True Lies
Chapter 19: Chaos Part 2
By: Michelle2
Note: This fanfic takes place 1 ½ years after X-men 2. While I enjoyed the various films since X-men 2, I always envisioned my trilogy as the sequels. The imagination is awesome.
True Lies is the third part of my trilogy. Part 1: The Truth Hurts. Part 2: Sweet Little Lies.
As always: I don't own the characters or make money off my fanfics. I enjoy having fun.
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Some of these scenes were inspired by the comics, Avengers 500-503.
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"Hush, little baby, don't say a word,
Mama's gonna buy you a mockingbird.
And if that mockingbird don't sing,
Mama's gonna buy you a diamond ring.
And if that diamond ring turns brass,
Mama's gonna buy you a looking glass."
Wanda looked down at the boys asleep in their baby beds. The twins were a handful when they were awake, but they were little princes when they were asleep. She felt Vision walk up behind her; his arms wrapped around her.
"Wanda, I love you."
These were words she always wanted to hear from him, but today, the words left her ears ringing. He's voice was laced with disappointment and anger—he wasn't good at expressing his emotions like a human could.
"Wanda, you have to stop this."
She ignored him. Why? Why did she have to stop? Why couldn't he just let things be?
"Wanda, they are not real. You cannot hang on to them like this."
But they were real. She knew they were real. She gave birth to them. She pushed each one through her loins. Why didn't he understand?
"Wanda, you need to stop this? Wanda! Wanda!"
Wanda looked around the room. Her baby boys were now teenagers. They were real. She knew they were real.
"Mutter!"
Wanda turned, smiling at her boys. They were real. They were real.
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Pietro Maximoff was teasing Hope Pym about how slow she was flying when the CODE WHITE came in. Suddenly, the mood shifted from two friends laughing and even flirting to two teammates on route to help their fellow Avengers.
"It's going to take us 45 minutes to get to the city," Wasp said, as she looked over the controls.
"It might be too late by then," Quicksilver replied. He could get them there quicker, but the jet couldn't handle the same speeds he could.
"I'm pushing her as fast as she can go," Wasp replied. She checked every control, making sure they were at max speed but still safe. "We are no use to them if we are dead."
Quicksilver didn't respond to that. The word dead was enough for both of them to understand the danger they were in. When they received word that Clint Barton was dead, they paused. The questions ran through their minds. Quicksilver felt guilty for thinking about his sister. She could be in danger, especially with the tower under attack.
He felt Wasp's hand touch his shoulder. "Wanda will be alright. She's strong. The Chitauri won't be a match for her."
Her words did little to comfort him. His sister was strong—physical. But mentally. No, not at all.
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"Professor, you are suggesting that the Scarlet Witch is responsible for killing her fellow teammates," Beast said, as the basketball court opened, allowing the X-jet a vertical take off.
The idea that Wanda Maximoff was a killer flooded their thoughts as they exited the war room and boarded the jet. Now that the X-men were heading to Avenger Tower, the reality of the situation scared them all. He heard their questions and thoughts racing through their minds, even though he wasn't trying to pry. Beast and Nightcrawler had voices that screamed.
"Professor," Nightcrawler addressed, his voice heavy with a German accent. He got that way when he was nervous or upset. "Vanda has her faults, God forgive me for ever expressing them, but you are suggesting she killed her husband, mentor, friend, and boyfriend?"
"Unfortunately, I do," Professor Xavier replied. He didn't know how to describe it really. There was a disturbance in the force. Something hit him like a wave. Wanda Maximoff was more than just a superhuman; she was a mutant. Perhaps, she reached Omega status like her father, and she didn't know how to deal with her powers at such a level. Very few mutants reached Omega status; he and Magneto were Omegas, but their journeys were rough ones. They had years of experience and training. Wanda, on the other hand, was still young—31 to be exact—but she lacked the shaping of an experienced mutant to help her with her powers. Dr. Strange worked with the magical realm, but he was not equipped to understand mutants.
"Professor, Gambit and Storm are syncing the control center with the drone," Cyclops said.
"Good. What is estimated time of arrival?"
"13 minutes."
"Beast. Emma. Either of you contacted the Avengers or S.H.I.E.L.D.?"
"I intercepted a few transmissions from Avengers headed to the tower," Beast replied, but the expression on his face explained everything. "No one knows what is going on. Falcon, Winter Soldier, and Black Widow are on route from the new facility. Quicksilver and Wasp are over the Atlantic, returning from duties in Europe. Stark has some suits on route, too."
"S.H.I.E.L.D. is at a loss, too," Emma added. "Hill is in charge, but only a few code phrases are being called in. Whatever is going on, they are trying to keep people safe."
"Professor, the mayor of New York City is advising people to evacuate if possible," Kitty announced.
Xavier listened to all the reports coming in. Chaos. It was chaos…
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Acquiring SYNC with X-drone 69%
Storm helped Gambit into a shoulder brace, so he could work the control center without fighting a sling. His head still pounded but not as intensely as it did before. Rogue kissed him on the cheek before she joined the team on the X-jet; he missed her.
