Bada-bing, bada-boom and it's chapter 21! Enjoy!

Key:

"…" Speech

'…' Thoughts

(…) Extra information

Songs are in bold

Written letters or notes are underlined

"Telepathic thoughts and the other line of the phone is in Italics and speech marks"

Chapter 21

VvV Weakened Defences VvV

Had she done the right thing?

Out of all of it, that was the only question continually springing to mind. Knowing the doubts were there hadn't taken long; Kitty had felt them in the seconds leading up to Sage's fate.

Tessa was just a woman like her, and in effect she was a mutant doing her job and just trying to do the right thing. Because when it came down to it, Sage had been doing the right thing: when it comes down to good and evil, good only prevails because it has to. Due to the simple yet obvious fact that the good things to do is always the right thing to do…because the good side is always the side with the better outcome…

That meant the outcome Kitty had caused could only come out badly…altogether, deep down Shadowcat was even herself doubting the decision about what to do with Sage. Sending the mutant to her death was evil…how could it possibly have been anything else?

Kitty had done the wrong thing – she had truly submitted to her evil side and the only possible outcome couldn't be good…

Unless something changed…

Questions flitted though her mind, but only one did Kitty focus on:

Her defence that there were no wrongs was too weak now…Kitty had to admit that things weren't right anymore…

But was it too late to right the wrongs?

Even Kitty knew that question had a much deeper meaning…

Saturday evening, Le Diable Noirs Mansion, DR; 10:30pm

Four hours…that's how long the session had been going on for, deep down Kitty wished it would end but facially she played with a smirk as Lexa and the woman watched from above Rogue and Sage.

Tired, worn out, beaten and savagely tormented by words, threats and snide remarks, the last of Tessa's sanity that she had reserved in the back of her mind throughout the course of her life was gradually ebbing away. Standing this uniquely horrific form of torture took everything the woman had…but everything wasn't enough.

Rogue had broken through her mental barriers twice…plagued her mind with possible endings of the numerous lengthy sessions she would have to go through until the end…brought up memories that only otherwise would haunt the girl in her sleep. Watching each moment in her previous failure of a life and the fake life ahead of her was causing Tessa to break down. Physically, mentally weakened she prepared herself for a punch that Rogue tried to throw at her and to Sage's own shock the woman actually caught Rogue's fist only to learn of the fact that this was simply a feign.

The roundhouse kick was so brutal that it sent Rogue's opponent across half of the danger room and into a brick wall.

At the moment the two girls stood in a rural area, full of alleyways, hiding places, shadowed corners – a picturesque (?!) setting…not to mention dirty and foul with its stench of rotting garbage; altogether not a pleasant place.

And unluckily for Sage – as she found out whilst recovering from her attack – the simulation also came with its own built in thugs…whom apparently appeared to be on Rogue's side.

One bat in the stomach was enough. Unprepared, suffering and not strong enough to process the happenings quickly enough, the mutant's mind couldn't stop the beating from the robotic humans that it would have otherwise turned back on it's opponent.

Yet unlike Rogue, these mere human-formed robots were stupid and weren't aware of how long it could take for Sage to recover. They gave the woman a momentary breather and that was enough, in a split second Sage's mind was hacking away at itself, searching like a hurricane through file after file stored in the mutant's head. Finding what she required took about a second tops, processing the data took a millisecond and working out a strategic method was simple – make things up as you go along…Sage was strong with improvisation.

Unluckily for her attackers and luckily for the mutant, a similar incident had happened to one of the many people whose minds Sage had filtered through. Bullies were cowards who were in fact surprisingly weak when you fought back, and even though she had none of Pyro's feared firepower; the woman had a brain as quick, strong and powerful as the world's top computer – because that's exactly what Sage was as a mutant.

Catching the bat in her hand as it was brought down to her face was the first move…but that was all she could imitate: Pyro had used firepower to blast away his opponents…yet her answer was simple. Quickly kicking the ground with one foot, the woman used the momentum to jump into the air and swung her other leg around, hitting one of them in the face. By quickly flipping from this movement using the momentum of her attack on the guy's – now broken – nose, Sage landed both feet on the top of another guy's head and jumped off of it back onto the ground. Completing her moves with a quick crouch to the ground, Sage spun her outstretched leg in a circle, taking out one guy before she stood up, turning from her fallen attacker back to the first two with her fists raised.

They made to run. However, Sage was too quick and brought one man falling to his knees as she wormed her way through his robotic mind – attacking the nerves to his machine-like legs. Pushing off from the ground, she used a roundhouse kick on him and the force was so great that the guy's robotic head was forced from its mechanical body and smashed into a wall.

