Down the corridors, the mutants and humans rushed. Midway they ran into Mystique and her team, carrying the now pale-skinned, otherwise normal looking Leech, as the injured were given to those able to carry them and they all ran as fast as they could to the exit. The klaxon blare of alarms throughout the entire base told them things were not yet over. So did the countdown.
"Ten... nine... eight..."
Finally they reached the exit, but to their horror the great steel doors, three feet thick, was already lowering, and those unable to teleport or move at the speed of light (Quicksilver had already grabbed Magneto and Wanda in each arm and rushed out, leaving his comrades the Brotherhood to die) were not going to be able to make it out in time before the entire fortress exploded. The steel doors continued to lower as the mutants and humans rushed as fast as their two legs could carry them. Or in the case of Kurt and Rahne, four legs. Bobby tried to ice a barrier, but the door closing mechanism was too strong and the ice splintered and broke... as did Spyke's spikes. They weren't going to make it...!
Suddenly a gigantic hand grabbed the underside of the iron door as it nearly reached the ground, and then another. The two hands lifted, and with a groan of protest the iron door slowly started to rise again, as their rescuer came into sight.
It was the Juggernaut.
He held the door open, arms raised above his head as he shouted at the stunned X-Men, telling them all to escape, now.
"Three... two..."
The last of them escaped and Juggernaut dropped the door as the captives rushed away from the fortress as fast as they could, running through the field and to the edge of the woods, diving towards the ground as a blast shook the entire area, and the mountain exploded in a blast that seemed nearly on-par with nuclear missiles. The wind kicked up at the flattened form of the mutants and humans as a bright light overtook them and they all shielded their eyes.
Finally, it was over, and they reluctantly stood on rather shaky legs.
"Is everyone okay?" shouted Scott, glancing at the others. Apart from some minor bruises and scrapes, the only truly injured member of any of the groups was Evan, who lay on the ground, bleeding through the hole in his chest. Ororo and Callisto rushed over to him immediately. Apparently the mutant's fashion had been the biggest casualty. Burn holes, torn and ripped shirts, jeans and shorts. Most were lucky to have any modesty left after the battle.
"There is nothing we can do for him... this wound is fatal," intoned Callisto quietly.
"No, there has to be something we can do! Evan! Evan, wake up!" shouted Ororo, shaking her nephew, but there was no response. Evan Daniels was dead.
Or was he? Despite his lack of motion, Ororo noticed his chest still moved up and down with a steady rhythm. He was still breathing. Suddenly Evan sat bolt upright, coughing blood as he looked around in shock, no doubt replaying the last few moments he'd been conscious when he was shot.
"Evan, oh thank the Goddess you're alright," said Ororo, giving her nephew a hug, careful to keep from injuring him further. "But how can this be?"
Evan gingerly reached down, placing a hand over his chest, just left of the wound, which he covered with a spiked plate to keep from bleeding further. "That's why..." he stated quietly.
"What? What is it?" asked Ororo.
Evan guided Auntie O's hand over his chest, and she felt it too. A second, steady heartbeat. Evan had two hearts. Even with the damaging of one, he was still able to survive, and given enough time his first could heal itself. Evan reluctantly laid back down as the other Morlocks stood to one side amidst the trees, fearful of the other mutants gathered. Only Callisto stayed by Evan's side.
Professor X, being supported as he was by Rogue and Gambit, watched with surprise as his half-brother, the unstoppable Juggernaut, turned and walked away from the battlefield. Since his brother did not have on his helmet, Xavier risked a brief glance into his brothers thoughts, and found out this was his way of repaying a debt owed. His way of saying thank you.
The area was suddenly filled with troops amongst the trees as two helicopters roared overhead. It landed alongside the gathering, and out stepped Agent Nick Fury, smiling as Wolverine made his way over towards him. Trask, already shackled with his hands behind his back, restrained by two SHIELD agents, was dragged out, glaring at Wolverine.
"Good to see you're alright, Logan," he stated, still chewing on a fresh toothpick. "We've already rounded up Trask and his scientists, and with the testimony of those here we'll be able to put them all away for a very, very long time."
"I will be back! I won't rest until the mutant threat is gone!" he shouted. Wolverine growled, popped his claws and made his way over to Trask, holding them menacingly before the evil scientist.
"I got just one thing to say to that, bub," he said with a wicked, dangerous grin. Trask sweated heavily, but refused to back down. To his surprise, Wolverine retracted both of his outer claws, leaving only the middle one, which he saluted Trask with as if it was a gesture of extremely rude nature in most social circles. Satisfied, he turned back to Fury as Trask was hauled away, grinning openly.