"Can you move freely?" Storm asked.
"Yes, why didn't Beast have me in this today instead of the sling?" he asked.
Ororo smirked. "Perhaps it was revenge for his missing Twinkie stash," she said, sitting at the control center.
Acquiring SYNC with X-drone 76%
Gambit joined her at the controls, awaiting to finalize the set up. "The Twinkies aren't missing. There were relocated."
"Relocated. Please tell me you didn't eat them all."
"Non, I just put them in Beast's bedroom," Gambit replied. "You know he sleeps in the lab or his classroom, right?"
Storm nodded. She wasn't going to argue about how Beast's breakup with Trish Tilby affected him the past two months. Instead, she focused her attention on the him. "Gambit, what is wrong?"
Acquiring SYNC with X-drone 81%
He didn't want to reply, but he knew Storm was going to press on. Like Rogue, she could read through his poker face when he was depressed. "I should be on the jet with her."
Storm smiled. She was the only one who seemed to understand what he was feeling when it came to Rogue. He couldn't talk to Nightcrawler about it; he was Rogue's "brother" and Nightcrawler's conversations could get a little preachy. Talking to Wolverine was out the question. Every time, Gambit and Rogue entered a new stage in life—dating, intimacy, moving in together—Wolverine made his feelings very clear. He didn't approve, but he kept his distance to avoid upsetting Rogue. However, when one-on-one, Wolverine expressed his feelings with extended claws. His cousin Emil didn't get it either but tried to be supportive. Storm was the only one he felt comfortable talking to. "She's going to be fine," she assured him, but he wasn't so convinced.
Acquiring SYNC with X-drone 88%
"How do you do it?" Gambit asked. He thought about Rogue, sitting in the X-jet without him by her side. They were partners—as X-men and lovers. Was Storm feeling this way about Nightcrawler? The separation was eating him.
Storm signed. She wasn't a telepath, but she knew what was on his mind. "It's never easy as X-men or husband and wife. We both know the dangers and sacrifices. We make a point to tell each other we love the other…before a fight or in situations where we are separated. We want our last words…we want the last words we hear to be 'I love you'."
She was teary eyed and looked away in her moment of weakness. Later, she would blame it on hormones, but he wasn't going to tease her about it. What she said made sense.
He thought about Rogue. When she left, she kissed him on the cheek and whispered I love you in his ear. He responded with the same words but in French.
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"We're synced with the drone, Storm," Gambit said as they placed on their headsets.
"Cyclops, we have the drone synced with the control center," Storm said over the headset. "Gambit is standing by for deploy."
"Roger that, Storm. I'll deploy the drone once we are in range of Avenger Tower."
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Wanda stared out the window as the Chitauri ships emerged from the nightmares. She knew they were afraid.
"Mutter," William said. He stood by one side, and his brother stood at the other. "We are not alone."
"Who's coming for me?" Wanda asked. She walked slowly to the windows. She could feel a breeze from the hole were Clint was thrown through.
"Everyone. Mystique. The Wolverine. The Avengers. X-men. They are coming," Thomas said.
Wanda paused a few feet from the windows and looked over her shoulder at her boys. They weren't going to take them away this time. "Wiccan. Speed. Take care of our guests in the hallway. Make Mutti proud."
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Logan followed Mystique up the stairs of the remaining floors to the 70th floor. Both of them remained quiet, which was unusual for either. There was something eerie about the higher they climbed. They were both nervous and somewhat afraid—qualities neither liked to show anyone else.
"This is the floor," Mystique said, pointed to the 70 near the door.
Logan smirked. "Ladies first."
"Now you get chivalrous."
Mystique opened the door and entered the hallway first, and he followed on her heels. The hallway was red—blood red, but he couldn't smell anything. It glistened like a liquid hit by a light.
"I saw this in the diary," Mystique said. He stood by her side. "Pages of just red."
Logan looked at the blood red wall. He still couldn't smell anything—it wasn't blood. He reached out, expecting to touch a liquid. The tips of his fingers touched the wall, and even in the most delicate of touch he was capable of, the red wall dissipated into little flakes that snowed on the floor. "What the hell?"
Mystique followed in his example, surprised too by the unusual occurrence. "It's like tearing through tissue paper."
"Thin tissue paper," Logan said. He pulled his hand away. His fingers coated in a red ash. The disturbance from his touch slowly disappeared. The wall—or whatever it was—was solid red again. Then, he saw them in the corner of his eye. "We're not alone."
"She's here, isn't she?" Mystique said, looking in the same direction. Like him, she was surprised by the two figures at the end of the hallway.
Logan cracked his neck. At the other end of the hall, two teenage boys stared back at them. One looked like a young Thor with black hair, while the other looked like a younger version of Quicksilver. He didn't recognize either of them, but the features in their faces were familiar. They had the same wicked smile Wanda gave when she tried to piss off Kurt.
"Which one of the Shining twins do you want?" Logan asked, as his claws extended.
Mystique pulled out her guns. "I hate that movie."
"Why? It reminds you of your marriage to Victor. You never knowing when he was going to pop his face through a door like a mad man," Logan teased, earning a scowl from her. "You were the one who married him."
