDUSTRIES!"

Seeing Maggie moan while clutching her head, a sharp order was on the tip of his tongue but Logan saw them all quickly notice her reaction.

Their words getting through the medicinal haze covering her mind, Maggie said clearly, "That's the company that bought out QuickStop a few months ago. Worthington Industries is the new holding company."

Amused at how things always went round in circles, Logan thought that at least he knew what to do with the information he'd gathered. He couldn't turn it over to the police - though an anonomous tip wasn't a bad idea - but Warren could handle it from a business standpoint. He drawled, "So, ya own the whole shabang, huh?"

Cringing as Betsy and Janice advanced on him, Warren attempted to defend himself. "I just found out. I didn't know."

"No excuse," Janice fairly snarled.

"How could you not know," Betsy demanded, stopping in a fighting stance.

"I have VP's in charge of acquisitions of that nature. I don't make day to day decisions, you know that, Betsy. Aparently, we've only owned QuickStop for about three months and we're just getting a handle on it." Betsy and Janice still looked menacing, so he continued quickly. "Remember the security breach? That's when I found out. Someone hacked into the computer system and emailed all high level execs about corruption in the stores in this area. I was planning to ask Maggie about it before this happened. See? I really didn't know."

Himself, Logan could see it, but didn't think Maggie's mother or Betsy was ready to let Warren off the hook.

"Yep, Josh is a good brother," Maggie murmurred. "He took care of it for me."

Thinking she was about to go into another story involving her family, to distract her from possible bloodshed Bobby prompted, "What did Josh do?"

"He sent the email for me 'cause I couldn't find the right address." Maggie sighed. "I was mad at him for taking over, but I forgive him."

Hearing her clearly, Janice was horrified her son would do something so illegal as computer hacking. "Josh did what!"

She glanced at Warren, who was feeling considerably better about the whole 'about to be killed by an angry mother and his girlfriend' situation. He now had a bargaining chip. Neither would want him to press charges. Which he wouldn't do anyway, but it was leverage. "Maybe we should go have a cup of coffee and talk about this, Mrs. Gaines? Do you mind if I call you Janice?"

Being a good lawyer and knowing others just as good, Janice really wasn't worried that Josh would be convicted. But he might actually be in jail at some point if charges were pressed. Her fourteen-year-old obviously-a-mutant son in a jail cell wasn't a nice thought. Such an event wasn't worth whatever might be gained in a civil suit on Maggie's behalf. Not that Maggie wanted her to sue anyway, it was the principle. Swallowing her anger, Janice said quietly, "I think it might be easier if we were on a first name basis, and a cup of coffee sounds nice, thank you. As soon as Maggie is settled in a proper room."

to be continued.

note: This was a long one, huh? There was so much to put in but I just didn't see anywhere to break it up. If I had I would have done it. Sorry, but that's the way it is. The next one is kinda the same way, a little longer than usual. It's somewhat of an epilogue, but not at the same time. You'll see what I mean next week. Yes, I said next week. I have another story to post but it is done so I'll just go every week until I'm out. More on it next time.

Next chapter! I'm not going to give a summary, but I'll warn that it's not going to take up where this chapter left off. Yes, once again I'm going to skip forward in time. Not too much though.

Thanks for reading and the support,
Dizi