Quick note of thanks to HoneyBug16 for the reminder of Storm's fear of dark, closed in spaces. In my first posting of this chapter I forgot and made the error writing the character into such a space without panicking. This is a revised chapter that fixes that.

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This time it was personal.

A huge fan of American movies, Kurt had long wanted to find a situation where he could use that line.

Never had he really thought he'd use it seriously rather than some kind of joke, but this time – this mission – was serious.

The woman who had given birth to him had done something to Rogue. Especially after yesterday, he thought of the older girl as his big sister and Mystique's treachery was unacceptable.

Logan wasn't the only X-Man wanting to get his hands on the shape-shifter and neither was Kurt.

Jean, Scott, Kitty, and Ororo were on this mission with him, all wanting an opportunity to beat the other mutant down.

Logan had been left off the roster for this one because no matter how strong any of their desires to do great harm to Mystique, she had to be brought back alive.

The interior of the Blackbird was silent as they all focused on what they had to do tonight. The flight from Bayville to the location where Cerebro had managed to locate signs of Mystique was taking too long, even in their super fast jet.

Finally, Ororo was landing the craft as near the coordinates the Professor had given them as possible and it was time for everyone to get serious.

"She could be anywhere in the city or even had fled by now, spread out and leave no stone unturned." Scott, in leader mode, commanded.

"We'll be separating to cover more ground. If anyone finds her or finds themselves in any kind of danger, use your comms immediately to give your location and wait for backup. Pay close attention to every street sign and landmark so we can get to you if lost." Ororo ordered.

After quickly double-checking that their ear pieces and communication devices were working, the team split up with everyone going in a different direction.

~*~*~

Alleys are just way too creepy at night, even for a mutant girl to be walking them, Kitty thought as she made her way down a dark and deserted one.

It was a warm night in the desert town and her heavy uniform was making her uncomfortable, but it was a small sacrifice to make to be able to help Rogue.

As was wandering down this creepy alley alone.

Remembering Storm's orders she made mental note of the names of businesses around her as she phased into the buildings to look for Mystique.

If only Jean could lock onto her and give them all an actual area to focus on.

Or if the Professor had accompanied them on the mission rather than stay to monitor Rogue's condition.

None of them even knew what was really wrong with her friend, but if Hank, Logan and the Professor refused to leave her side, Kitty was scared.

Shaking off that distracting emotion, she focused firmly back on her searching.

Within moments, she'd been able to determine that Mystique was nowhere along this alley, so she left it to go to the next one.

This one was less maintained than the last and had two homeless people lying in boxes along the back wall of a warehouse.

Hoping they wouldn't make a fuss as she did so, Kitty ignored them and phased into the warehouse. It was empty except for two more vagrants inside.

She was about to phase back out, when one of the occupants – a man - snarled out the word, "Mutante" in thick Spanish.

The other occupant was a female and she stepped toward Kitty menacingly.

"We told the other one to get out, stay out, and keep your kind away from our city. Was she stupid enough to ignore us or were you stupid enough to ignore her?" the woman said coldly as she glared at Kitty.

"'The other one?' You've seen another mutant here?" She demanded.

"Si. We kicked her ass out of our home," the man replied in heavily accented English now. "Just as we will do yours."

"Wait!"

Kitty dove out of the charging man's path and looked around for a high ground where she could talk to the couple safely. Spotting a stack of crates that should hold the mutant haters off for a moment or two, she run to the other side of the warehouse and climbed them.

"The other mutant was a she? Did she have blue skin and red hair?"

"That's the bitch," the woman replied, rubbing a spot on her shoulder to indicate that Mystique had injured her there in some way.

"Please, I know you don't like mutants, but I'm just a kid ok? I'm here to find that other mutant and take her away from here. She's hurt a friend of mine and if I don't find her I think my friend could die. Please, tell me when and where you last saw her and I swear we'll both be gone and never return to your home or city."

Unable to ignore the pleading in Kitty's voice, the angry couple stopped and exchanged a look.

"You must also make it clear that this town does not want mutants." The man stated.

"Absolutely."

I'll make sure none of the mutants I know ever want to visit this place, she added mentally.

"You're probably too late to find her in town. We found her in here looking for something to steal this afternoon. The last we saw of her was her blue body limping as fast as it could down King Street and toward the city limits at about 4 o'clock."

"Thank you. Can you tell me how seriously she was injured?"

"None of us had guns, unfortunately, so she only took a beating with stones and baseball bats. She was limping, but able to hobble off, so we didn't do any real damage."