"He wasn't the one I wanted to marry," Mystique replied as they walked forward.
Logan let those words sink in. Mystique could have been with him, but he knew better—he knew she was trouble. Victor didn't care, but Logan saw the signs. Perhaps her life would have been better if he was with her? He tried not to let that thought cloud his judgment.
"You want tiny Thor or mini Quicksilver, Darlin'?" Logan asked.
"There you go, trying to be chivalrous again," Mystique said. "What makes you think they are real?"
"I smell them. They got that same smell to them that T.J. gets when she visits Wanda for the weekend," Logan replied. No one else noticed that smell but him. Kurt and Ororo often told him he was crazy, but crazy might have been what he was smelling. "You better believe they are real."
Mystique paused. The exhale she released was unsettling. "They are Wanda's children."
"T.J. is her only child," Logan replied. "I ain't heard of any others."
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Captain America threw his shield, hitting five Chitauri warriors like he was playing pinball. Each one fell apart like dust. This didn't make any sense to him.
He looked around. Iron Man, Anita Hill, and the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. had similar effects on the warriors. They broke apart and blew away, but then more were advancing toward them like a horror movie they weren't going to survive. The Avengers felt like this before, but they never wanted to feel this way again. Weren't the nightmares enough?
Falcon landed by his side, and he was happy to see his fellow Avenger and friend. Black Widow and Winder Soldier also joined the fight.
"Something is not right here," Captain America finally said out loud. The others around him echoed in agreement, but no one had an answer.
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Rogue adjusted her gloves ten times since they took off. She did things like that when she was nervous. She even adjusted her headband and combed her fingers through her hair, though she was sure it would be a mess by the end of the mission anyway.
"Storm. Gambit. We are nearing the tower. Be ready for the drone deploy. I doubt I can get the jet much closer," Cyclops said.
"Awaitin' ya orders, Cyke."
She listened to the rich accent over the receiver. He wasn't himself, just like she wasn't herself. The last week was rough on them, but they still weren't finished working through their problems. There was an overwhelming feeling of dread washing over her. She didn't feel like she had control. The voices in the X-jet didn't help.
"What the?" Cyclops caught himself before he cursed.
Like her teammates, she gazed out the windows, watching as another Chitauri ship emerged from the red ring above the tower. She knew about the war on New York. It was a time in the city that everyone wanted to forget. The Avengers were there on ground zero, and now it was happening again.
"Well that's something you don't see everyday," Havok joked, trying to lighten the mood. It was neither the time nor the place. "So where's the Stay Puff Marshmallow Man and the Statue of Liberty?"
"Be realistic, Havok," Iceman said, his eyes were wide, but full of mischief. "You know the Statue of Liberty only walks around if you hose her down with mood smile and play 'Higher and Higher,'" he started to sing the line, but was interrupted. "Oww, Polaris, why'd you hit me?"
"Because one of us had to," Polaris replied.
"Zhis isn't making any sense," Nightcrawler said. "I'm not picking up anyzhing on radar."
"That is not possible," Beast said, leaning over him. "There are over a dozen ships. We all see them."
"They are illusions."
Professor Xavier's voice sent chills down her spine, and she fixed her gloves again. The distance between the X-jet and the tower diminished, and the X-men had to swerve from hitting a ship.
"Gambit, we can't get the jet much closer to the tower. I'm deploying the drone."
"Cyclops, I'm ready when you are."
"Deploying X-drone," Cyclops said, and Rogue watch as the drone took off towards the chaos. "Gambit, send images to the jet if you can."
"Our, Monsieur."
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Mystique pulled out her guns, and Logan extended his claws. She wasn't telling him something, but before he could ask her the details, a force slammed them in the chest, knocking them both off their feet.
"What the hell was that?" Logan felt the back of his head. He rolled to the side, looking for Mystique when one of the twins crouched in front of him.
"Mutter sends her regards," the teen said, holding out his hand and extending his fingers. The red glow hypnotized him. Then the boy was gone.
Logan tried to stand, but his legs felt like rubber. "What the hell did that kid do to me?" He thought or asked. He wasn't sure. "Raven. Raven."
He looked around for her, but the hallway disappeared…
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"Raven."
"Raven."
Mystique gazed around the room. She was Mississippi at her home where she lived with Irene. She could hear a small band playing, and when she turned, she saw Irene standing by a window. The light from outside shone on her face.
"What are you looking for, Raven?" she said, turning to her lover. The white eyes stared at her, though they never saw anything physical. "What do you see?"
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Logan walked along the edge of the water near Alkali Lake.
"What are you searching for, Logan?"
He turned at the sound of her voice. Jean stood there in her black X-men uniform, her red hair cascaded over her shoulders, nearing her waist. He was speechless, even though one phrase repeated over and over in his mind.
"I love you, too, Logan."
He stood there with his mouth hanging open.
"But if you loved me, why did you kill me?"
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"Gambit, we're going in for a landing. You have any information gathered from the drone."
"I just scanned de tower," Gambit replied as he and Storm reviewed the images in the control center. "There is an area of red toward de higher part of de tower. I see some heat signatures, but dey are faint."
