Sleep didn't come easily as Angela twisted on her iron frame cot. When it
finally did come, however, it passed as quickly as a lightning bolt.
She was rudely awakened by Mystique screaming in her ear, "WAKE UP! GET YOUR LAZY BUT OUT OF BED AND GET READY!"
Angela's eyes flew open and she shot bolt upright, "Wha?"
Mystique's yellow eyes glistened with a cruel amusement, "Get dressed. You have 20 minutes, starting. . .now."
Angela stared at her dully, "You can't be serious."
"Seventeen minutes and counting. Time's a wastin, girl!"
Finally convinced of her earnestness, Angela leapt out of bed, and was dressed with 3 minutes to spare, "Okay, I'm done. Now what?"
"Now, for your morning assignment."
"And that is?" Angela prompted.
Mystique smiled, no warmth reaching her eyes, "You get to clean my bedroom."
This routine continued for a month or so, Angela completing odd tasks around the cabin, learning to control herself, and most importantly, learning to aim. She had been hearing more laughter than usual, and was becoming more and more convinced that they were laughing about her. Today, she was sweeping up the dining room floor up, without her powers.
A comment surfaced behind her, just loud enough to hear, "And I hear, Mags is only keeping her around to clean up this place. That's all she's really good for anyways."
She tuned in to the conversation, without a break in her sweeping. She was already done with this section of the floor, but that didn't matter.
"She can't even aim right. You know it and I know that she's never going to go on a real mission again. The best part is, she doesn't even have a clue."
Angela realized with a jolt that the instigator was Toad. A startled pain filled her chest and her eyes shone with unaccustomed tears.
She also recognized her brother's voice joining in until, "Why are you laughing, twerp? You're only here because they don't want you giving away our location! Don't ever forget that you're still a prisoner here."
Troy answered easily, "Maybe I'm considering converting to your side."
Toad's surprised voice replied, "Well, that's a different story then. I'll set up a meeting for you and Magneto later on, okay?"
Angela knew without looking that Troy was nodding his head. Foreign twinges began tearing her heart to pieces as she left the room without bothering to finish the rest of the floor. After she locked the bathroom door, the flood came cascading through her long dry eyes.
~I'm going to have a chat with Magneto~ she thought grimly. Five minutes later, she was composed enough to begin the short walk to Magento's office.
Mystique saw her coming and stopped her, "Is the dining area done?"
A very cold emotion rose within Angela, "No. I need to speak with Magneto. Now."
Mystique must have sensed the cold anger in Angela's eyes, so she simply nodded and gestured to his door.
Angela swept past her and walked into the room without knocking, "Magneto. We need to have a little chat."
His eyes narrowed, accentuating the wrinkles on his face, "About?"
"A little birdie told me that you weren't planning to ever send me on another mission. Is it true?" she demanded.
He sighed deeply, "No, in fact, I need you to come with us on a trip to Canada. To a little place at the Alkali Lake."
She relaxed and smiled a little, "When?"
He stood stiffly, "Now."
They exited the room together to find the brotherhood assembled and ready for action.
Angela felt a twinge race through her muscles at the sight of Toad and her brother. ~Don't let them see you crack~ she coached herself ~You'll show them all. And after all this is over, maybe I'll go back to the X-men.~
She was rudely awakened by Mystique screaming in her ear, "WAKE UP! GET YOUR LAZY BUT OUT OF BED AND GET READY!"
Angela's eyes flew open and she shot bolt upright, "Wha?"
Mystique's yellow eyes glistened with a cruel amusement, "Get dressed. You have 20 minutes, starting. . .now."
Angela stared at her dully, "You can't be serious."
"Seventeen minutes and counting. Time's a wastin, girl!"
Finally convinced of her earnestness, Angela leapt out of bed, and was dressed with 3 minutes to spare, "Okay, I'm done. Now what?"
"Now, for your morning assignment."
"And that is?" Angela prompted.
Mystique smiled, no warmth reaching her eyes, "You get to clean my bedroom."
This routine continued for a month or so, Angela completing odd tasks around the cabin, learning to control herself, and most importantly, learning to aim. She had been hearing more laughter than usual, and was becoming more and more convinced that they were laughing about her. Today, she was sweeping up the dining room floor up, without her powers.
A comment surfaced behind her, just loud enough to hear, "And I hear, Mags is only keeping her around to clean up this place. That's all she's really good for anyways."
She tuned in to the conversation, without a break in her sweeping. She was already done with this section of the floor, but that didn't matter.
"She can't even aim right. You know it and I know that she's never going to go on a real mission again. The best part is, she doesn't even have a clue."
Angela realized with a jolt that the instigator was Toad. A startled pain filled her chest and her eyes shone with unaccustomed tears.
She also recognized her brother's voice joining in until, "Why are you laughing, twerp? You're only here because they don't want you giving away our location! Don't ever forget that you're still a prisoner here."
Troy answered easily, "Maybe I'm considering converting to your side."
Toad's surprised voice replied, "Well, that's a different story then. I'll set up a meeting for you and Magneto later on, okay?"
Angela knew without looking that Troy was nodding his head. Foreign twinges began tearing her heart to pieces as she left the room without bothering to finish the rest of the floor. After she locked the bathroom door, the flood came cascading through her long dry eyes.
~I'm going to have a chat with Magneto~ she thought grimly. Five minutes later, she was composed enough to begin the short walk to Magento's office.
Mystique saw her coming and stopped her, "Is the dining area done?"
A very cold emotion rose within Angela, "No. I need to speak with Magneto. Now."
Mystique must have sensed the cold anger in Angela's eyes, so she simply nodded and gestured to his door.
Angela swept past her and walked into the room without knocking, "Magneto. We need to have a little chat."
His eyes narrowed, accentuating the wrinkles on his face, "About?"
"A little birdie told me that you weren't planning to ever send me on another mission. Is it true?" she demanded.
He sighed deeply, "No, in fact, I need you to come with us on a trip to Canada. To a little place at the Alkali Lake."
She relaxed and smiled a little, "When?"
He stood stiffly, "Now."
They exited the room together to find the brotherhood assembled and ready for action.
Angela felt a twinge race through her muscles at the sight of Toad and her brother. ~Don't let them see you crack~ she coached herself ~You'll show them all. And after all this is over, maybe I'll go back to the X-men.~