"You planned this all, didn't you Patch?" said Logan in response, folding his arms and growling slightly. Fury smirked, reached out, and plucked a tiny black device that was attached to Wolverine's jacket. He hadn't even noticed it before.
"I knew you all would never sit tight. So we played cavalry," he said, tossing the device into the air. Wolverine caught it, and crushed it in his palm. If there was one thing he hated it was being used, but he supposed Fury had done right in the end.
"Any sign of Wraith?" he asked. Fury shook his head.
"We're about to head in and clear out the debris, check for survivors... but I'm not too optimistic. He'll be back though, won't he?"
"Guy's like a plague rat," stated Logan darkly. "He doesn't die that easily."
"Well, on to more important matters," stated Fury, turning to face Magneto, who'd arisen next to his son. "Concerning you..." Magneto gestured, interrupting Fury as his sidearm suddenly sprang free of his side holster, floated up in front of his face threateningly. Fury didn't even bat his remaining eye. "As I was saying, right now you assisted my men in disarming a hostile situation... so you and your men can go free. This time."
"How noble of you," replied Magneto haughtily.
"Don't expect the same courtesy next time," replied Fury, still staring down his own weapon. Beside him, Wolverine growled softly, and Magneto was in no mood for another fight. Not right now, at least. He gestured, and Fury's weapon returned to his hand, where he clicked the safety back on and returned it to its holster.
Magneto, with a whoosh of his black coat, made to depart.
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"All of you prepared to move out," stated Callisto, speaking to the Morlocks. "We leave as soon as Spyke can walk."
"Now just a minute...!" interrupted Ororo, as the two women came face to face. "Evan is coming home with me."
"The Morlocks are his family now, Windrider," stated Callisto, her one good eye locked with Ororo's, as the two women stared each other down. Fortunately, Evan himself interrupted the two before it turned to an outright catfight.
"Auntie O... she's right... my place is with the Morlocks. For now at least," he said quietly, leaning on a makeshift bone crutch.
"But we're your family, Evan," she said, motioning to the X-Men. "We can also help you through this."
"None of you really understand me," he said. "The Morlocks do... I'm sorry Auntie O," he said, stepping over next to Callisto and Façade as the other Morlocks vanished into the woodwork, heading back to the Alley. Evan waved again to his aunt, as Faced took both Callisto and Evan's shoulders and activated his power. They faded away from view, leaving Ororo heartbroken again she hadn't been able to be a good protector for her only nephew. Worse, she hadn't been able to tell Evan how proud of him she'd been.
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"Hey!"
Remy turned around to see the Rogue wandering over towards him, away from the others. He leaned back against the tree he was near, smiling amiably.
"What can I do for you chere?" he asked.
"For starters you can stop calling me that..." she huffed in mock annoyance. She was almost starting to like that name. "But... I wanted to thank you for saving my life. You and the others, if you hadn't come..."
"Think nothin' of it," he replied with a smile as he leaned forward and wrapped an arm around her waist, drawing her in close. "But maybe I can get a bit of compensation for my trouble?"
"What?" she asked, very confused and very flustered. True, no skin was touching his, but they were still entirely too close for comfort. "What'd ya have in mind?"
"Just a kiss, Marie... that's all," he said with a playful smirk. Rogue gasped, doubly astonished by both his request and that he'd found out her name. Only the private records of Professor Xavier, plus a few select people, knew her real name was Marie Darkholme.
"But... but ah can't... mah mutation..." she started, feeling the tears starting to well up.
"Chere, can't isn't a word I like to use often," replied Remy, releasing her from his embrace and reaching into his trench coat, pulling out a thin, near transparent strip of silk, holding it before her lower face like a veil. Without a word he leaned in, kissing her -through- the silk, full on the lips, and she could say and do nothing in response. The kiss blew her mind. This was better than Pietro. Remy was gentler, more passionate. There was no compare. Thus she felt almost disappointed when the kiss came to an end and Remy deftly folded up the silk, handing it to Rogue.
"Don't be usin' that too much while I'm gone, chere," he said with a smirk and a mock-bow, starting to take off. Rogue stood there frozen for a moment longer before regaining control of her motor functions and shouted out to him.
"Wait! How did ya know mah... mah true name?" she called out after him.
"Oh that," he said, having the good grace to look sheepish. "Ah well... let's just say your Professor needs to upgrade security on that Cerebro thingie. Aur revoir."
Rogue smiled, then burst out laughing, as Remy took off to join the other Acolytes.
She'd never felt happier in her life.