"I see about five signatures," Storm added.
Gambit steadied the drone. The Chitauri ships were giving him a hard time to navigate around. They seemed there, and then again, they weren't. "I'm tryin' ta git another scan of de tower, but de closer I git ta it, de harder I have controllin' de drone."
"Why would there be five heat signatures? With the exception of Mystique and Wolverine, Captain America confirmed that the tower has been evacuated, particularly on the higher levels."
"If Wanda is responsible for this, she must be one of the other signatures," Storm suggested. "Gambit, can you get a better view of the tower?"
"Oui, but I'm having trouble steerin' de drone," Gambit replied. His shoulder hurt despite the tape job and brace. He was pushing himself too hard, but he thought about the mission…and Rogue. "Storm, I see de floor where Hawkeye must have been thrown from," he said as he watched the screen. "Ya see de hole in de window."
"I'm going to take still shots. Keep the drone steady."
"Got'tum Storm?"
"Yes."
"Storm," Gambit eyed the monitor. "I found de ot'er heat signatures."
"What do you mean?"
Gambit steadied the drone again. The images on the monitor were of Wanda Maximoff and two boys. "Storm, take some more still shots. I'm gonna try and get closer if I can."
Storm nodded. He could hear her breathing quicken.
"Cyclops, we have an eye on the Scarlet Witch. She's not alone."
"What do you mean she's not alone?"
"She might have hostages or is under some sort of a spell," Gambit replied. "She ain't lookin' like she all dere."
In the corner of his eye, he caught Storm's eyes rolled. They all know how Wanda could be when she visited the mansion to pick up T.J.
"I'm going to take still shots of Wanda and the boys," Storm said.
"Good. Then, run a facial recognition scan."
"Will do," Storm replied.
Gambit steadied the drone while she took images of Wanda. Every now and then, the drone would glitch.
"Gambit, you need to steady the drone for me to get clear pictures," Storm said.
"I tryin'," Gambit replied. The closer he flew the drone to the tower, the more it glitched. "I'm havin' trouble wit de signal, makin' it hard fa me ta control. Can ya zoom de camera ta take pics."
"I'm trying. I'm trying."
Gambit fought to fly the drone, but something in the air around the tower knocked it out. He swore it had Iron Man's face. The overhead screen turned black, and they lost the feed. "Drone's down."
"Damn…whatever you have, sent asap."
"Roger, Cyclops," Gambit sighed, looking over to Storm. His shoulder ached. Even though he wasn't fighting, he felt like he got his ass kicked. "Storm, please tell me ya got somethin' we can use."
"I have two or three images of Wanda and the boys," Storm replied. He rolled his chair over to her. "This one looks good. You know how to run a facial recognition scan."
"Oui."
Storm smiled as she watched him crop the images of the boys. "You going to hack in government records, now," she whispered.
"Non, Chère," Gambit replied. "Why use government records when I can just hack Facebook?"
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"Momma, how do I look?"
Raven turned around, seeing Rogue standing before her in a white dress and white lace gloves. She spun around, but the dress clung to her body. Her hair was a cascade of curls at different lengths. She was beautiful, but she couldn't complement her daughter.
"Momma," Rogue took her hands. "Promise me you'll behave today."
Raven just stood there.
"I know you're not a fan of Remy, but I love him, Momma," Rogue said. "It is our wedding day."
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Logan looked at his claws; he didn't remember extending them, but there they were—covered in blood.
"Logan."
He tried to shake the image from his mind.
"Logan."
He was in another place now—a cabin in the woods. It looked familiar, and so was the voice that called his name.
"There you are," Kayla said, her dark hair draped over one shoulder. She stood in a pale pink nightgown. "I've been looking for you."
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"Raven, will you walk with me down the aisle?" Irene said. She could feel Irene's slim arm loop hers.
Then, they were down the aisle, Irene practically dragging her, so it seemed.
Remy stood at the altar. He talked to Kurt until he saw her.
What kind of hellish nightmare was she in?
She was seated, just as instantly as she had walked. Did she walk?
What is this place? What is this?
The music queued everyone's head to turn towards the bride.
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Gambit multitasked his duties at the control center. He hated being so far away from them all and from her.
"I gotta hit on the first facial recognition scan," Gambit said, turning to the computer screen. He had to convince himself that Rogue was okay first before he focusing fully on the results. "Dis is weird," he said in a low whisper. Then, he ran the second facial recognition scan.
"Storm, we need an earbud check before we exit the jet."
"Go ahead."
Gambit listened to the X-men verify all communication devices were working in order. Meanwhile, the second facial recognition scan had similar results as the first. "What de hell?"
"Gambit, what's wrong?" Storm asked. She leaned over his shoulder. She was tired of sitting, and like him, she was nervous about being away from her partner.
"Dese dates say dese boys are dead," Gambit replied.
She looked at him and was puzzled as well. The drone picked up two additional heat signatures, and she took clear pictures of both boys. They were real…weren't they?
"Gambit, I need that information from the facial recognition scans, so I can debrief our findings with Captain America."
