Through Hellfire and Back,
Part 20
Disclaimer: X-men Evolution is the property of Marvel and Kids WB. All the characters in this story are the property of Marvel, although, once again, some have been slightly Evolution-fied for this story.
Enjoy!
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Clocks chimed three a.m. in Boston when the lone figure approached
the central city bank.
Her lithe form taunted the shadows the walked, strutted over top the
bank's one-story roof, eventually stopping to observe it's ravishing
squared skylight. During the day, when the crowds were thick and
tellers in action, the ceiling's component allowed rays of sunlight
to filter in brilliantly to the customers below, often creating a
warm and much more pleasant atmosphere. At the time of its creation,
the building's designers had thought themselves rather clever-
creating a visually pleasing effect, yet one with enough protection
to ward off any would-be thieves. Protection, in the form of the
high-tech security system, and which the windows also maintained.
Although it was hard to tell at first glance, in reality the glass
was two-feet thick and bulletproof besides. Running along its
surface, inside and out were wires- tens of hundreds, each one
electrical and highly sensitive, possessing a computerized trigger
that would sound an alarm if moved so much as a hind's breath.
The rest of the building was secured in much the same way.
Absolute kitten's play.
Leaping high into the air, she performed a quick midair flip and
slipped through the glass with ease, her natural intangibility
allowing her to pass right down to the ground level. The wires were
out of operation in seconds.
Dressed in a slimming black outfit with loose sleeves tucked into
leather gloves, the crimson accent along the open collar and side
stripes all but shimmered in the moonlight as she slipped across the
floor, completely ignoring the security beams and alarms which phased
right through her very being. Some flickered lightly for a while,
some short-circuited outright in moments. Absently, she tugged on the
tip of her ponytail, her brown auburn hair remaining tied back as
blue eyes scanned her surroundings, hidden behind the black cat's eye
mask which graced her face. Now where was that-? Ahhhh. A small smile
of satisfaction ran over her lips as she spotted the true prize of
the night: the west wing, home of the bank's main vault.
Black leather boots zipping over the floor, she allowed her right
hand to fall to her side, removing one of the capsules attached to
her buckled belt. With the push of a button, the capsule unlocked and
unraveled the tightly packed fabric of an empty sack, which she took
with her as she stepped up to a solid steel spherical door. Time to
get to work.
What was the saying? When the guard dogs are away, the claw would
play.
One bundle, two bundles, three bundles, four. A mountain of cash
awaited, stacked to the side or wrapped in safety deposit boxes.
Phasing through locks and security measures, she bypassed them all,
stuffing as much loot as she could carry and then some into her bag.
She was going to rob them blind.
Her superiors would be pleased; very pleased. As Shaw was inclined to
say, the more money, the better.
For them.
Closing the bag with a zip, she passed through the safe once more,
and prepared to air walk back to the city skyline. Only a few more
moments, and she'd be able to call up on the getaway flight to take
her home, rest and relax with the knowledge of another job well
done.
*SHIKT*
What the-?
Unfortunately, all her thoughts of an easy night were diminished as a
new sound sliced through the air. A new, familiar sound. The shadow
figure jumped back, just in time to see the bone splint embed itself
three inches away from her foot.
She snarled, looking up to see Spike attached to the wall, sharp bone
embedded into the cold surface.
"Going somewhere? We've got a few questions."
"Too bad," she muttered in a low tone. As if that one boy could stop
her. Slowly, she took a step back, body melding into the shadows as
she prepared to phase through the ground. No problem, she'd simply
slip into the basement, then escape from there. Spike alone could
never hope to...
Spike..... alone......
Her eyes snapped open, thoughts suddenly running on edge. Senses
started scanning the rest of the room as she slipped into a defensive
stance. Something was wrong with this scenario.
The X-men traveled in packs.
*BAMF*
She held back a yelp at the appearance of Nightcrawler, who
teleported directly behind her. In one swift movement, Kurt snatched
her arms, holding her with as tight grip as he could manage in his
attempt to restrain her, striving to force her into letting go of her
bag.
"Give it up!" He shouted out, his large upright feet locking against
the carpet floor, trying to avoid stumbling or being thrown back.
This thief was was stronger then she looked.
In response was rage filled hiss, as the robber phased through his
arms and gave an attack of her own- a slam directly onto Kurt's right
leg. A yelp of distress escaped the blue furry mutant's lips as her
heal connected with his shin, causing slight injury along with a
temporary loss of balance. Wincing at the pain, he stumbled back
towards the north wall.
