Child of Light and Darkness
~
Chapter Twelve
Logan's team quietly circled the area around the lab.
He motioned for them to split up.
Logan and Ororo took one side and the rest of the three took the other side.
"This doesn't seem right Logan. You would think they would have spotted us by now."
No sooner had Ororo spoken up than a man on a metal horse met them.
"Yep, this seems 'bout right. Get back 'Ro I can 'andle 'im."
With a swipe of his hands Logan popped out his claws.
Logan snarled.
"I'm gonna enjoy thrashin' ya bub."
~x~x~x~x~x~x~
"Whoa what was that?"
Rogue stopped.
"It sounded like metal clashing metal chere."
"Ja, I zink Logan's found himself a horseman."
"And so have you my dears."
The three took a step back as a woman on a metal horse appeared in front of them.
"Ah…you three looked so much braver at the museum. You afraid to fight me?"
Rogue smirked
"Of course not. Bring it on lady!"
"As you wish."
The women charged forward….
~x~x~x~x~x~x~
Logan was having a good time thrashing the horseman. But in turn the horseman was having a fun time thrashing Logan.
Logan had to admit the man was good, and that whole clapping thing was getting annoying.
Logan jumped up from the ground, he looked at Ororo who nodded.
Logan smirked at the man, who looked very puzzled.
Logan stood his ground, as a gust of wind brushed past him. If it weren't for Logan's adamantium skeleton he wouldn't have been able to stand such a gust of wind.
The wind however took the man by surprise, and he and his horse went flying a few feet back. The man was knocked off his horse and landed hard, but safely on the ground. His horse however did not share the same fate, it crashed into the wall of the lab.
Logan smiled but his victory was short lived.
A bright light flashed past them and Logan had to shield his eyes with his forearm.
The light flashed past the lab and everything around it. It passed over them quickly and than diminished.
Logan looked to Ororo,
"What the hell was that?"
~x~x~x~x~x~x~
"Bring it on Lady!"
"Are you sure you want to do that?"
"Ah ain't afraid of you."
"Huh you should be."
The rider charged forward at Rogue, but was taken aback when cards flew in her direction and blew up in the air.
She looked in the direction they were coming.
Remy held fully energized a deck of cards in his hand.
She sneered. "And what do they call you…Boomerang?"
"I don't give out my name to stranger lady."
"Very well then, you may call me Pestilence."
"Ah ain't callin' you nothin' but roadkill." Rogue muttered.
"Excuse me?" Pestilence turned around. "Did you say something dear?"
"Ah said-
"Da name's Gambit... Pestilence, and dat's my gal you was 'bout to thrash, n' ain't nobody get ta her but through me." Remy interrupted, bringing Pestilence's attention back to him.
"Through you huh? Alright than, let's see what you got…Gambit."
Remy sneered unimpressed, "More den you can handle I'm sure."
"We'll see about that."
Pestilence dodged at Remy. He threw card after card at her. She dodged most, but some did hit her.
Remy through out the last card in his hand. She shielded herself from it by rearing her horse upwards.
Remy searched through his pocket for another deck. It was right than he noticed that he had lost his deck when he had fallen to the ground. He searched around and saw the deck on the ground a few inches away from Pestilence. But it was to late to get them; Pestilence reared her horse up, missed the card, and charged forward slamming into Remy's chest and bringing him upon the ground.
Pestilence rode her horse close to Remy's fallen body.
She reached out her hand to his face. "You might want to know, that with one touch of my hand to you, I can infect you with a deadly virus that will kill you instantly."
"Remy!" Rogue shouted, trying to get Pestilence's attention off of Remy.
Smiling from her victory Pestilence turned around.
"Your turn sweetie."
"Unlike my friend over there, My touch is dangerous as well."
Rogue took off her glove "You wanna try me?"
Kurt grabbed Rogue by the arm.
"Nein Rogue, if you touch her you can get infected vith her virus. It is her mutant power nein?"
Kurt tried to calm his sibling.
"It's alright Kurt, Ah can handle it." Rogue pulled her arm away.
"Ah…it seems both our touches can kill."
"Ah assure you lady, ya don't wanna mess wit' the Rogue."
"The Rogue is it? Very cliché'."
"Not really."
"I really don't have time to chit-chat girly, if you're going to fight me, come along and try."
Rogue jumped towards Pestilence who reared back and flew around behind Rogue.
Rogue turned around just in time to see Pestilence ram into her back. Rogue flew to the ground, but flipped to land back on her feet.
"It's gonna take a lot more than that to get me down!"
Pestilence sneered and dodged towards Rogue. Rogue stood her ground but before Pestilence could reach her, Kurt teleported and took them both a few feet away. But he had managed to teleport Pestilence off her horse that he now rode.