"Uhh, well Beast, I uhh…I see dead people."
"This is not the time to joke, my friend."
"He's not joking, Beast," Storm defended. "I'm looking at the information he pulled up, too."
"Read me the information."
"Okay, homme. First boy's name be William Kaplan. He's from New York. His birthdate is April 3rd, and he died May 15th. He was 7 years old when he passed away 7 years ago. Boy number two is Thomas Shepard. He's from New Jersey. His birthdate is April 3rd, and he died…May 15th…he was also 7 and passed away 7 years ago."
"They both were born and died on the same day?"
"Oui, like dey twins or something," Gambit replied. It sounded strange. Both boys were born on the same day. Both boys died on the same day. Then, he found something else. "I got some newspaper articles pulling up. Avengers, Captain America, Scarlet Witch, and Vision visit children's hospital," he read out the title. 'Dey got pictures here wit de Scarlet Witch and Vision surrounded by six or seven children. Both boys are in de pic. It was taken around Easter before the boys died."
"What were the boys names again?" Professor Xavier's voice was calm and clear. It was the first time Gambit heard him speak since they parted from the War Room.
"William and Thomas," Gambit replied, forwarding the results of his search to the X-jet. The silence on the other end of the headset disturbed him.
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Logan felt Kayla's hand trace his sideburns.
"My Kuekuatsheu. My Wolverine," Kayla kissed him on the cheek and stepped away from him.
He followed her, still speechless in his endeavors. He remembered her.
Then everything went black and he couldn't see.
"Logan! Logan!"
"What's the matter, Jimmy?" he heard a voice in the darkness.
Kayla screamed.
"Funny how everyone around you ends up dead."
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Rogue walked the aisle alone. She didn't need someone to give her away. She was a strong young woman, and everyone around her recognized her as such.
Except Raven.
Raven wanted to scream, but she couldn't open her mouth. She was trapped in this alternate hell—hell was what it was to her.
Rogue joined Remy at the altar, and Kurt presided over the ceremony. Seconds seemed like a lifetime slipping away.
She wanted someone to stop them—to stop this reality. Then, she heard his voice. The voice of a dead man.
"Can't invite your own brother to the wedding, little sis."
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"Havok, I need you to switch places with Nightcrawler," Cyclops ordered. "Rogue, are you ready?"
Rogue looked out the window. They were further away from the tower than anyone wanted to be. "Nightcrawler, I'm thinking we go in through the hanger."
Nightcrawler nodded. "I got a clear view for us to teleport there, if you are ready."
Rogue smiled. She wondered if Nightcrawler realized how fake it was. "Gambit. Storm. Testing earbuds before deploy."
"Oui, Cheré. Go ahead."
"Rogue."
"Nightcrawler."
"We hear you loud and clear."
BAMF
Rogue felt nauseous after teleporting with Nightcrawler. She couldn't understand how this feeling didn't affect T.J., but it affected everyone else. She leaned over and took deep breaths.
"Rogue, you alright?" Nightcrawler said, patting her on the back. "Zhis is not a safe place to be." She couldn't argue with that statement. The Chitauri ships flew above them. They were exposed on the hanger.
"I'm fine," Rogue said, standing up. She was embarrassed by the situation. "Now, I know how Storm feels."
"Just as long it is not for the same reason," Nightcrawler replied. He led her through the hanger. She was surprised by how well he knew the tower, considering he only ventured here to pick T.J. up after visiting her mother. "Besides, I don't vhat vould be vorse. Telling Gambit or telling the Wolverine?"
"Not funny, homme. Ya feelin' okay, Chere?"
Nightcrawler chuckled to Gambit's reaction.
"I'm fine. Nightcrawler, you sure you know the way?" Rogue asked as she surveyed her surroundings. The jet in the hanger was floating upside down above them. There was strange magic going on.
"I do," Nightcrawler replied, leading her to the stairway. He was cautious in the way he moved, like he was waiting for some monster to pop out the shadows. He never liked to visit the Avenger Tower long. It was usually in and out, enough to pick up T.J. without making conversation. "Ve got go down a few flights. Just keep your eye out."
There was something he wasn't telling her, but this wasn't the time or the place.
Meanwhile…
Professor X and his X-men exited the jet. It was risky landing in the middle of the park, but he had a feeling that everyone's attention was on the tower.
"Cyclops, take Havok, Iceman, and Shadowcat, and help the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents keep the people calm and away from the city."
"Yes, Professor," Cyclops nodded.
"Emma…the White Queen will join you as well," he said, turning his attention to the blond who recently caught Scott's attention. "While I don't like to pry into peoples' minds, I do think you can help calm them."
"I agree, Professor," she replied, glancing at Scott. "I will be happy to assist in any way."
Professor Xavier watched his X-men step away to help the panicking people in New York City. He looked over to the tower, feeling like a failure for not stepping in sooner.
The Chitauri ships disappeared, and the sun shone brightly in the sky. Polaris stepped around him. He didn't have to read her mind to know that she was confused: confused by the clear sky and confused by joining his side instead of Cyclops's. "Where did everything go?"