His attacker on the other hand, wasn't finished with him yet. Her
back leg shifted, stance widening as her weight moved more towards
the front.
From his position on the wall, eyes narrowed Evan picked up the
outset of her movements, as his mind switched into gear. Those moves-
he'd seen them before. In a training session with Logan, right before
he....... before he.....
Oh shit........
"NIGHTCRAWLER! TELEPORT NOW!"
A slightly dazed Kurt obeyed the quick command, narrowly missing the
second kick that was launched- this one aimed in his head's
direction, hitting the wall with enough force to fracture the paint
job. He reappeared on the other side, at her back, forced to duck
upon arrival as another turning kick shot out. This time however, the
elf made no movement against his aggressor, rather he gave a short
jump-slide towards the ground, arms outreached, maneuvering to snatch
the bag directly under his feet and teleport once more, finally
reappearing, abet with a slight limp, beside his friend hopping down
off the west wall. Upon sight, a cry of rage emanated from the
thief's mouth.
Bad enough the delay, but now....... now the X-men had _her_
prize!
Action meets reaction, no one ever stole from those of the Hellfire
and got away with it. Narrowed eyes and posture stiffening, she
launched herself at Spike, yelling out with a leap-kick that would
have done Mystique proud.
Spike crouched carefully in front of Kurt and blocked with his arm. A
wave of bone splints hit the air, attempting to slow her down.
No chance. They went right through.
"SPIKE!" Kurt gasped as his friend was hit, fortunately chest-on,
sending him sprawling back, as more splints hit the air, a bit this
time out of reflex rather then calculated reaction. Kurt was forced
to port once more, this time narrowly avoiding a graze by both the
black boots and the sharp projectiles.
Pure fury glossed over the thief. Get out, she had to get her money
and out!
Kurt reappeared to aide his fallen companion. Still limping slightly,
he hefted the heavy pack over his shoulder, helping Evan up even as
the blond boy shook his head, attempting to regain his senses.
"Are you all right?"
"I think so, I..... oh man." Evan gulped as he saw the girl glaring
in their direction. Even with the mask, her body language made it
clear what expression was likely running over her features. Where the
heck were the others? The bone on his body tensed once more,
preparing another round. It was a futile gustier, he knew that, but
they needed to buy more time- fast.
He needn't have been worried.
As another spike missed her foot, a new sound caught the immediate
focus of everyone in the room. To the burglar, Kurt and Evan became
instantly forgotten, her full attention on the newest player, hidden
in the darkness of the main doorway. The sound they made was one
which caused her blood to run cold, particularly if the figure was
who she guessed. It was a sound she'd learned to identify long ago in
her training. It was the sound of an unsheathed blade.
Ademantium claws...... sharp, durable....belonging to one....
Oh hell.
Instincts took over. She moved, swift as silver to her left, as
something, someone rushed past her right. Gasps of horror cut the air
even as a cutting wind hit her front. Rolling to land in a crouch,
she frowned to see the Wolverine, close by and claws extended.
Of course, she should have predicted he'd be there- Evan and Kurt
alone would never be sent on a mission, not without a team leader.
Pity it was Logan, rather then Scott; his full fighting force made
him more deadly then the optic blasts she could have dealt with in
her sleep.
A change in Logan's face suddenly brought her speculations to a halt.
Looking over the older man, she could see him clearly now- face
slack, and eyes wide. An odd expression for the Wolverine..... and
even odder that it was now suddenly mirrored by the faces of Kurt and
Evan, rather then the mix of fear and determination both had been
holding moments before. An eyebrow involuntarily raised. Why on......
it was then that she received her second surprise for the night, as a
cool breeze caught her skin where the ademantium nearly sliced.
Her unmasked skin. The fabric lay on the ground in front of her,
ripped off in Logan's own claws. No hiding now, her face was exposed,
features clear to all who wished to see.
Though, as the X-men took in the view, they wished they hadn't.
"Kitty." Logan whispered. He sheathed his claws, attempting to look
her right in the eye. "What's gotten into you kid?"
Kitty kicked into gear once more, right foot snapping out towards the
unprepared X-man in the shin, connecting with a painful howl of the
owner.
"Is that your final answer?" Logan grunted, hopping on one foot.
"Kitty, wait!" From behind, Kitty saw two more late arrivals, Cyclops
and Jean rush in. "It's us!"
