The river stretched out endlessly in front of Bobby, but he soon saw their location from his position on the boat. While the Amazon River was horrible to travel down, the Xingu River in comparison was calmer, but in an eerie way as he stared at the prison ahead. It revealed its creatures under a looser canopy of trees unlike the Amazon and the quiet seemed too much to handle. While radio contact had its perks other than simple human communication, Bobby found that it kept the uneasiness away and kept him focused on his façade. However, they were soon nearing Brasilia Prison XXVI, one of the worst places that Bobby had ever heard of and now was seeing as the truth.
While the other guards, as well as the managers of the boat, kept watch of their three prisoners as they rested, Kitty joined Bobby. Hiding her engagement ring under her uniform sleeve lest it attract more attention, she appeared confident and ready for some action, but as soon as she stood next to Bobby and saw what he did, her face turned white. Up on the hill ahead of them stood the prison, its walls a damp red and white. Even from that distance, they saw that they were weeping tears, most of them with red dots in the trail. Screams were heard on occasion, ones of mercy and pleading. The sounds of metal even made its way down the river, which made Bobby wonder if Magneto was feeling its pull the most.
Soon though, it was time to disembark and drive to the prison. Bobby and Kitty waited until Blink, Sunspot and Warpath were brought up from below deck and led them into the truck with those from the boat. As soon as they were secured, Roger and his man jumped into the front to drive, waiting impatiently for everyone else to join them. They did so unsuspiciously, but it took some time before the plank was secured and Roger drove through that and onto the pathway in front of them. He then drove up the hill to the prison, where the sounds became louder and soon drowned all other noise, making it the most ominous place.
Roger managed to get them into the premises without a problem and soon had to stop at the doors within seconds of entering through the thick iron gates. Before Bobby knew it, several more guards surrounded the truck, guns aims at their three imprisoned friends. Six came onto the truck without permission, two of each grabbing Blink, Sunspot and Warpath, and leading them away without question. Ororo, Matthew, Bobby, Kitty, Xavier, Magneto and Hank followed them, but they were stopped at the doors by what appeared to the head of the prison. His name tag said Lucas Porro.
"Halt," Porro ordered in English, soon giving other directions to his guards in what appeared to be Portuguese. Then, he turned back to the group. "You are not welcome here. Turn around and go back to your homes."
"We are assigned here, Sir," Roger chimed in, pushing himself forward to hand over his papers. As Porro read on, Roger continued. "Most of us have come a long way. Most of us came from New York, others from the border of the United States and Mexico. All of us have come in our dedication to ensure the safety of the human race and to bring prisoners to their rightful homes."
It was a good enough speech, Bobby thought, and one that might enforce the fake orders Roger had made up. However, Porro only had to look up and give them a negative answer, one that even Xavier would not have been able to reverse.
"I am sorry you have come all this way for nothing," Porro stated. "I have my orders as well. Nobody is allowed inside this building save for prisoners and those who are employed here already. All other outsiders must leave."
"Even if our orders were signed by the previous commanding officer –" Roger began.
"What about him?" Porro's eyes turned harsh, like Roger had invoked a name spoke reverence and respect. "What did he say?"
"Well, as you can see, the previous commanding officer signed that we were allowed to come here," Roger pointed out quietly, to make sure that Porro was not embarrassed in front of his men. "And here, on this last page, are the orders from him that confirmed that Katherine Pryde and Robert Drake were allowed to come with us and radio contact back to the border with details of their trip until arrival. They are here to interrogate a specific prisoner though, one that has also caught our interest, and to remain here until April, when we are to return."
Porro read further, folding the papers in half and handed them back to Roger. "I see."
Bobby did not want to see if the statement was positive or negative, but hoped that Roger was able to get them in. However, the way Porro's eyes stayed, the name they used and the official papers they brought might seem like nothing. It took a few minutes of deliberation from Porro and some of his other men in their own language, but soon, he nodded. He yelled more orders at his men and had the front doors opened for the group. Bobby would have said a quick prayer of thanksgiving, but he had no time or patience for it.
"It seems that you are allowed to stay here until April," Porro said, as if giving the orders himself. "Until then, I think you will find our accommodations lacking, but we are approving. The prisoners will be awaiting for you in an interrogation room. I will guarantee that you will be alone and never be bothered."
The words seemed to be reassuring, but Bobby did not find them so and only managed to follow the others inside. As they entered, the overwhelming details they saw from the outside were amplified on the inside. On this floor, where the prisoners were usually tagged and recorded, nobody was there for their welcome (Roger even told his man to stay put and watch the truck from here). However, the screams heard from the boat seemed to come up from the floors. Cold, cemented floors crept chills from the legs upwards and grey brick walls let it no light. Barred windows even surrounded them, but there was so much covering on them that even Bobby could not see out. But on the right, Porro led them to the only other door, opening up to two other doors. One was clearly labeled, in several languages (English among them) "Prisoners" and the other "Personnel" plainly. Porro led them through the "Prisoners" side on the left, walking down a flight of stairs.
The way down seemed the same as the entranceway (grey and depressing), Bobby thought. However, there was no way up, but down, where seemed to be more and more water coming in every direction, as he saw on each floor. Porro only went a floor below, pointing the group to a doorway marked "Interrogation". He opened the door with a key, revealing a hallway of closed interrogation rooms, no windows in either of them. He walked them down halfway down the hallway before opening another room on the right.
Allowing the group inside, he smiled. Standing in the doorway, he asked in general, "Who are we looking for specifically?"
"A man named Lucas Bishop," Magneto claimed. "We have some interest in his former activities. In addition, we need to confirm information from Camp X-Ray and the camp he was incarcerated in while in the United States."
Porro eyed them all carefully. "I will have him brought in. What shall you want to do with the mutants you picked up?"