"Back in her head."
"Whose?"
"Your sister's," Professor Xavier answered. With Quicksilver still in route and Magneto absent, Polaris was the only one who had any blood ties to the Scarlet Witch.
"Professor, we need to head to the tower," Beast said.
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Logan was in the cabin again. The light shone through the window. It was quiet, and he could smell the blood.
Kayla lay on the floor; claw marks traced her throat.
No. NO! NO!
"What wrong, Logan?" Jean asked.
He turned and stepped back when he saw her again.
"Who's this, Logan?" Kayla asked.
He did a double-take. Each one stood by his side, but he couldn't explain why. They were dead. Both of them were dead.
"What's the matter, Logan? You look like you've seen a ghost."
"Or two."
He backed away from them. Was this hell? Was this hell?
"Logan."
"Logan"
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Graydon Creed walked forward, pulling out a gun and taking fire. It was silent chaos. She couldn't hear the screams, but she could see the fear in their eyes.
It was too late.
Roses exploded, and petals rained to the ground. The screams. The screams…Her family lay dead. Their bodies frozen in time. Rogue. Kurt. Irene. He took everything from her.
"I'm not like them. I'm normal."
Graydon aimed the gun at her.
BANG
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The tears rolled down Mystique's cheeks as she leaned against the hallway wall.
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The Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D. agents looked around them. They were just fighting Chitauri, but now the sun was shining its happy face. Nothing made sense.
The people around them stopped their panic and wondered what was going on, yet none of them had the answers.
Captain America's eyes cut through the crowds gathering around the tower. News crews and curious people with cell phones put themselves in danger, and then they were surprised they had to be saved. Technology was the hardest thing for him to grasp, but it did have its benefits.
Three figures emerged from the crowd. He recognized the three, but only met two of them personally. Beast was a friend and fellow Avenger, and Professor Xavier had attended several of the funerals. The young lady with green hair was a bit of a mystery, but then he remembered Wanda and Pietro found out they had a younger sister.
"Professor Xavier, to what do we owe the pleasure of your company?" he said, wondering if he sounded snark. "Good to see you again, Beast. And you must be…"
"Polaris," the young woman replied. She looked similar to Wanda, but unlike her sister, she had a thing for green.
"Captain America, we need to talk to you about what is going on at this tower," Professor Xavier said to him. By then, the other Avengers had gathered around.
"What are the X-men doing here?" Iron Man demanded. "I don't remember inviting them."
"Easy, Tony," Black Widow placed her hand on his shoulder. "Beast is one of the Avengers. He answered the Cap's call, like the rest of us."
"Besides, perhaps they could be of assistance if the Chitauri return," Falcon added.
"Our control center team took these images of the tower," Beast said, handing Captain America the tablet in his hands.
"How did you come by these images?"
"Our drone."
"Drone? Is that what I shot down?" Iron Man said.
"We believe the Scarlet Witch is responsible for the events that are happening here," Professor Xavier said.
"Wanda?" Black Widow replied. "You can't be serious."
Captain America took a breath as he looked at the images. Wanda was the center of it all. He should have known. Didn't he know? "They are serious."
When he glanced up at the tower, he nearly dropped the tablet. Black Widow had caught it before it slipped out his hand. He stepped away from them as they passed the tablet around with the pictures of Wanda. How didn't he know? He knew she was in the tower. Why hadn't he checked to see if she came down? Clint was going to see her. Did she? No, she couldn't have…but he was dead.
"I know how this looks," Beast said. "I don't want to believe it either, but given Wanda's history…"
Captain America closed his eyes. "I saw the signs, but I didn't want to believe it."
"She's your friend, Steve," Professor Xavier said, his voice calm and comforting. "And like you, I didn't want to believe it either, but it may be worse than what we've feared."
"Who are these people next to her?" Falcon asked.
"The twins."
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Rogue followed Nightcrawler and kept vigilant of her surroundings. Lights flickered in the stairway, making her dizzy. She wondered how much they were bothering her brother. He was the one who could see in the dark, but the back and forth of light and dark was enough to drive a man insane.
"Zhis is zhe floor," he said. His accent didn't hide his nerves, and he used his tail to open the door.
The hallway was red like blood, and she followed Nightcrawler down the center as they walked.
"Nightcrawler. Rogue. I'm having trouble with the body cam cameras. All I see is red."
"Storm, they are working just fine. We see nothing but red, too," Rogue replied.
Nightcrawler didn't say a word, but his breathing got heavy. He wanted to be out of there, just as much as she wanted to.
"You have a visual on Logan or Mystique?"
"I see Mystique," Nightcrawler hurried to her. It was the fastest he moved since they teleported on the hanger. "Damnit."
Nightcrawler crouched down beside her, but all Rogue could do was stare. Mystique leaned against the wall, dazed and confused. Her golden eyes were wide; had they been any wider, they would have popped out her head. Beside her were her guns, broken in pieces like Lego.
"What's wrong with her?" Rogue muttered as Nightcrawler felt Mystique's pulse.
"Vanda."