"You furry beast! Bring me back my horse!" Pestilence angrily shouted at him.
Rogue took this as in opportunity to hit Pestilence from behind. She tackled Pestilence and sent them both flying, only Rogue landed on her feet.
"It seems without your horse, you are nothing." Rogue attempted to anger Pestilence. It worked.
Pestilence stood up, anger flashed in her eyes. "I don't need a horse to kill the likes of you."
"Than try it."
Pestilence ran towards Rogue and outstretched her hand in an attempt to infect her. Rogue grabbed Pestilence's arm inches before it reached her face. Rogue struggled with her, to keep her hand away from her face, while Pestilence struggled to touch Rogue. Rogue let go of Pestilence's hand, quickly ducked, and kicked Pestilence around the feet knocking her opponent to the ground. Kurt maneuvered the metal horse towards Rogue and she hopped on, as Pestilence regained her footing.
"You…." She sneered at Kurt "…Give me back my horse."
"Not a chance." Kurt glared at her, showing his fangs.
"Fine than I'll come and get it." Of course Pestilence wasn't fast enough and Kurt and Rouge managed to keep her at bay.
Just as Pestilence was fatiguing, a bright light flashed around them. They covered their eyes with their arms as the light brought with it a tremendous wind. It was over in a matter of seconds.
"Vhat vas that?"
"Ah dunno…but Ah got an idea." Rogue whispered something in Kurt's ear.
"Ja, that could vork."
Kurt steered the horse towards the fallen Remy, who was now waking.
Rogue hopped down.
"Remy are you all right?"
Remy put his hand on Rogue shoulder
"Now dat you're here darlin'."
"Aw…how touching." They both looked up to see Pestilence in front of them.
"Kurt!" Rogue shouted
"It's alright, Remy's got it chere'." With that Remy pulled out his metal stick, energized it and threw it in Pestilence's direction.
It was just a big enough distraction for Rogue to help Remy unto the horse.
Pestilence of course saw the stick coming and dodged it by jumping.
"Is that all you got?" Pestilence felt herself nearing a victory.
"Remy…." Rogue whispered in his ear, Remy smiled.
"Dat's all we got. Dat's why we decided to give you back your horse."
"Oh really now?" Pestilence said not believing Gambit.
"Ja, it's decided." Kurt teleported off the horse as Rogue and Remy hopped down.
"We give up."
"That easily?"
"Ve have no vay to vin, so vhy try?"
As Kurt and Rogue talked, Remy energized the wad of gum that he was chewing.
He stuck it to the side of the horse.
Pestilence didn't let her eyes fall from them as she neared her horse. Once she hopped on did she let her eyes fall from them.
"Fools. Did you not think I would not kill you?" It seemed Pestilence had the victory in her hands.
"Huh, did you really think you could trust a band of X-men?" Rogue smiled
Pestilence frowned confused.
"Adios mon ami." Remy saluted as Kurt teleported the three of them. They landed just in time to see Pestilence flung off the horse as it exploded.
"Huh, I don't think she'll try ta mess wit' us 'gain." Remy picked up his fallen stick.
"Dis metal immune to my powers." He said as if Rogue and Kurt cared. He shook it to make the stick small again and stuck it in his trenchcoat.
"By da way, what was dat bright light?" Remy asked the two.
"Ve don't know, but Pestilence is surly not behind it."
"So what was it?"
"Maybe we should go find out."
"Ja." Kurt and Remy agreed with Rogue
"C'mon lets go regroup." Remy and Kurt followed Rogue as the left to find Logan.
~x~x~x~x~x~x~
"Okay remember guys, we're looking for a horseman. If we find him, we're not going to kill him. Okay?"
Kitty and Bobby nodded.
"Good." Scott said, pleased that everyone was on his side.
"Yeah, but what about Mesmero? I mean what if we run into him?"
Kitty asked.
"What about it? We're not killing anyone."
Kitty rubbed her arms nervously.
Bobby put his arm around Kitty's shoulder.
"Don't be scared kitty."
"I'm not. I'm just a little nervous."
Bobby smiled.
"Yeah, me too."
Kitty stopped suddenly.
"What is it?" Scott whispered from behind.
"Mesmero." Kitty whispered back quite calmly.
"Where?" Scott asked his eyes darting.
"Mesmero." Scott clinched his teeth angrily as he noticed the figure in the darkness. "I know somehow he'd behind what happened to Jean."
"Keep your cool man." Bobby reassured.
Scott shook his head. "No. I want answers." He started binding towards Mesmero.
"Hey Scott man! Wait!" Bobby shouted after him.
"You evil conniving snake!" Scott yelled as he walked towards him.
An evil smirk just played across Mesmero's lips even after Scott was face to face with him.
"I want answers!" Scott shouted his hands rolled up in fists.