With that, the woman indicated she'd said all she had to or would say and it was time for Kitty to uphold her end of the bargain.

She quickly phased through the wall behind her and ran until she felt she was a safe distance from those two in case they changed their minds about letting her go.

Once satisfied, so radioed the info she'd gotten to the rest of the team.

~*~*~

"Have you been able to see anything?"

Jean ignored the question and continued to concentrate on trying to locate Mystique.

Frustrated at having no success, she turned to the others as they all stood at the beginning of King Street.

"Nothing. She may be too weak from whatever injuries she's sustained or maybe those people lied about all this. I can't find a trace."

"She'll be hidink. She vould not have left zhis town because of some redneck mutant haters if zhere was somezing in zhat varehouse she vanted." Kurt said quietly.

They all took a moment to think about his statement before nodding.

"You're right. She'll wait until she thinks those people are asleep then go back to the warehouse." Scott figured.

"I really don't think there was anything in there she wanted to steal. Those people didn't seem very … um … rational, so if they saw her there they probably just assumed she was after something." Kitty said.

"I have to agree with that," Ororo added.

"This place isn't exactly a known tourist location and certainly not Mystique's cup of tea. I have to agree with Kurt and Scott that if she came here she came here for something." Jean joined in.

"Right. It's 9pm now and the vagrants are bound to still be up after running into Kitty, so we can't approach the warehouse yet. I think we should search all possible places that she may be hiding between here and there then meet at the warehouse at 11. Kitty, Kurt and Ororo – you cover east and south. Jean and I will take west and down."

The team again split up and went in their separate directions.

Alone with her boyfriend, Jean delayed him for a moment before he could start leading them down the left part of town.

"Scott, are you really sure we aren't wasting our time here? I know Cerebro found her here, but I can't sense anything. What will happen to Rogue if we're wrong?"

"The Professor says she was here and those vagrants confirmed it, Jean. This town seems to really dislike mutants, so I don't think they'd lie about chasing one off or know enough about Mystique to lie to Kitty about who they chased off. For some reason, she's here and I think her and learning what that reason is what we have to do to help Rogue."

~*~*~

No one was surprised when they reunited having found no trace of their target.

The woman was a chameleon and expert at evading pursuers.

A fact that made Kurt hope she did not sense the trap they were preparing.

Following this hunch may be the only chance they had of getting Mystique back to the holding room they'd prepared at the institute so they could learn what she'd done to Rogue.

His glaring yellow eyes slid shut and the three fingers on each of his hands curled inward to form fists as he thought of his sister.

Nothing is going to happen to her.

She'll be fine.

None of them would settle for anything less.

Shaking off his emotions, he focused on the mission in progress.

Kitty was just phasing back through the wall as he opened his eyes again.

The team gathered around her for an update.

"They're asleep, soundly I think. There are at least two doors for Mystique to enter through, numerous windows, and quite possible openings on the roof. I think our best bet is to hide inside and wait for her rather than try getting her before she finds some way in."

"Excellent, Kitty." Scott took in the information.

"You mentioned the warehouse was practically empty, are there enough inside to provide cover for us all?" Ororo asked.

"I think Jean will have to rearrange a few crates without disturbing the sleepers for us, but yeah we'll manage."

"Ok, take us in there and let's get ready. Kurt, you stand guard out here. Keep your eyes and ears open to everything around the building and if you here anything from us over comms don't hesitate to respond."

With that order, Jean, Ororo and Scott all latched on to Kitty who phased the group through the wall into the warehouse.

Frustrated at having been left out of the most important part, he began teleporting to various locations around the building to stop and check for any suspicious activity.

No matter what went on inside, Kurt would cover their backs and prevent any interference from the outside.

~*~*~

Inside Scott and the others watched from the shadows as Jean levitated and rearranged the crates that were stacked against the front wall of the building. Watching first one then two crates moved away, he again thought of how unusual their original placement was.

Usually in warehouses such storage crates would be stacked against side walls or the back of the building, out of the way. These five large wooden boxes were piled just about ten feet from the front entrance to the place.

~~What the - ? Scott, come look at this.~~

Responded to his girlfriend's mental call, he moved quietly but fast until he was at her side.

~~A trapdoor. Call the others over.~~

Jean followed his instruction while he stooped down to look over the small square metal flap she'd discovered while moving the crates.

Congratulating himself for subconsciously knowing there had had to be a reason for the boxes being where they were, he pulled on the small handle to lift the flap.