Quickly filtering through her own mind as quickly as Quicksilver could run, Sage found her information, pressed a single fingertip to her head and with the data she had found her mind then began precisely hacking away at the computerised brain before her. Short-circuiting the robot was easy and Sage delighted in her brutal victory with a light smirk, taking in the headless, sparking and 'unconscious' robots.

Her joy lasted momentarily however when a figure leapt from a shadow, landing a kick in Sage's face and the woman found herself thrown into a wall by a force too powerful to be human. Rogue was back for more…

Vicious and unmerciful had always been Rogue's tactics very much like Tessa's. But there was a difference – whereas Sage could search into the minds of others and use similar tactics and moves, Rogue had other's minds and could use their exact moves. It took longer for Rogue to find their powers and abilities in her mind because – unlike Sage's very methodical, computer-like telepathy – she only had simple telepathic abilities behind her, yet when she did the effects were disastrous – for her opponents.

However, unluckily for the woman, Sage was too quick for Rogue and jumped up, doing a forward flip to push herself off of her hands into a flying kick. As soon as she had moved however, Tessa had not noticed Rogue's eyes snapping shut to further her concentration, and by the time Sage was inches away the opened orbs of emeralds were focussed on Sage; narrowed in a vicious smirk.

Sage's foot sank into Rogue's face…

And came out the other side.

Laughing monstrously, the intangible Rogue ignored the leg still lodged halfway into her sneering face and swung her own leg into her opponent's gut backing it up with her own newly permanent power of super strength. This attack sent Tessa – legs and all – flying back into a wall: at the bottom of which she crumpled into a heap. Deeply breathing was an attempt for Sage to get her breath back before the next assault yet there wasn't anytime – when Sage looked up it was only to see Rogue's foot inches from her face.

Everybody in the vicinity heard the crack…and Rogue flipped backwards using the momentum of her attack to land on her feet a few metres away, marvelling over the amount of blood spilling continuously out of Sage's broken nose.

"Y'all ready ta talk?" Shallow, rasping breaths suddenly slowed and quietened at these words but Sage simply sat there looking up at Rogue whom grew impatient, "well?"

"Talk about what?"

Smirking, Rogue took a few steps forward and crouched down, "about your little friends…the Xmen." At her last two words, Rogue's face and tone of voice hardened until she was as cold and deadly as murder.

But Sage only feigned confusion, "what about them?"

"How much do they know? Forget that; how much does Jubilee know?" ignoring Rogue's own hurried talking, Sage closed her eyes to attempt to relax and simply replied with a shrug, so Rogue tried again, in a slower and more relaxed tone. "How much does she know, Sage? Where is Carol?" and when yet again Rogue got no answer, she grasped a chunk of the girl's short hair and pulled Sage's face to turn to her own. "Where. Is. Carol." Repeated Rogue through clenched teeth, yanking hard on the strands of hair to get her opponent to open her eyes.

Sage did so and also opened her mouth; in reply…sending a mouthful of saliva flying into Rogue angered face.

Temper. Rogue had lost control over her own and rage filled the woman's mind, voice and expression as she slammed Sage's face back into the wall behind.

"WHERE IS CAROL!"

VvVvVvV

Charles Xavier's Mansion for Gifted and Talented Youngsters

Charles Xavier himself sat at a new, large oak desk – a present given to him by the President of the United States himself; a man whom just yesterday had come to visit. Bringing the gift with him showed a sense of understanding and friendship between the two men, but instead of taking it as a present, Charles knew he had really accepted this as a peace offering.

'You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours,' and even Professor Xavier had not had to read the President's mind to know this was the exact meaning behind the obviously expensive item he now sat at.

The real message, if you keep the school happy – keep the mutants happy – then I'll keep you happy. Because that was the point of the meeting. An inspector came and examined the school, not only to make sure that it was in tip-top condition to still be eligible as a school – for now Xavier taught even the simplest subjects at home with the help of his mentors – but also to check standards of living. Making sure that the children were happy meant that the inspector could inform Xavier that he could write to every parent and let them know their children were content – accompanied by an official governmental stamp. And in return, this also meant that the Government expected the mutants to all be happy enough not to cause trouble.

The inspection was a success. Surprise, surprise.

Inspector Geoffrey's falling foul only of a small (?!) prank involving the stairs, crumble, apples, blackberries, custard and the Blob. Upon a very well thought of dare by Pietro, the Xmen walked into the foyer only to discover the human version of an apple and blackberry crumble.

