Mid-flight to Spain – Economy Class
Storm shifts restlessly in her seat, rousing Elizabeth from a light nap. She could cope with her claustrophobia, had successfully in the past, but that didn't make the stifling fear vanish. Smiling apologetically to Elizabeth, she tries to occupy her thoughts by examining the people around her.
The X-Men are seated sporadically within the bowels of economy class and she glances at each of them to reassure herself that everyone is okay. She pauses longer on Tessa and Rogue. Both are engrossed in magazines and appear relaxed. She liked to think that she knew Rogue better than most, save for Remy. She looks closer at Rogue, trying to glean what she may be thinking.
Rogue wasn't reading the copy of People she held in her hands. Glancing over at Tessa, she closes her magazine and leans forward to put it in the mesh holder.
"Ya know, Tessa, Ya really shouldn't try to piss Betsy off like that." She glances over at Elizabeth deep in conversation with Ororo.
"I don't know what you mean, Rogue." Tessa is the most recent addition to the team, having defected from their enemies, the Hellfire Club. Rogue knew all about defecting from the other side, had done so years earlier. It wasn't easy for her to gain the trust of the X-Men, but she had proven herself time and again in battle. Originally she had sought to only gain control of her powers. Frowning to herself, she tried not to think about how not only had she not gained control, but she had mutated her powers to the extent where she had even less control.
Interrupting Rogue from her musings, Tessa continues.
"Pass me that issue of Cosmo."
Rogue retrieves the magazine and casually tosses it to her. "Yes, you do." Rogue relaxes into her seat, slouching down and pressing her knees into the seat in front of her. "Couldn't fly us first-class?" Rogue mumbles beneath her breath.
"I beg your pardon?"
"Just sayin' Ah don't know why we're not flyin' first-class. An' don't change the subject. You're not even interested in Neil. Why pretend y'are?"
"Who says I'm not?"
"Come on. You're just tryin' t' ruffle a few feathers."
"Perhaps."
"Perhaps…. Well, Ah wouldn't ruffle too many. Betsy's bound to return the favour." Rogue closes her eyes. "Wake me up in an hour, 'kay?"
"Of course."
Darkness.
And pain. Lots of pain.
Disjointed sounds – voices – hovering in my ear.
Can't move. Why?
"……..she awake?"
"…..took too long……of course…….experiment."
Body feels like lead, can't even lift mah head. Wha' th' hell happened?
"….I want her awake."
Mah ribs feel like they're on fire.
"Wake her up."
"Argh!" Cold, razor sharp needle punctures mah throat, turning hot, melting mah brain. Ah can't pull away, Ah can't even move. Ah can feel it spreadin' to mah brain, through mah body.
"We're pleased you could join us, Rogue isn't it?" What an odd name. I'm sure there's a deep and meaningful story behind it…"
"W-what are you…?" Mah voice cracks as Ah open mah eyes, only to be painfully blinded. "What did you…?"
"Inject you with?" A soft chuckle. "Oh, nothing you've never sampled before, I'm sure."
Ah can hear him moving around. Hesitantly, Ah open mah eyes again with slightly better results.
"A stimulant, with a dash of opium for fun." A wicked smile punctuates his confession. "Yes, my dear. Open your eyes. I want you to see this."
Ah recognize him. He's the guy from the compound who trashed me. "Who are you?"
"Oh, I'm sorry. How rude of me. You can call me Dr. Anders." He holds a scalpel directly in my line of vision, turning it over in his hand to examine it. "Yes, well. Let's get started shall we?"
"Start with what? What the hell do you want with me?"
His eyes, Ah'd never seen such eyes, gleam as he moves the scalpel towards me. Fear kicks in, and Ah try to get up. Only now do Ah notice mah limbs are strapped to the table.
"Aaaarrrgghhhhhh!"
The blade cuts slowly into mah already wounded side. Ah can feel the opium effecting me, but whatever pleasure Ah might have felt because of it is short-lived. Dr. Anders pauses in his work, the blade still piercing mah skin as he reaches to a tray of surgical instruments beside me. Retrieving a pair of pliers, he returns to his work.
"Yes, I'm afraid this is going to hurt." Digging into mah open wound for what feels like an eternity, Ah can only grit mah teeth and try not to scream.
"Please, if you feel the need to scream, go right ahead. No one can hear you." He doesn't pause in his work. "Besides, I like it when women scream."
"S-sicko." Ah manage to say through gritted teeth as Ah throw mah head to the side, eyes shut tightly against the pain.
"I suppose it would be a good thing if you could only pass out." He smiles at me. "Too bad you're full of stimulants."
Ah feel him gouging deeper into mah side, a painful twist and a sharp tug, followed by a small metallic clink.
"There, no more bullet." He steps away from me. " You can open your eyes now, dear."
The force of his tools no longer digging into me, Ah can relax against mah restraints. "Bastard." Is all Ah can manage.