Through the opening created all he could see was a metal ladder built into the side of the 4' x 4' shaft leading down into complete darkness.

~~Jean?~~

~~I sense no danger. It seems to have been abandoned like the rest of the building.~~

~~Mystique?~~

~~I can't be sure. There's something somewhere down there, but I can't get any kind of clear picture. There's some kind of interference.~~

Looking for the first time at Kitty and Ororo he noticed the older woman's almost petrified stare down into the dark opening she knew he intended them all to enter. Remembering her extreme claustrophobia, he told Jean to contact Kurt to come switch places with Storm and allow the weather Goddess to stand guard outside.

Within seconds the blue boy had teleported in, grabbed Ororo, blinked back out again, then returned to await their orders for what to do next. Sensing they were all getting uncomfortable about simply standing there with the homeless mutant haters snoring just a few feet away, Scott lowly gave the orders he'd formed so far.

"I think we've found what she was looking for. She may already be down there somewhere, Jean can't get a read, so we're going in without using our powers. I don't want anything to tip her off that we're coming if she's found another way in.

"Everyone get your flashlights out. I'm going down first and I'll call to Jean when I've made it safely to wherever the bottom is. If the coast is clear, you all follow with Jean bringing up the rear. There only seems to be the one handle, so your powers will be needed to close the door behind us. The last thing we need are those mutant haters waking and coming down after us."

All but Scott removed the VersaBrite II lights from the belt of their uniforms and prepared themselves for any possible outcome from this turn of events.

As they stood watching he turned around and placed his right foot on the first rung of the ladder before quickly moving his left to the rung below that and quickly climbing downward.

When he finally touched down on the solid ground of wherever the ladder led, he did some quick math in his head to estimate how far he'd come. He had instinctively kept track of the number of rungs he'd traversed and put the number at roughly 30, each spaced about a foot apart.

30 feet down, he thought, not so bad.

Finally, he removed the light clipped to the belt of his uniform and flicked it on. The small hand-held spotlight lit the space in front of him, but there was nothing to see.

The 4' x 4' square of the shaft he'd just climbed down changed into a seemingly endless corridor once he turned his back on the ladder.

As he moved it around the beam of his light picked up a concrete floor, concrete walls spaced only four feet apart, a ceiling about seven feet above him and nothing but darkness after that.

Ok.

This is creepy as hell, but I'm the leader of the X-Men. I can do it.

Pep talk repeating itself over and over in his mind he began walking slowly down the long cramped hallway, his light not detecting a single door along the walls no matter where he shone it.

Thank goodness he'd had Kurt change places with Ororo, the woman couldn't have been blamed for freaking out in this situation. The situation being ripe with phobia inducing elements and bothering even Scott as he continued moved further along the corridor without seeing anything.

He'd welcome a rat or cockroach scurrying across his path or some speck of little on the ground.

Anything other than concrete and darkness beyond the glare of his light.

Finally in the distance ahead, something broke the monotony of his journey thus far.

A faint glimmer of light was visible some feet in front of him.

Shutting off his flashlight so it's beam would not be detected, he moved with all the stealth he had along the wall toward that sliver of light.

Getting closer he came to realize the glow was that of light shining out from the slight spaces around a closed door.

The door indicating a room and the light indicated someone was in that room.

This must be the place, he thought before calling to Jean to bring the others to his location.

~*~*~

~~I'm there, though I've no idea what or where there is. Send Kurt first then Kitty and make sure Kitty doesn't make a single sound. It's dark and closed in and very creepy, but you must all be quiet.~~

As she sometimes did when Scott was in this strong leader mode of his, Jean resisted the urge to roll her eyes and respond "Duh" to his ordering her to do the obvious. Instead, she acknowledges all he'd said and mentally urged Kurt to make his way down the ladder then move straight down the corridor until she reached Scott.

The Nightcrawler didn't hesitate to turn and quickly move down the ladder and out of their sight.

When he appeared to have been swallowed by the darkness of the shaft, Jean turned her attention to Kitty.

~~We don't know what we're dealing with here yet, but no matter what happened you cannot make a sound or any reaction that could jeopardize the team. From what Scott has told me, it's cramped and dark down there, but you cannot be scared.~~

Kitty just nodded, but Jean could divulge from her thoughts that the girl would make every effort to restrain any instinctive reaction that could prevent them from completing this mission and helping Rogue.

~~Let's go now. I'll follow right behind you and we can stay together once we get down there.~~

~~That's a deal-clenching promise for me.~~

Kitty tried to joke with a weak smile before quickly moving to get down the ladder.