"We believe them to be in league with Bishop," Magneto replied, much more confidently than Bobby thought he felt. "We believe that they helped him escape and bring much activity in the area north."
Porro nodded, leaving them in the interrogation room alone. At first, nobody spoke, afraid that they were being listened to. When Xavier shook his head, indicating that they were not being seen or listened to, everyone seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. Roger looked around again regardless, noting that they had no escape. There were no windows, just pure grey bricks holding them crowded in one room and one other door to bring the prisoners in, and he was feeling claustrophobic. He motioned to Xavier, mouthing that some people need to leave. Xavier smiled in agreement.
"I believe that it's getting too hot in here," Roger started, getting everyone's attention. "I need some people to handle Blink, Warpath and Sunspot and some of us to talk to Bishop."
"Split up?" Bobby seemed incredulous. "I thought we'd handle this as a team."
"With too many people in here already, I think we'd attract too much attention." Roger was annoyed with Bobby, but had a better idea on trying to keep the mistrust away. "We can meet up later and compare notes. In the meantime, Bobby, you, Storm, Hank, Matthew and Kitty can ask for another room so you can talk in privacy. The Professor, Magneto and I will stay here to talk to Bishop. Sound like a plan?"
"Seems a little crowded with the eight of us in one room," Kitty pointed out.
"But the more for three of them, the better," Matthew added. "I agree."
"As do I," Ororo said.
"I would say that we can split it up further, but having eight to a room makes sense," Hank put in. "I'm in."
Only Bobby and Kitty said nothing more, but all they can do was agree. They nodded, which made Roger's life so much easier. With that agreed though, he banged on the door to get a guard to come in. He spoke to him in halting Portuguese, saying that he needed these five people in a larger interrogation room to handle the three dangerous mutants that just came in. The guard liked the idea as well, taking the five out of the room and locking the door behind him. By then though, the other door on the far ended opened, revealing a mutant in chains. The person who led him in kicked him in the back, sending the black mutant to the floor on all fours. Laughing, the door was closed, but not before the three other mutants heard screams from other prisoners.
Roger assumed the black-skinned mutant to be Bishop. He stood up, revealing ragged clothing, dark eyes rimmed with red and an M above his eyebrow, just like Danielle. He smiled at them, knowing them by sight, and felt nothing more than relief. He even looked to Magneto with bright eyes, wanting to reach out for a greeting, but remembering who and where he was, did not.
"We must make this quick," Bishop announced quietly. "I have not heard much news outside of here lately, but we have heard that Trask has reared its ugly horns again."
"I have not heard anything," Roger replied coldly, aware that he was not receiving information as he should be. That bothered him the most always.
"Nobody really has," Bishop pointed out. "It's being done as quietly as possible. Ministers are being put up as hostages. Judges sitting in front of the pleading are now being forced to resign in order to reform governments. Queens and kings are forcing the slaughter of nations and premiers are hunting down the same people who supported him. Nobody has been safe these days, my friends, even you."
"What do you mean?" Magneto sounded alarmed.
Although struggling to keep standing, Xavier seemed much calmer. "I am sure our disguises will keep us well here."
"Surely," Bishop conceded. "However long you are here though, we must act as quickly as we can. Striking in the name of peace has never been so vital before."
"And if not a brotherhood of mutants, what do you call yourselves?" Magneto asked in curiosity. "We must stand together in order to keep mutantkind together as well."
"We are the Free Mutants," Bishop confirmed. "Our mission is the same as yours, our lives are in your hands just as yours are in ours. We will work together for a better tomorrow for everyone, not just mutants."
"A promising premise," Roger remarked sarcastically.
"One that people would stand by," Xavier observed realistically. "Anyone who stands against it would be find them on the wrong end of popular opinion."
"Yes," Bishop said. "We strive to keep mutants alive and aware of their…options when they come here or any other camp. We are also working on a mass escape. This, which I am hoping to have by late March or the beginning of April, would rise the rest of the continent and gather us in peace."
Xavier smiled. "So, tell me, Bishop, what other plans do you have?"
"What do you mean?" Bishop appeared confused and even shook his chains as he shrugged his shoulders.
"Well, it's simple," Xavier replied. "While most people have aimed for peace in this endeavor, there is always a sect that promises to bring the results in a more…violent manner. We must have your word that this will not happen and we would only use force as a defense."
"Of course," Bishop promised. "We would have it no other way."
Xavier seemed satisfied. "But how can we be assured that things will not end in disaster on the other side?"
"We cannot." Bishop seemed confident on that conviction. "There are so many outside forces now. However, down here, it is not as brutal as in the north. For prisoners, they are very cruel. Things do not go the way they plan, they kill you outright. In the north, they are cruel, deadly and would manipulate any political situation so that nobody an escape. They would torture you here in slower way than here."
"Sounds exciting." Roger was still sarcastic in his tone. "Ok, so when can we plan this escape of yours and get communicated with our people up north in Canada?"
"March, we shall take the next steps to see where we stand," Bishop promised. "For now, we are taking small ones. People are disappearing in our tunnels below even it is not flooded. We are trying to make sure it does not wash out, but it is difficult. The person who delivers our messages and equipment cannot move fast enough. It is not easy to find underwater gear."
Magneto smiled throughout the whole thing, also satisfied with the results. "So," he said, "we can be rest assured that we would have the forces needed to go back to the United State."
It was a statement, not a question, but it made everyone (except maybe Roger, the suspicious one always) feel more assertive too. It was one of hope, one that maybe had smashed any of Magneto's spare plans once and for all. But Xavier and Roger knew better. Someday, in the near future when everything was secure enough, Magneto would plan his next move too, one that would resurrect his Brotherhood, and bring down the humans. Then, the dance would begin again…and the two would be ready for it.