"Perhaps." He gently replaces his tools on the tray beside me and picks up a small vial filled with a white powder. Turning back to me, he empties the contents into mah exposed wound. This time, Ah can't stop the scream that tears from mah throat.
"Salt." He says matter-of-factly. "Mr. Bradford, please bring me the other tray." He gestures to the far side of the room. "My assistant," he explains.
Ah can hear the sound of the wheels on the floor as his assistant brings the tray closer. Ah open mah eyes to glare at him, only to see him busy arranging an array of surgical arms above me. One arm has a small bone saw, some have syringes with different brightly coloured tubes dangling from them. But the one being brought directly in front of me has an odd looking scalpel. Big, jagged, and nasty looking. This is so not where Ah want to be. Ah know it's pointless, but Ah struggle against mah restraints anyway. Dr. Anders merely pauses to place a hand on mah shoulder and assures me in a soothing tone that this will all be over soon. Yeah, right.
"What do you want with me?"
He looks at her, a sinister smile spreading across his face. "I've been watching you, Rogue. You really are quite vicious. And your power – well, it really is quite fascinating. Tell me, what does it feel like to have another's mind in your own? You seem to enjoy it…"
"Go to hell."
He continues as though Ah haven't interrupted him. "I suppose you like being the one in control." He stops. "This must be quite upsetting for you." He stares at me as if waiting for me to reply.
"Regardless, your power can be of use to me. That is why you are here."
"Momma will come for me."
"Stupid child." He leans closer, his breath fanning mah face. "She gave you to me."
"Liar!" It can't be true. "No!"
"Yes!" To punctuate this bitter truth, he drives a cold syringe into mah left arm.
"Heroin. I've been t old you react to it in an interesting way."
Ah knew Ah did too. Mystique had given it to me before. She had used it, told me it was okay if Ah did too. Some part of me knew it was wrong, but it made me feel good. Alive. That' s what's important. However, Ah'd never mixed drugs before. Ah don't know how much he'd given me, but the heroin and opium were starting to react.
Ah can feel a cold sweat overcoming me, a molten fire in mah side. Mah head feels as though it's not part of mah body. Can't think straight, but I have to study for my road test. Daddy says I can have the car when I pass.
She hadn't realized she was talking, or that she had her eyes closed. Only when she felt the warmth of another person's hand pressed against her face did she snap her eyes open.
She had no control; the thoughts, feelings, and abilities of another flooded into her sub consciousness. A mutant with telekinetic abilities and latent psi talents, she now knew. Her body began to tremble, but she was unaware.
The mutant, his name was Ken, collapsed onto her. His liquid brown eyes closed and his athletic form relaxed. Her mind shattered like a broken mirror as her body began to shake violently.
Chaotic images tore through her mind, some hers, most not. The Prom, enlisting in the army, picking flowers, being locked in a cold cell before being dragged out to touch some woman.
Panic surges through her body as she loses her own identity in the surge of another's memories. A scream tears through the silence. Hers? Followed by a powerful telekinetic blast that levels the room in a 50 meter radius around her. Convulsions take over her as she slips into unconsciousness.
"Rogue?"
"Something's wrong! Can you wake her up?"
"Rogue? Can you hear me?"
Screaming, Rogue bolts forward in her seat, nearly decapitating Tessa in the process. Falling backwards to avoid Rogue's sudden movement, she falls unceremoniously into the aisle.
"Stop! Don't touch me!" Bone claws tear through the back of Rogue's hands.
"Rogue, calm down!" Storm steps towards her, but retreats slightly when her claws come menacing close to her.
Hank, who was previously engrossed in composing his research paper on the legacy virus in the seat behind her, lunges forward and grabs Rogue from behind; pinning her arms to her side.
Snarling, Rogue reels back, dislodging herself from his grasp.
"Rogue!" Tessa slaps her hard.
"Wha..?" Rogue stops mid-movement and blinks. "What the hell?" Suddenly recognizing where she is, she retreats. "Ah'm sorry, y'all."
"Everything is all right, people." Elizabeth addresses the startled passengers. "Our friend just had a nightmare. Nothing to worry about." Under her breath she adds, "Sheath your claws, Rogue before somebody sees."
"What happened, my fearless southern flower?" Hank queries from behind her.
Slumping forward in her seat, hands on her forehead, she replies, " Ah was dreamin', Ah guess. But it seemed so real, so vivid. Y'know, like it was happenin' right now."
Sitting down in the seat beside her, Storm interjects. "You've been doing this a lot lately, child. Is there something wrong?"
"Ah don't know. First Ah was just reminiscing about the old days. Thinkin' about my roots, y'know. But it's been just that." She shakes her head as if to clear the recent memory of her dream. "Until now. It seemed more than that."
"Apparently."" Betsy mumbles.
"Well, this will have to wait until later. We're just about to land in Spain. Everyone, return to your seats. We have much to do."