"Did you hear me? I want answers!" Scott shouted grabbing Mesmero across the collar and hoisting him up against the wall.
"I want answers and I want them now!" Scott threatened him by touching a hand to his visor.
"Where is she? What have you done to her?" Scott yelled teeth clenched. "Don't make me hurt you, but I swear to god I will!"
Mesmero chuckled evilly. "You're to late." He said his voice horse and whispering.
Scott's brow frowned. "What?"
Mesmero glanced a moment out the window. "You're to late…she's already gone."
Scott tightened his grip on Mesmero's collar. "Say that again you're a dead man!"
"Slim! What are ya doin'?" Logan shouted as he and Ororo entered the lab.
"He knows where Jean is!" Scott yelled.
"Let 'im go!" Logan yelled.
"Not until I get some answers!" Scott shouted back. He looked to Mesmero. "What do you mean she's gone?"
"It's to late…boy!" Mesmero's voice tensed at the notion of Scott.
Scott was about to hit him with a punch. But Logan bounded up and pulled Scott off.
"Slim this is not the time nor the place! Cool yer jets!"
Scott struggled with Logan. "No! I want answers! I want answers!" Scott shouted.
Logan clenched his teeth as they struggled. "And you'll get 'em. Just calm down! We don't wanna kill 'im."
Scott took a few deep breaths as realization set in. "I'm sorry Logan. I saw him there and I just boiled over. I got ahead of myself."
"Like hell ya did!" Logan said to Scott before looking towards Mesmero.
He sheathed out his claws on his right hand. "You stay 'ere bub. I ain't finished wit' you. What do you know about Jeannie? Ya only got 5 minutes 'fore this has ta get ugly."
"You're to late. All of you. Xavier was naïve. And now she's gone."
"What do ya mean 'gone'? What did ya do ta 'er?"
"Huh…we only freed her from herself, she was confused we helped her gain peace."
"If I find out you did anythin' ta hurt her…"
"You needn't worry Wolverine….She's quite capable of taking care of herself."
"How did ya free 'er? Tell me now 'fore things get messy."
Mesmero chuckled. "Let's just say Apocalypse is the least of your worries."
"What da ya mean? Did that bright flash outside have somethin' ta do wit' 'er?"
Mesmero just chuckled. "You know your reputation precedes you Logan."
"What does that have ta do wit' anythin'?"
Logan asked glaring at him. He was trying hard to keep his cool.
Logan squinted as the bright light flashed again throughout the room and extended outside.
The light blinded him and he was forced to back away from Mesmero and shield his eyes.
The light diminished in a brief second. But when Logan looked up Mesmero was gone.
"Where'd he go?" Scott asked urgently.
Logan shook his head. "I dunno. But I got the feelin' that Red's 'ere someplace."
"Yeah me to."
"But wherever she is…she's not 'erself."
"What should we do?"
"We should split up and find 'er."
"And when we do? I mean what if we run into Mesmero again or Apocalypse?"
Logan hesitated…what he was about to say, was against everything Xavier stood for. But in this case, he knew they had no choice. If they sat around and watched, the whole universe could be gone by daylight.
"Than do whatever ya must do ta get 'im outta your way."
"You mean like kill him?" Scott knew what Logan meant, but to kill out of cold blood, was nothing any of them would ever do. That isn't to say Logan wouldn't, he had of course, a long time ago, but now he didn't.
Logan didn't reply.
"Logan?" Scott shouted but more urgently this time.
"Cool yer jets kid! The first thing we gotta do is make sure all the horsemen are down, if we're gonna fight Apocalypse than we're gonna need our full attention on him. Now I got one horseman down, n' I'm sure that the rest o' my team has their hands full right now wit' one, I 'spect that that leaves one more in the buildin'. 'Ro n' I will look for Mesmero see what answers we can get out o' 'im. Slim, I want you to take yer team in the buildin' find that horseman and take 'im down, See if you can find anything that'll hint to what Apocalypse is plannin' ta do, Got it?"
"Yeah but you want us to kill him?"
"You heard yer orders, get yer team in there! We'll keep in touch by comlink."
~x~x~x~x~x~x~
_
_
Okay to clarify the whole team consists of Logan, Ororo, Scott, Rouge, Remy, Kurt, Kitty and Bobby.
Logan and Ororo split up to become Team One.
Scott, Kitty, Bobby. Team Two. Scott's leader.
Rogue, Remy, Kurt. Third Team. Rogue's leader.
I don't recall but I don't think they're split up for much longer…but just to lesson ur confusion I added that.
Oh and all the villains that are in this 'abandoned warehouse' thingy, are Mesmero, Apocalypse, Mastermind (Somewhere) and 3 horsemen, Pestilence (Rogue's team ran into her) War (Logan ran into him) and Famine (still to come.)