Author's Note**
Well, jeepers guys, I had a blast writing this little fic. Here are the final three chapters, lock, stock, and barrel. Hope you enjoy 'em and thanks for all the excellent reviews.
By the time the group reached the cave Rogue had pointed out, the vulture had already flown off. Inside it was filled with a heavy darkness and it took several moments for their eyes to adjust to the sudden lack of light. Rogue moved about four or five feet into the mouth and then stopped. She motioned with her hand for the others behind to halt as well. There was only the sound of the wind blowing across the sand some hundred feet below. Everyone strained their eyes staring off into the darkness, trying to catch some hint of motion. It was obvious that Rogue was expecting something to happen and no one else was quite sure of what that something was.
Then there was movement from straight ahead, a stirring of the air. Tension whipped through the group in expectation of another surprise encounter. The only two mutants who were not high strung were Rogue, because she happened to have a good idea of who was coming towards them, and Gambit, who figured if whoever it was that was coming towards them was threatening, he'd just blow them to high hell. Simple enough, really. The others weren't so lucky to have his backwater attitude, so they sweated a bit.
From out the shadows came Mystique and she came to a stop a few feet from Rogue. The tension within the group members didn't exactly disappear. All the tricks and troubles she had ever pulled on them were still all quite fresh in their minds. Blowing up someone's home will certainly give you that kind of reputation.
Still a little irked about her kidnapping him and dropping him off in the middle of Mexico, Cyclops pushed his way forward, one hand poised on his visor.
"Just what the hell are you doing here?" he demanded.
Rogue beat her adoptive mother to the answer. "The one with many faces shall show them the way," she quoted with a smile completely devoid of humor. Mystique's yellow eyes held surprise in them.
"Irene told you everything then?"
"Well, Ah wouldn't say everything. But we got the gist of it."
"Um, like I hate to break into the family reunion, but we still only have eleven people here," Shadowcat pointed out after she had counted everyone personally. Frowning, she pulled her sock and shoe back on and added, "Well, I guess you could actually like, count Pyro as two people. I mean he like totally talks to himself all the time so it's like having another person around."
The sound of metal claws extending punctuated her whimsical statement and the light filtering in from the opening of the cave dimmed as a figure stepped into it. Eleven heads rotated to see Wolverine making his way towards them looking a bit worn around the edges, but still fully functional.
"Don't count the old man out," he stated gruffly, taking his customary place in the group out front. He glanced over at Mystique and gave a little nod of his head. "Lead the way, smurfette."
Mystique gave him a searing look that clearly said just what she thought about that particular nickname but instead of responding, she turned on her heel and plunged farther into the cave, expecting everyone else to follow. There was no other choice. They moved along in the faint light that managed to travel in from the cave's opening. After about fifty feet or so, the cave wall gave an abrupt turn to the right and suddenly light could be found in abundance. Burning torches lined the walls of a large hallway, at the end of which they could see a towering doorway. The door itself was missing in action. Bad news already. More was on the way. Apparently their arrival had not gone unannounced.
When they were halfway to the door four figures emerged from the shadows of the doorway. First was a man, broad of shoulder and back, seated on a horse that clamored forward with metal limbs. He held himself rigidly in the saddle and the look he had fixated on his face was not a hey-how-are-ya-doin' expression. With a slight pull on the reins, he halted his mechanical steed and waited.
Behind him lumbered the same old woman Gambit and Storm had come across in the dank sewers under the city. Her ragged clothes had been replaced with a simple flowing robe and the way it hung around her gave her the appearance of a witch of olden times. Once tangled hair flowed smoothly as well, though nothing had changed in her face. It remained wrinkled and stretched and home to those pale blue eyes that had been so mocking. She came to a halt beside the man and waited.
And next came another woman, younger than the old crone though it was nearly impossible to tell that. Her face was so gaunt that it added years to her that she had not yet seen. The rest of her body, that which could be seen poking out from heavy folds of clothing, was just as thin and emaciated. Her eyes swept over the twelve and she hissed through her teeth before coming beside the crone. She waited.
Finally through that door of darkness, there came one more; someone no one expected to see. His entire body was covered with a black suit, including much of his head. The face that stared out at them that was so recognizable was completely devoid of any expression whatsoever. Folded behind him, swinging slightly as he slowly moved forward, was an enormous pair of dangerously sharp looking metal wings. He came to stand beside the young woman and shock ran through the twelve mutants who had never expected they might be fighting one of their own.
"Angel?" Jean asked in a whisper that echoed through the length of the hallway. "What are you doing?"
The smile that came to Warren Worthington the third's face was cold and hollow, without any hint of the warmth and charm that had been so much a part of the golden haired boy. As was his voice when he replied,
"Angel was weak and has fallen. From the ashes of his remains rises Death from which no one can flee. Surrender now and your lives will be spared should you chose to pledge allegiance to our master." His eyes, once so pure a blue, flashed a burning red. "Refuse and you shall perish. Chose quickly."
"Gee, could we like get any more Shakespearean here?" Shadowcat muttered quietly to help take her mind off the fact she was shaking like a leaf. A little more shaken than she would have cared to admit, Rogue assumed her typical annoyed look and set one hand on her hip, hoping her voice wouldn't crack.
"Now sugah, don't you be rushing us. This master of yers, does he give any kind of 401k plan or some health benefits? Come on, entice us, really. Ah don't feel like yer really one hundred percent behind yer product."
Again Death's eyes burned while the rest of the twelve all gaped at Rogue, wondering if hanging out with Wanda hadn't somehow damaged her brain.
"It is unwise to mock the will of our master. The consequences will be severe."
"Good going Rogue," Avalanche said darkly, not looking forward to finding out what he meant by severe.
Rogue ignored him; she had half a plan formed in her mind and was making the rest up as she went along. Because that's what heroes really do.
"Well Ah jus' don't see yer master anywhere. What kinda all powerful bein' is he if he can't take care of twelve weak mutants on his own?" she asked, baiting him. It was obvious now that Apocalypse was free, but what was still unclear was whether or not he was still nearby. Death's answer failed to clarify.
"He does not soil his hands upon those unworthy."
"Ah suppose that means that we're unworthy. Didja hear that guys? We all better go have ourselves a little cry."
Irritation flickered across the solid mask of Death's face. "Though you try my patience, I give you one last chance. Give your allegiance."
With one hand behind her back, Rogue motioned for everyone to ready themselves. They had one hell of a fight on their hands. Then she sifted through her mind until she found what she was looking forward. After all, she wanted to make sure she gave the right . . . response. A tingling burning sensation fired up behind her eyes.
"Here's mah allegiance," she retorted and, taking a page from Cyclops' book, she blasted out a beam of red plasma energy.
And it began.