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Magneto gestured at the shattered and broken barricade that had sealed off the fortress, remolding it to better suit his purposes as a gigantic metal sphere, the side of which slid open as he and his Acolytes boarded, Mastermind being supported by Colossus, though he paused at the entrance, glancing back at his one-time friend and now rival, Charles Xavier.
"It was good to fight alongside you once more, Charles," he stated quietly. Charles nodded, and nothing further was said between the two, as the sphere's entrance started to close. Suddenly a blue flicker surrounded the gateway as Wanda stepped forward, looking very, very angry. Eric froze, unsure of what to do. True, he was surrounded by most of his Acolytes, but Wanda now knew everything, and her power was damn near unstoppable.
"Father..." she said quietly. Then her gaze flickered the Mastermind, who had regained consciousness and was watching the Scarlet Witch fearfully. She gestured, and he was dragged forward before her. "You... you are the one who replaced my memories..."
Mastermind nodded, gulping, terrified doubly of the daughter than the father.
"Do it again," she said quietly. Mastermind could only watch with a confused look on his face. "I would rather live the lie than remember all those horrible things... do a good job this time," she added angrily as she crossed her arms. Mastermind wasted no time in complying, his eyes glowing blue and his fingers twitching as he re-wrote Wanda's memories to the happy times with her father he'd done once before. This time, however, he had a better time of it since she wasn't resisting. Now the memories would be so strong she would instinctively resist any attempt to be reminded of her troublesome childhood in the asylum.
Pietro, watching to one side, could only watch in horror, shocked at his sister and even more at his father, who allowed this. He knew he'd done it once, but to do it now, at her request, to purposefully destroy her past twice. He had a heart of iron. Pietro wouldn't be terribly sad if he died tomorrow.
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"So where'd the girl go?" asked Fury. Logan knew damn well who he meant.
"Dunno... lost sight of her after the explosion. She could be anywhere by now," he replied.
"Think she's dead?" inquired Fury.
"I wouldn't be," Logan replied. "What about the kid we found?"
"Dorian? Unconscious... probably won't remember a thing once he wakes up. We're gonna make sure that its back home with his mom in Bayville," replied Fury, tossing his toothpick aside as his teams moved to do just that, still rounding up the last of the scientists and soldiers who'd been working under Trask.
Little did the two know they were being watched. Far away, normally the distance only an eagle could see a mouse running along the ground, X23 regarded her semi-parent and her former enemy with her enhanced senses, allowing her to hear and see them as if she was right next to them without being noticed.
She owed Logan a great deal for all he'd done that one night at the mansion, but today she'd more than repaid her debt. They were even. One thing she'd inherited from him besides his genes was his sense of honor. Her debt was fulfilled now. X23 leapt down from the tree as lightly and quietly as a cat and started running through the wilderness that covered the Appalachian mountains. Leaping up and over rocks, running as fast as she could, just marveling at her own freedom, however temporary it was. Tomorrow she could worry about her enemy, tomorrow she could worry about Hydra. For now, she was grateful.
A rare smile graced the lips of the mutant known only as X23, as she took off running like a deer, the wind rustling through her long, dark brown hair.
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Mystique was preparing to depart as well with Agatha and Irene when Kurt made his way over to her.
"Mother?" he asked quietly, almost fearfully. Mystique slowly turned around, while Irene and Agatha both instinctively sensed this was a private moment and stood to one side.
"Yes Kurt?" she asked.
"I... I just wanted to say thank you. We... we all would've died if you hadn't come to save us. Me, schwester Rogue, Amanda..."
"Amanda?" asked Mystique, raising an eyebrow and glancing over at the dark-skinned girl, who also stood to one side to give mother and son their private time together. "The human girl?"
"Ve're all human, mother," said Kurt, suddenly defensive of the girlfriend who'd been brave enough to save his life. "Even Master Mold said so. You can't refute a computer's logic," he added with more characteristic good humor.
"Perhaps..." replied Mystique, still watching Amanda, who was looking at Kurt and showing none of the usual revulsion or fear associated with his true form. "This... Amanda... knows what you truly look like?"
"Ja... and she accepts me for what I am," he replied proudly. Mystique, upon hearing this, nearly broke down and cried, but managed to keep herself composed. This was the reason she'd had to flee Germany, from Kurt's real father, and later from Eric. Because she thought that no one would ever be able to love such a demonic-looking child. As the saying went, she had thought Kurt had a face only a mother could love. Now he had friends, and even someone who loved him more than Mystique ever had.
"I... see..." she managed to say without her voice cracking from emotion. Though happy for her son, she couldn't bring herself to say it. It wasn't who she was. She never showed weakness to anyone, not even her family.