"Back off!" Kitty leapt once more for Kurt. It was a fortunate thing,
that her mask had in fact been removed. The shock forced him to
remain where he was, as she used the best of her own speed to phase
through his blue fur and grasp her target. Hefting the bag, her
attention returned to the windows, as she started to air walk. She
was outta there!
Scott caught her departure, letting loose a low-stunning beam of
light in her direction, partially hoping, praying that he wouldn't
actually catch her in the blast. He was fortunate- the beam of light
hit the air in front of her along with the roof siding, combining to
create a small explosion that crumbled the concrete, forcing the girl
to back down, and once more rethink her options.
He turned to his telepathic teammate, their best hope of snaring
Kitty unharmed. "Jean! Can't you reach her?"
In the back of Kitty's head, she felt something, like the fluttering
of a moth's wings. She blinked, curious, as it quickly dispersed,
before returning to the task at hand.
"I'm trying! Something's blocking me out!"
Enough! Sprinting now, Kitty made her way out the of the room and
down the hall, headed for the glass front doors. Sometimes the most
direct exit was the best.
Pity there was one last X-man to contend with.
At the door was Rogue, her hand ungloved and outstretched.
"Time to find out what's going through your head girlfriend. An' if
miss psychic can't get inside and shake something loose then let's do
it the old-fashioned way!" Her hand shot out, and even Kitty's
phasing ability was unable to prevent her face's instant contact with
the goth mutants fingers. Together the girls let loose a scream as
Rogue claimed Kitty's essence for her own.
~~~~Memory~~~~
"She's a freak!"
Kitty clenched the bedcovers closer as outside her door, her father
and mother quarreled over their only daughter's fate.
How many hours, minutes, had passed, when she had awaken on the
basement floor, cold and afraid from falling straight through? Her
father was shocked, the sight of the half-phased blankets draining
almost every inch of color from his face. Her mother attempted to
keep calm, although Kitty knew she wasn't. They had held her, told
her to go back to bed. They did not. Instead they were down in the
living room, discussing what had conspired. It hadn't taken long
before their voices were loud enough to be heard from Kitty's own
room.
Arguing, they were arguing now. About her, about what she had
suddenly become.
About what they were going to do about it.
"Well what would you have us do?" Her mother too was angry, although
Kitty was uncertain if it was because of her or her father. "Send her
out in the cold?!"
"Better there then here! Listen to yourself! She's not even human!
She's less then that! What if others find out? What will people
say?"
"I don't know!" Her mother railed. "But maybe we can keep here,
hidden! We can keep her away from the neighbors, away from the rest
of the world." She calmed slightly.... "Or maybe there's a place we
can send her. A place where they look after...... creatures like
that."
"I've heard there's a place called the Xavier institute that
handels...... people with her particular problem. It's still new, but
they might have a way to treat her..... or, at least, put her
away."
She had heard enough. Covering her eyes, Kitty prayed that sleep
would come soundly enough. Prayed that maybe, just maybe she wouldn't
wake up, or that when she did, the nightmare would be over.
Unfortunately, it never was.
~~~~Memory~~~
"Is she......"
"I'm uncertain." The man spoke calmly. From the squeak made as his
voice came closer, she assumed he was in a wheelchair.
"There was nothing I could do." The redhead, the one she'd talked to
earlier, who tried to convince her to join her cause. The one who
claimed to be her friend. Why was she here?
"I still can't believe he did that. Using her powers only to bury her
in rubble. She never saw it coming." Was that her father now? His
voice seemed so different, so cold.
"Yes, the boy's ability to create seismic waves is quite destructive.
Still, it may be for the best. Kitty's powers were a threat to us
all; Alvers' methods were only a sample of what we at the institute
may have needed to employ."
"She's gone now?" No tears in her mother's voice? No sorrow for her
only offspring?
"I doubt she survived. If so, we can always return, to pick up where
we left off. Come, Jean. Let's return to the other X-men."
"Yes sir." They left her; they all did. They left her, Kitty Pryde
for dead, buried alive under the foundation of what once had been her
school's administration office. She waited, silently in the shadows
until they were gone. Then, she emerged from the wreck, shame and
sorrow etched upon her features. Hot tears trembled in her eyes,
until she couldn't hold them back, collapsing on the floor to her
knees, sobbing uncontrollably.
She was alive. She had survived.... but for what?
"You look like you could use a friend."
