Darkness

            Rogue slowly opened her eyes.  Suddenly a wave of nausea caused Rogue to vomit.  Rogue closed her eyes, hoping to fight another wave of nausea that she could felt coming.  Slowly she opened her eyes again.  The room was spinning, causing another wave of nausea to force her to vomit.  Felling slightly better, Rogue finally looked around.  She found herself in a small stone room.  Bars went across he entrance, locking her in.  Her wrists were tied to small hook on the wall.  The only light to see by was a small candle sitting in the center of the room, causing eerie shadows to dance across the walls.  Rogue started to stand, but a sudden wave of pain from her ankle caused her to fall with a small thud to the ground.

            Rogue glanced at her ankle.  It had swelled to about two times its normal size and was covered with a yellowish burse, "Shit, it's broken.  Just my luck.  I'm all alone, locked in a cell, my ankle is broken, and I'm covered in barf.  What else can go wrong?"

            "Good your awake, that makes my job easier."

            Rogue coughed a few times before speaking, "Who's there?"

            "Oh, don't you recognize me?" there was a gruff laughter, "Oh, now that really hurts."

            Rogue managed to open her eyes again, this time without getting sick.  A dark figure stepped out from the shadows.  He had long blond hair, piercing black eyes, and long nails that looked more like claws.  Rogue gasped, "Sabertooth."

            "Oh, so you do remember me?"  He said with a laugh.

            Rogue could feel her strength returning as her anger rose, "Why did you kidnap me?  Let me go!  Just you wait till the others get here, you'll be sorry you messed with the X-Men, Rogue screamed as she struggled against the restraints on her arms.

            "No I don't thing their coming, In fact, they're all going to die in about twenty minuets.  Well, all except our friend Wolvie.  He's mine."

            That stopped Rogue, "You're going to kill them?  How?  Tell me!"

            "Well it's actually Mystique who's going to do all the killing.  Your precious X-Men are heading to a warehouse as we speak, when they get there they'll storm in, ready to save the day, but you won't be there.  But by the time they realize this tidbit of information, it will be too late."  He laughed again, "BOOM!  Bye-bye mutants!"

            "You're lying, Mystique would never help you!  She hates you!"

            Sabertooth turned to leave, "Because after I kill Wolverine, she get you; her precious Rogue."

            Rogue waited for Sabertooth to leave before she allowed herself to cry, "All this just for me.  Scott, Jean, Kitty, Kurt, Logan.  They're all going to die just to save me."

Finally Rogue stopped crying, she had no tears left, "No.  No, I won't let it happen.  I won't let those bastards hurt my friend."  Rogue started working her hands out of their restraints, "Sabertooth, you just messed with the wrong Southern belle,"

            Mystique had watcher the latest happening at the institute for the last few hours.  She had watched, Sabertooth kidnap her daughter, Shadowcat find the glove and note, and the X-Men leave the mansion.  Now was her time to act.  She had positioned herself at the entrance to the Blackbird's hanger.  Mystique now only had to wait.

            Luckily, she didn't have to wait long.  Hank came running across the grounds to the hanger.  Mystique allowed him to ready the jet, make any last minuet preparations, and page the team members before acting.  Slowly, she dropped from her hiding place and snuck up behind him.  She pulled out of fast acting sedative and stabbed him in the arm.  Hank collapsed to the floor, just as Mystique finished taking his shape.  She lifted his unconscious body and placed it in a spot that was out of sight.

            "Beast, you ready?" Scott asked as the team loaded the jet.

            "Of course.  Let's go find Rogue."

            "Logan where are you going?" Storm asked as she followed him out of the mansion.  "Logan!  Stop!"  She quickly summoned a gust of wind to stop his movements, "You will answerer me Logan."

            "Ororo let me go. "  He turned to face her, "it's a rap.  Sabertooth would never let himself be tracked so easily."

            "So?  If you go to him, he'll kill Rogue.  Is that what you want?"

            Logan looked away, "Sabertooth wanted the others to go to that warehouse.  He just wanted them out of the way, he expects me to find him."

            "What if your wrong?  He'll kill her." Storm yelled, hoping to put some sense into his head.

            "I'm not wrong."

            "Fine, let's say that you're right.  How do you intend to find Sabertooth?"

            "Caliban.  He'll be able to tell me where she is."

            Caliban?  How do you expect to find him?  And even if you can, why would he help you?"

            "He's part of the Morlocks right.  Evan could help me find Caliban."

            "Fine, but the Professor ordered me to stop you."

            "I don't want to fight you Ro, but I will if I have to."

            Storm walked up behind him, exposing her back to him, "One last thing, Logan.  If you get yourself killed, I will never forgive you."

            Logan smiled, "How could I not love this woman?"  Logan brought his arm down, hitting the base of her neck and knocking her unconscious.  Gently her caught her in his arms and laid her down on the ground.  Turning he walked over to the garage and mounted his motorcycle.  He glanced back at the unconscious Storm, "Maybe Rogue was right.  I think I'll have a nice long chat with Ro when I get back."

            Logan walked though the seawares toward the Morlock base.  He had been here only a few times before, yet thanks to his extraordinary senses he was having no trouble finding the right path.  Suddenly he stopped; he could hear someone breathing nearby.

            "Hey there Porcupine.  I see you living with the Morlocks has taught you how to sneak around properly."

            "Wolverine?  My god, it is you!  I thought I was dreaming or something.  So, what are you doing here?" Evan asked, stepping out from the shadows.

            "Rogue's been kidnapped by Sabertooth, I need Caliban's help to find her."

            "Okay, follow me."

            Evan led Logan down into the base camp, stopping right in front of a small shack, "Caliban is in there.  I can't go in with you; I have a training session to get to.  Say hi to Auntie Ro for me."

            Logan entered the shack and looked around.  Caliban was sitting on a small stool reading a newspaper.  He didn't seem startled at all by Logan's presence, but instead Caliban seemed almost bored.  He looked up from the newspaper, "You wanted me to find someone, correct?" Caliban asked.

            "Yes, her name's Rogue."

            Caliban was silent for a moment, then he spoke, "She's in a cave west of here."

            "Thank you," Logan said as he exited the shack, "Hang on Rogue, I'm coming."