Having cleaned Geoffrey up, made Pietro and Freddy apologise, Xavier had then done a little extra cleaning up and the situation was forgotten about – literally. A meeting with the President was straight after and he informed Xavier that the school passed with exceptional flying colours, upon which Xavier had thanked the man and showed him off. From this Charles had arranged a small meeting with Pietro and Freddy, cut short as a telepathic message was hurriedly sent to his brainwaves.

"We shall discuss this more tomorrow evening and I shall decide upon appropriate action to take…for now you are dismissed." And once both boys had left the room, Charles slowly and neatly positioned the items on his desk before – with a great sigh – he left the room, heading to a room that Jean seemed to have been haunting lately in her quest for information.

Jean looked up at the large screen in front of her and then nodded to Kurt, who excitedly scanned pictures on the computer screen that he was currently seated at. Before long though the teleporter had wheeled himself in his chair over to the second computer nearby and was expectantly, and rather anxiously, looking to Jean for further instruction as she surveyed the members of the room.

"Right then Kurt…lets get this over and done with. You've done your investigation no doubt?" Jean looked over at him with a smile as Kurt nodded enthusiastically back.

Chuckling proudly, Kurt continued to nod, "did it on ze day you set it. I vas vaiting (waiting) for you to do yours."

This caused a smile to frame Jean's face further and her eyes sparkled almost as excitedly as Kurt's, although nobody could compare to Kurt's anxiousness in finding his sister and one of his greatest friends. "Let's get this show on the road," and with that Kurt wheeled back to the first computer and clicked the mouse, sending lots of familiar images onto the screen that Xavier, Ororo, Hank and even Logan – who had been persuaded to join – eyed. The latter's gaze was more suspicious than anything. "This is the image shown in our previous meeting of the 8 different organisations we have been looking at. Logan were you briefed on this?"

"I did it myself," Xavier answered for him when no reply was given.

"Gut." Kurt's German was obviously positive, as everyone could sense his happiness at this news: this meant he could get to know Jean's information even quicker…not even he knew of the telepaths news. "Due to zis recent attack on Jubilee I have managed to limit down ze companies under suspicion and have managed to eliminate zis von (one)." Momentarily an image enlarged to fill up the main screen but then disappeared completely with the single click of a button, although Kurt gave everyone long enough to read the name of the company and to see the image of the base.

The fact Jean didn't even bother looking proved she did know of his discoveries and Kurt cursed his luck; you could never surprise telepaths.

However Xavier did at least try to appear as thought he was not aware of this news…but he failed.

"However," Jean spoke up and nodded to Kurt who searched through files and brought up an image, "I have managed to further eliminate two companies thanks to the help of our dear friend Patsy. Or Sage as we now know." Scowling at the fact she had not been able to work this out herself, Jean continued, ignoring as once again the screens fuzzed as her anger elevated slightly. A picture of the spy as she was known to the Xmen – as Pietro's blood-haired girlfriend – came up next to a picture of her true identity, showed up side by side. "Searching through databases and certain minds that I have come across, I have managed to get rid of two more of the companies, which I have made sure for certain have no connections whatsoever with the mutant Sage, leading our search to a final 6. It is in these six organisations that we will find the girls, yet it will be simple to limit this down: all we must do is keep watch for more peculiar mutant attacks."

Proudly looking around with a smirk, Jean received smiles from everyone, apart from Logan, who – upon reading his mind – she found out was still unbelieving they would ever find the girls again. And this fact is unsurprising as, when Kurt enlarged the second of Jean's two eliminated hopeful organisations, it produced an unfamiliar base to them all but one with a name that I am sure you are all aware of.

The telepath had just unknowingly made the biggest mistake of her life: she had taken Le Diable Noirs out of the search…

Sage may have been captured because of one side by the hand of the other…but even in her last fighting moments, the assassin and friend of the Xmen still couldn't truly work out which side she was most loyal to. So instead of trying to figure out the impossible, she took pride on the fact that – X-man or Diable Noir employee – she had been loyal to them both. Even in what she assumed to be her last moments in life, Sage was loyal to each side as she was taken by one team for the other…

VvVvVvV

"NO!" figures arose around her…taunting the girl…laughing…pointing…jeering. Cruel, unpitying; the faces were blurred but she could make out the sneers. "STOP IT!" Fearfully she clasped her head, falling down to her knees, yelling in pain and frustration as the people pushed at her, breaking her…breaking Tessa down until she collapsed on the floor.

VvVvVvV

Sunday Morning, Le Diable Noirs Mansion, DR; 2:00am

Panting in exhaustion as she watched the woman on the floor writhing in pain, screaming desperately in agony, Rogue scowled; snarling viciously. Once again she had pushed through Tessa's barrier and once again she had pulled back; allowing the woman to subconsciously reform it in her mind. Taking a lot out of Rogue, this sure did; fighting a mental barrier was hard work – almost like fighting to break someone's very defences in a physical hand-to-hand combat – but it was worse for the victim. Breaking into a powerful telepath's mind destroyed them because it broke past every telepathical defence that they had and their defences were connected to their bodies and minds as a whole.