As promised, Jean waited until there was enough space between them that she wouldn't step on Kitty's fingers then followed the other girls into the shaft. After her head was completely below the surface, she waved a hand and soundlessly pulled the trapdoor shut above them.

Both girls nearly gasped as the darkness completely covered them and the space they were in took on a very tomb-like feel.

Anxious to get to the bottom so they could begin using their lights, Jean urged Kitty to move quickly down the metal rungs.

Though it took only seconds to reach the concrete floor below, it felt like much longer. The moment they were both on solid ground, they turned on their lights and began moving as quickly as they could down the long corridor toward where the guys would be.

~~Lights off NOW!~~

Their team leader's sudden command had her automatically snapping her light off and making Kitty do the same.

~~We're about three feet in front of you, Jean. Just feel along the walls until you touch one of us.~~

Taking Kitty's hand in her own, she did just as he suggesting taking slow tiny steps forward in the nearly pitch-black corridor until her fingers felt Kurt's hair and hint of his pointy ear.

~~Made it.~~ she mentally sighed for everyone to hear.

~~Ok. Scan the room for any activity.~~

Jean focused her telepathy on that task and sent her mental feelers out through the closed door around which so very little light escaped and into the room the door blocked entry to.

Someone's there….. Clicking keys…. Computer keys….

Typing on a keyboard.

Focusing on the person in the room, she felt twinges of pain.

Not her own, but that of the person.

~~It's Mystique. She's injured like they said.~~

~~Is she still a danger?~~

~~Yes. Whatever was done to her was minor or superficial, she's still in fighting form.~~

~~Recommendations?~~

~~Send Kitty in to distract her then blast our way in.~~

~~Shouldn't we all try to sneak in?~~

~~No. I saw another door in front of her and I think Kitty should make her way through these walls and then enter from there. That way she'll be blocking the only other escape route, leaving Mystique to head straight for us as we burst in.~~

~~Good plan. Tell the others.~~

Smiling at how she'd impressed him, she did just that.

Pausing only to take a calming breath after being given the instructions, Kitty obeyed the order and phased into the wall out of their sight.

~~I'm in some kind of tunnel now.~~

The projected thought reached Jean seconds later as Kitty had apparently made it through these walls to some other place.

~~Do you see a door?~~

~~I'm ready to go through it at your command.~~

~~We're good to go. Tell me when your inside then we'll join you there.~~

~~NOW!~~

"Now, Scott!" Jean shouted the order aloud the second the word was uttered in her mind by Kitty.

Ready and waiting for the command, he touched his visor and released a blast of energy that blew the steel door off its hinges and into the room behind it.

He, Kurt and Jean all rushed in prepared to battle with Mystique, but the woman stopped them with her laughter.

"Goodness, Xavier has made you brats pathetically predictable."

Frozen in their tracks, the small team just stood staring at the blue skinned woman as she slouched down in an office chair sitting before a large computer console.

"You're coming with us!" Scott commanded.

"Only because I choose to, red-eyes."

"You'd come with us willingly?" Jean asked, shocked.

"I didn't know what would happen when I gave her the collar. I will do what I can to help her, even if it means putting myself in your hands."

Sincerity oozed from the woman's mind and body. She sighed and slumped forward in her chair, almost seeming defeated.

Guilt.

My God, what could she have done to their teammate that left the villainess feeling guilty?

"What is happening to her?!" Kitty rushed forward to demand, unknowingly voicing the question in Jean's mind.

"I'm hoping we can all learn that from all this."

Mystique nudged a pack backpack toward Scott with her foot.

Kneeling and keeping his eyes on the shape-shifter, he tore the pack open then lowered his gaze for a second to take in it's contents.

Jean too looked down, seeing inside nothing but binders, loose sheets of paper, some books, and lots of computer disks.

"What is all that?"

The woman lifted her yellow eyes to lock with Jean's - who had asked the question - and answered.

"It's everything they ever did here."

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Author Speaking:

Da Da dummmmmmm! Mystique helping the X-Men willingly?

Nevah you say?

Well, faithful readers, have no fear. I am not making my favorite villainess go soft, simply working another rather famous quote into the plot/story. The first of course being "Beware of Greek bearing gifts" (shame on any of y'all who missed that in the chapter titles) and the next one will of course be "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer."

Quick question: Has the shift in focus confused anyone? These last two chapters just kinda wrote themselves and I'm not sure yet where they'll be leading. Stayed tuned for I'll bring ya more as it's written. :-)

Mishka