She turned, to see a woman cloaked in white, with eyes of blue and
hair a pale platinum.
"Who are you?"
The woman extended a hand, and the warmest of smiles. "Someone who
wishes to help. Come with me, Katherine. I will protect you from
those who would destroy."
Kitty stared at the woman, then gazed back down at her hands with
continued sadness. "What about my..."
"Gift?" The woman took one of her hands into her own. "It is a gift
my dear, and there is much you can do with it, if you learn how. Come
with me. I have much to teach you.... my young Phantomclaw."
Without words, Kitty accepted the offering, following her new mentor,
the White Queen, to a new and better life.
~~~Memory~~~
Train hard, concentrate, focus. Ms. Frost wanted her to be the best,
the ultimate.... who was Kitty to let her teacher down? She crept
into the building, and knocked out the alarm with the swipe of her
hand. Reaching into the display, she removed the object- the casket
of winters, a valuable artifact lost by one of the Hellfire Club's
founding members in a poker game. It was pride, not purpose, that the
club wished it returned; for all things must eventually return to
their seat of power.
Two guards charged behind her. She ducked the blows of their billy
clubs and hit back harder with her feet. Each hit the floor with a
slam, heads against marble floor tile; when they awoke each would no
doubt have a concussion- unable to recall what had transpired. That
suited her absolutely fine. Phasing through the large glass windows,
she made her escape.
Later that evening, she would approach the inner circle; bowing
before it's members as she returned the casket to Ms. Frost, who then
graciously gave it to the chairman, Sebastian Shaw. Pride was etched
on her mentors face, and Kitty filled with gladness. Her mentor,
Shaw, the rest of the Hellfire club, all were proud of her
achievement, as many congratulated her. Kitty had served them well
this night, as she would continue to for the rest of her days.
Knowing that on one of them, they would give her a chair of her
own.
The thought made Kitty smile in delight.
~~~Memory~~~
Dossiers.
One by one, Kitty scanned the computer files, committing each face,
each voice imprint to memory. The White Queen wanted her to be
prepared for anything, and possible enemies were to be watched with a
critical eye.
Scott Summers
Jean Grey
Kurt Wagner
Evan Danials
Rogue
The list continued. So, apparently Xavier had found others to lock up
in his little institute. How.... touching.
Not.
Kitty frowned, clicking on a DVD Rom for a better idea of how they
used their powers. Ms. Frost had neglected to tell her how she came
across such footage, so many scenes of what went on behind the cover
of the so-called school for gifted youngsters. All Kitty knew was
that she wasn't going to let Xavier's little pet squad catch her
unawares. She would know them as well as she knew herself, as she
knew her own teammates. Indeed, after watching for hours, days on
end, it was becoming almost to the point where it felt as if she had
been one of them, had known them as friends of her own. However they
were not, and for one simple reason.
Kitty Pryde belonged to the Hellfire Club. Body and soul.
~~~Memory~~
"So, to recap, reports now confirm what had once only been a fantasy-
mutants walk among us." The television was shut off with a click.
"You realize what this means?" Ms. Frost inquired.
"Yes." The response was short, to the point. Only speak when spoken
to.
"For our survival Kitty, the Hellfire club must be supreme in it's
holdings. If mutants are to ever live in safe, we must be the ones
who posses the reigns of power, all of them. Which means...."
"You'll need to do whatever you can to stay on top."
"Exactly." The White Queen fingered a gold ring on her hand. "Your
training has excelled my dear, and your abilities as a thief are
quite possibly among the best. However, it's time for you to stop
reading up on Xavier's cronies and recalling old heirlooms. Time to
start moving to.... bigger targets."
A cruel smile hit her lips.
"Do you understand?"
Kitty bowed, wanting, willing to do whatever she could to please the
woman who had given her so much.
"Yes, my queen."
~~~~
Rogue blinked, awareness of her current situation settling back in.
Beside her, Kitty lay slumped on the floor, unconscious at her former
teammate's mutant touch. Dimly, Rogue could see the other X-men,
gathered around her with confusion and concern wrapped in their
features.
"Well?" Scott motioned, hoping Rogue's memory-absorbing powers had
discovered what Jean's telepathy could not.
"They're.... wrong." Rogue blinked, clarity slowly creeping into her
mind.
"What's wrong?" Kurt stood beside her, uncertainty in his eyes.
"Her memories. They're Kitty's but..... they're all wrong."