Destroying a mental shield was like physically beating up a person until they were left with nothing left but their empty body…no soul…no life. And when repetitively done…well, to put it bluntly; if you did it enough times you could claim a telepaths life, just like if you fought someone too viciously it could kill them.

Sage was getting to that point and so Rogue stopped. She wasn't going to get rid of her play-toy just yet. Gaining information had taken ages and with what little she had got – pathetically useless information – Rogue knew that she still had a long way to go before she would be finished.

"So…" she tried again, casually kicking Sage in the face as she strolled past her so that the mutant fell back; splayed on the floor. Crouching by her head, Rogue held it, making her victim look into her sparkling, emerald eyes, "does Jubilee know where her dear cousin is?" wincing emitted from Sage's clenched teeth when Rogue dug her nails into the woman's scalp after a lack of response. "Then again…ah suppose it wouldn't matter if she did, now would it? Tha Xmen will have too tahght security ohn her ahn ah will not risk mahself simply fohr personal gain…"

"Personal-"

Hushing up as she realised she let the word slip questioningly out of her mouth, Sage suctioned her lips together and didn't speak another word. Rogue however filled in anyway; "mmm…mah attempt ta kill her went unsuccessful ahn…well, as y'all know Yuriko does not lahke failure. Potentially there is a possibility ta redeem mahself bah finishing tha job…but ta do that ah need a little information."

Sighing was Rogue's response to Sage's words, as the spy stayed loyal; "I won't talk. I'm afraid that I will not betray Charles that way…"

Rogue froze at the name, knowing whom it was referring to but her lack of movement went unnoticed, as did her increased desire for knowledge, "then ah'll have ta get it mah own way." Murmured she before speaking in a commanding voice as the woman hauled Sage to her feet, "fun ahn games is ovah."

If Rogue was right, her previous attacks on Sage's mental blocks would have distinctly weakened them so much that by breaking through them it would not kill the woman; Sage was still Rogue's birthday present and she wouldn't let her go that easily. Risk. That was what Rogue was taking as she planted both hands firmly on either side of Sage's head, staring the woman directly in the eye.

And as Tessa made to look away she realised it was too late; Rogue's psyche was already hacking away at her mind…

VvVvVvV

Tessa's Mind

Fists punched at the metal wall, towering over the woman, looming threateningly as her fists started once again to break the barrier. Rogue stayed calmly resolute, concentration encompassing her. Ignorance of the fire that burst from every direction at her was due to time – the longer she stayed in Sage's mind, the weaker sage would be.

This had to be quick work…or Sage would fall fate to her own defences.

Cracks split through the metal wall that gradually flickered, before changing entirely; now when Rogue's fists hit the wall they met a rough, rockier surface of bricks. A brick wall. Clanking sounded throughout the place, echoing loudly as Rogue charged up; combining gift after gift that she encompassed from her own head – mixing her psyches. Piotr Rasputin's scowling face flickered over Rogue's momentarily before switching to Carol Danver's before both turned into Rogue's again: signalling which psyches she was combining with her own.

Bricks tumbled and fell, the wall collapsing in on itself as Rogue broke through.

Once again, flickering images of other people cast themselves over Rogue's face; Jean Grey's turned to Betsy Braddock's before giving way to Rogue's own face as the woman shielded herself from the bricks cascading down to earth by use of a combined telekinetic shield.

Glass was now her only barrier. A mirror that showed a young brunette, a strip of white stark again the auburn colour, vivid in the cloudy, murky grey storm that was Sage's mind. Her pale face smirked as a figure loomed behind, and Rogue turned to her second to last opponent – Sage's own psyche. Weak and stumbling, the woman still attempted to protect her own mind from the attack coming. This was one step further now than ever before. Preparing to go that further inch was Rogue's determination and she would not let Sage stop her.

With a single punch, backed up by metallic bones and skin from a combination of Logan, Lexa and Piotr, Rogue sent Tessa flying – landing in a heap not far away; heavy breathing the only signal of life.

And taking the similar abilities in her stride, Rogue took several steps back, turning to look pityingly towards Sage before she turned, her eyes now narrowed – rage etched deep into her soul as the girl let out an almighty roar. Taking two running steps forward, she lifted from the ground; shooting with lightning speed towards the glass mirror, which shattered around her as Rogue dived through it…into Tessa's mind.