His accent was thick, and his tone was angry. The mention of her name bothered him like it did on the jet. He was hiding something, and he wasn't the only one doing so.
"Stay vith her," Nightcrawler said. He looked down the hall. Logan was just 10-12 feet away, but just as out of it as Mystique.
Rogue didn't argue with him, but she couldn't comfort her mother. She was so angry with her that she felt out of control. She hated that feeling.
Rogue stooped down in front of her. Mystique's golden eyes stared down the hall, but she didn't seem to see anything. Rogue thought about the gloves that covered her hands. She could easily absorb Mystique dry. She wanted to. She didn't, but the thought lingered there. Why did her mother do things like this to her? Why couldn't see be a normal mother? Why was Mystique so damn complicated? She just wanted to find out.
"Rogue and Nightcrawler, can ya confirm Mystique's status?"
Gambit's voice pulled her from the negative thoughts that plagued her. She wiped the tear that rolled down her cheek, and she replied. "Out of it."
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"Twins…you mean the twins," Captain America said, shocked by the thought of the boys. They were supposed to be gone…
Black Widow and the other Avengers didn't seem to understand. "What do you mean the twins?"
"Wanda's children."
Captain America heard the familiar voice of Dr. Strange. The man had been missing all morning, and like him, Strange suspected something was up with Wanda but couldn't explain why.
"T.J. is Wanda's only child," Black Widow tilted her head, second guessing herself.
"That you know of," Professor Xavier replied.
Meanwhile…
Cyclops, White Queen, Iceman, Shadowcat, and Havok walked through the city, helping the many humans who feared them.
The tower loomed in the distance, and when Cyclops turned towards it, he thought he saw a blinding light.
Screams echoed in the street. Fear was all around them. They would remember this moment in fragments during sleepless nights.
Back at the tower…
"Wanda's always wanted to have children, but as you know, her relationship with Vision didn't make that possible," Dr. Strange explained. "She used darker magic to conjure up twin boys."
"How could she do something like that?" Falcon asked. "She knows the dangers of magic, and you were one of her teachers."
"I was her teacher, but she is more than superhuman," Dr. Strange said. 'She's—"
"A mutant," Professor Xavier interrupted. "Her father is Magneto."
"Captain, did you know this?" Iron Man asked.
Captain America nodded. 'Of course, I did, but when she and Pietro joined the Avengers, they were looking to distance themselves from their past. I trusted them then, and I still trust them now. We all should."
"Be that as it may, Captain. We still have a problem on our hands," Professor Xavier said. "As a mutant, I believe Wanda has reached a new level of her powers."
"I don't understand."
"We think she leveled up—had a new level of mutant power develop," Beast explained. "The more mutants understand their powers, the more control they have. Eventually, mutants grow stronger in their abilities and mastery of them."
"Like Magneto has over his powers," Polaris added, floating three marble-sized spheres above her hand. "He is a master of metal; I'm just an apprentice."
"If Wanda leveled up like we believe, it is possible she doesn't know how to deal with it," Beast elaborated.
Professor Xavier looked at him with a heavy heart. "And mutants who don't know how to deal with their powers can be quite dangerous."
Captain America stared up at the tower, backing away slowly. Red streaks traced the air, and the ground began to shake. His friend was up there and needed his help.
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Gambit stared at the image from Rogue's body cam. He felt like he saw it before, just briefly.
"Nightcrawler. Rogue," Storm said over the headset. "The reports from the news are saying there is a lot of activity going on at the tower. Are you two okay?"
"We're fine, Storm, but there is something odd going on here."
Gambit sensed the fear in her voice. He stood up. His head pounced, but not from the call of a cigarette. He could hear Creed's voice.
"The diary."
Gambit ran out of the control center, listening to Storm calling after him. She wasn't going to follow him. She knew better than that, but he had to be here.
One the table of the war room lay the diary in numerous pieces. He scrambled putting them together like a puzzle piece. Creed was looking at something in the diary that made him snap.
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"Logan. Logan."
Nightcrawler crouched next to him. His image was blurry, but he could smell the sulfur and brimstone in the air. It was the only thing that let him know he was real, but he had to be sure.
"Elf," Logan said at a whisper. His eyes tried to focus on familiar features.
"Hallo, mein freund," Nightcrawler replied.
Logan reached out with his hand. The weight of his arm made him unstable.
Nightcrawler grabbed his wrist. "Easy my friend. Your claws are extended."
"Claws," Logan lifted his other hand up. He could see the light reflecting off the claws. He didn't remember extending them.
"You've encountered Wanda, I see," Nightcrawler replied. Logan still questioned if he was rea.
"Wanda?"
"Ja, Vanda," he said, his accent thickened this time.
"Nein," Logan replied. He spoke in German. He didn't know why, but it just came to him. "Ich habe zwei Jungen gesehen"
Nightcrawler's eyes widened. „Zwei?"
„Ja, Two," he said, opening his eyes wide to match his friend's. „And one moved really really fast."
"I see," he smiled.
"Elf, what the hell did they do to me?" Logan began crying. He couldn't stop the tears. They just started flowing. He didn't cry. He was Wolverine. Damnit he's the WOLVERINE.