"Mother, come home with us... Herr Professor will accept you because your family to me and Rogue..."
"I can't," Mystique replied simply, turning her back on her son and on Rogue, who was running up to join them. "I cannot face Rogue now... not until I've finished what I've started and saved us both."
Rogue rushed up just as Agatha, Irene, and Raven faded into the rising mists, vanishing from view.
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Those remaining made their way to the Blackbird, boarding it. A number of drop offs would have to be included for those who did not live at the Institute, but it hardly matter as long as they were all safe.
"Hey Professor?" asked Kitty, as she made her way to his side. "Can we like give the Brotherhood a ride too? They deserve it for all they've done."
"Of course Kitty," he replied with a smile, wheeling his emergency wheelchair over to the boarding walkway, where the Brotherhood stood below.
"You are more than welcome to come with us," said Xavier diplomatically.
"Whatever," replied Lance as he and the other Brotherhood members boarded, reminding both the Professor and Kitty of the time after Asteroid M, when the Brotherhood had needed a ride as well (as if they would be able to walk their way home from where they'd been) but too stubborn (or prideful) to ask for any.
They all boarded the Blackbird, finding space for those without seats (Amanda wound up riding in Kurt's lap, much to both their delight) as Scott took the controls and lifted them up and off as they headed home. Warren dropped out of the plane as soon as they reached New York, saying he's make the rest of the way on his own. He spread his wings and flew home, lamenting the fact that he'd have little time to unwind before he had to go back to work on Monday.
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As Irene, Agatha and Mystique made to split up and return to their respective homes, Irene suddenly gasped, her head snapping up. Both of the other women recognized this as a sign the woman was receiving one of her visions.
"What is it Irene?" asked Mystique, steadying the older woman. "What do you see?"
"I... I see..." she started to say. Then it hit her, all at once, becoming crystal clear.
... Rogue gave a roar of anger and slammed her palms hard into the stone statue of her mother, pushing it through the flimsy wood of the balcony as both her brother and Agatha watched in horror. Kurt launched himself forward, as time seemed to slow with the statues descent. Kurt teleported, arriving on the ground beneath the gazebo just in time to see the statue hit, and shatter. "Noooo!" he cried, watching the many pieces shatter into more, beyond any hope of recovery...
Irene suddenly snapped back into reality, rubbing her temples in an effort to calm herself. She had not been able to see the statue's face very clearly, but whoever it was, she had sensed it had been of great importance to both Kurt and Rogue.
"I see your children, Raven... one will destroy something she holds dear, the other will fail to save it."
"Nothing more specific?" asked Mystique, curious as to the meaning of this new, strange vision.
Irene was about to say yes, but could not bring herself to. Even if she did say that her friends anger and hatred would destroy her, would Raven listen? Or would her daughter, Rogue, before she fell down the same path? There was nothing that could be done to affect this vision.
"No... there was nothing else," replied Irene quietly. Agatha, able to sense her lie, also said nothing. She trusted the visionary enough not to say anything.
The three women parted ways, going back to their homes (those that had them) and returning to their usual business.
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Authors Notes:
For the record, I don't know of Façade's power can affect more people than just himself, but for the purposes of this story I'm assuming he can. The idea for Evan having two hearts most Morlock fans probably recognize as something his female comic counterpart, Marrow, had. They discovered hers in a similar, painful, manner. Remy kissing Rogue, bet just about everyone who isn't anti-Romy enjoyed that, but unfortunately the idea for the silk wasn't mine, I borrowed it from another fanfiction story I read way, way back based on the movie. Also this chapter involves a lot of wrapping up prior to Dark Horizons, Impact, No Good Deed, etc. so I'm adding little scenes that explain why characters acted as they did in those episodes. I also tried to do my best to slip Leech back into 'Uprising' without him being noticed.
Cryptic Identity: I know Starcraft, I used to be quite the Marine player. What can I say, I love to 'call down the thunder' and 'reap the whirlwind' Yes that was Leech in 'Uprising,' those blasted writers ruined my story! Now it can never have happened!
Todd Fan: There will be more, but I think I'll hold off other original stories until the seasons end. Don't worry though, there are many ideas bouncing around inside this near-empty cavern I call a skull.
Gyuumajo: That must be some mega tough gear? You lacin' it with adamantium?
CC Grayson: Great, good to know. We'd hate to lose you.
Rogue14: Oh? Did I really? Fooled you all, didn't I? Muwahahahaha!
Rictor: Answer your question?
Optic Red: I have to chalk that up to watching entirely too many cartoons/anime.