Looking around at the blackness, Rogue ducked unnecessarily as right in front of her, she watched a figure thrown effortlessly into a brick wall. Tessa collapsed in a heap in her own mind before dying away, the image simply shadows and ghostly forms mingling in memories.

Re-enacted all around her were moments in Sage's life and when Rogue took a step forward light burst, brightening the place as though a switch had been turned on. Solid figures fought at each other in the rain; a woman fired a shot at a girl who flew back before disappearing into darkness, her blood disappearing before it almost hit another girl; a younger Sage, walking beside a man situated in a wheelchair. Stepping forward, Rogue made to listen in but as she drew out a hand to touch the man so familiar, Charles Xavier became darkness. And when Rogue drew back her hand, nothing was there.

"TOUCH NOTHING." Boomed a voice through Sage's mind – the woman herself calling to Rogue, commanding her respect, "LOOK ONLY FOR WHAT YOU SEEK. FIND YOUR MEMORY AND LEAVE."

Turning her head to attempt to see the owner of the voice, Rogue only saw more memories far above her, piled high upon each other: figures floating miles up, stretching ever upwards, ordered through Sage's years. Although she had been in minds before, never had Rogue witnessed one so complicatedly organised, although it must have made sense to Sage…seeming as the woman managed to pull thoughts and memories out so quickly.

But yet as she studied faces around her, things began to make sense – it was like a spiral…only, a spiral of time: as it got smaller, Sage got younger until at the top no doubt you would find the first moments of Tessa's memory. Possibly even her birth date it the telepath could recall it.

And so Rogue searched, using gifts to climb the floor-less spiral, flying upwards until, suddenly she saw familiar people and the memory she was looking for.

Two young girls, younger than her by several years but mature in their obvious teenage years, accompanied two older men; the girls obviously excited by their giggling and endless chatter whilst both men eyed each other. One in exasperation, as though wondering if it was really necessary and the other…the other's face Rogue could not see…she could see none of their faces. Only expressions described by their body language. But as she ran infront attempting to catch a glimpse of the faces she knew yet could not remember, darkness enshrouded their features…

Flashing in the depths of the ebony black, Rogue could only make out two red dots that seemed to gaze – unseeing, unknowing – straight into her soul. But they too disappeared as the foursome turned into a doorway, wooden oak that she could recall so fondly from years ago that closed in on her.

Now only voices through the door could she hear as another figure approached, footsteps so deft and soft, Rogue was not aware of the girl's presence until she stood beside her. Blood-red hair was unrecognisable to the woman and yet – seeming, as she was nowhere else to be seen – Rogue knew this must be Tessa. And it was; the fact made known by the notepad in hand.

Voices talked and giggled whilst Sage noted everything down…and at the end of it all when she whisked carefully down the page for useful information, Tessa closed the book with a snarl. Having heard it all, Rogue knew the information to be worthwhile but useless. Or so she thought.

Disappearing into the room opposite on the corridor, Sage hid – waiting for the return of the four, but yet, when Amara and John reappeared, the latter attempting to hide his annoyance at the younger mutant's continual flirtation, Remy and Jubilee were nowhere in sight.

Stepping back into the corridor, Sage stepped up to the doorway and listened as the Cajun charmed the younger girl; peering at them through a crack in the doorway. Able to see the two now that Tessa could, Rogue stepped through the door that held no barrier for her and walked into the room; her presence unknown by neither Remy nor Jubilee.

Practised, Remy's charming was easy – his empathy playing tricks with Jubilee's thoughts so that she didn't even know she was talking. And he got a lot out of the girl…a lot that Rogue could not hear.

"SAGE!" Rogue bellowed as Jubilee's mouth opened and closed in her non-stop talking, without any sounds emitting from it. The lack of sound was due to the woman who's voice echoed inside her own head.

"HER WORDS ARE NOT FOR YOUR EARS. YOUR TIME IS UP."

And Rogue let out a roar of a yell as her concentration broke; allowing Sage the time to give the girl one hell of a punch in the face – knocking her psyche out of Tessa's head and the real Rogue to the floor.

Rogue returned the favour, sending the weakened Sage flying backwards into a wall before the angered mutant called an end to the simulation and stormed from the room.

What she came for, Rogue had got – Jubilee was too well protected to gain information from, but only she and Sage knew about Remy's knowledge of the information…the man was out in the open. A sitting duck just waiting for Rogue.

Rogue would find Carol Danvers…even if it meant going through Remy Lebeau.

End of Chapter

I hope you liked! Sorry it took so long but I can guarantee something to cheer everyone up; ROMY NEXT CHAPTER! Leave a review if ya don't mind lol! Ta.