Nightcrawler placed his hand on his shoulder to calm him. He was hiding something, but now wasn't the time to ask. "Ve are going to get you out of here."
"Elf?"
"Ja."
"I saw Jean…" he said. his voice was shaky. "And Kayla…I saw them…saw them both."
"It's okay, Logan," Nightcrawler said. He touched his earbud. "Storm. Gambit. I have Logan. He's delirious."
The building shook, and Logan trembled.
"We need to get out of here. Can you stand?" Nightcrawler asked as his eyes traced a crack along the wall.
Logan nodded. He wanted nothing better than to get out of the tower. "Yep."
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Gambit looked at the image before him. It was Mystique, leaning against the wall, dazed and confused.
"The woman's as stubborn as a damn mule. She'll go in there…she'll go in there…"
That part he remembered well, because that was shortly before Creed snapped and attacked. No, this image before him wasn't the one.
"One, two, three, four…it all comes tumbling down…"
Gambit flipped the pieces over, putting together a new image. The one that came before Mystique.
"Chere, you hear me," he said into his headset. He was still link to the control center.
"What comes tumbling down?"
"Get out of the tower, Rogue!" he ran back to Storm, hollering. "They need to get out de tower! Wanda's gonna pull down de tower!"
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"Professor, Cyclops, Beast. Wanda's going to pull de tower down. Everyone's got to get away from the tower. NOW!"
Professor Xavier wheeled himself out of the way as a big letter A fell to the ground. Wanda's mind was fragile. He wondered if they were too late or if there was hope for her. She needed her family—she needed her father.
"We need to get out of here," Beast agreed.
Like the Avengers, his X-men hurried to safety. Polaris helped him maneuver in the wheelchair the rest of the way as everyone backed away from the tower.
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The boys joined her side, and Wanda walked over to her window. Red streaks danced like spirits in front of her. She felt so powerful but out of control. No one would understand. Would they?
The red streaks slammed into the side of the building.
KABOOM
KABOOM
KABOOM
The side of the building exploded, exposing her bedroom to the city. She continued to walk forward unaffected by her own handywork. So pretty…so pretty, she thought.
The people below looked up as the woman in red neared the ledge. They were watching her since the moment Hawkeye landed. Was she a jumper to or just a lost cause? Either way, she was a murderer.
Wanda looked down below and took a step out into the air. She heard people scream in fear they she would jump, but they didn't know her too well.
She flew in the air enjoying the breeze carrying her down. It was such a relief to feel so weightless. There was nothing to pull her down. No one could control her, even herself.
She glided down to the ground and once her golden sandals touched the ground it shook. The vibration rattled the city, awaking everyone to her presence. Then, she walked forward shaking her hips seductively with each step, like she was princess and everyone should take notice.
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"Rogue, get out the tower. Do ya hear me? Yawl gotta git outta de tower."
Rogue heard Gambit's pleas, and she looked around the building as the walls cracked. "Nightcrawler!"
He came to her with Logan by his side. The Wolverine was dazed, but he was coherent enough to stand. He heard Gambit, too.
"Ve gotta get out of here," Nightcrawler agreed. He looked around trying to figure out the best way for them to go. He needed a visual on where he was going. "I'll get Mystique," he said, picking her up. "But I can't teleport blind at this distance."
Rogue nodded to him, knowing she would have to leave their side. She knew what she had to do.
"Wanda's on the ground. Nightcrawler. Rogue. You need to get out of there now!"
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Captain America stared at Wanda. She walked proud but dazed. "Wanda, it's me, Steve Rogers!" he called to her. She was still his friend, and she needed his help.
Wanda paused in her step and rocked her hips to the left. Then, she looked up at him. Behind her, the Avenger Tower shook. Feeling the pressure from its already weakened frame, it buckled.
It was a slow decent at first. Pieces fell lightly in chunks behind her. It did it's best not to give into her, but she was the one in control of everyone's fate.
"Oh my stars and garters!"
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"Rogue, Nightcrawler. Do ya hear me? Yawl gotta git outta de tower!" Gambit ordered.
There was no response, and he lost feed on the body cams. He looked to Storm for comfort, but she was just as nervous.
He glanced at the live news footage from New York City. When the dust settled, the tower lay in a heap of rubble.
"Rogue, please answer. Please answer me. Please. Cheré..."
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Finally…I've been wanting to knock that tower down for years…
How is everyone doing? I hope you and your family are well during this coronavirus situation. It feels like we are in an episode of the Twilight Zone. I live about an hour from New Orleans, so it has been a little scary. My husband and I have been a little stressed, but my five-year-old is having a good time. I am just happy he is active, happy, and healthy. The new routine has been interesting to adjust to.
All my students have to take my courses online, so that is a huge change. I worry about them passing because it is hard not to meet with them one-on-one. With a little one at home, it is too hard to Skype or Google Meet. I created my first PowerPoint with a voice over, which was new for me. Hopefully, I don't sound too much like a dork.
Sometimes, I do wonder if the coronavirus is just something in a dream. Perhaps, the Scarlet Witch is messing with reality…
