Chapter 9
Madrid"There must be another way to find these Diaries…?" Neil quietly questions.
"Well now hon, " Rogue spares him a sideways glance, "that'd just be too easy. Y'know nuthin' ain't never easy when you're an X-Man…"
The mausoleum looms before them, the carved stone cold even beneath the scorching afternoon sun. The surrounding lawns show immaculate care, and wild blossom scents hang heavily in the air. Even still, Rogue imagines the sickening stench of death in her mind and shudders. Taking point, Rogue leads the team up the mausoleum steps and into the darkness that awaits them.
"Why would Irene come here?" Rogue asks as she stands just inside the doorway, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the dim light as her teammates join her. "Somebody in here she used to visit?"
Ororo moves slowly along the outer wall of the tomb, her hand dragging lightly against the stonewall.
"Family perhaps?" Ororo comments as she moves deeper into the room.
Bishop, already scanning the opposite side of the room, queries. "Anything in particular we should be looking for, Rogue?"
"Ya mean, 'sides the diary?" She slowly approaches a small statue in the center of the room. "Don't know. You're the detective, sugah. Detect."
Kneeling beside the small statue, Rogue studies it briefly. A man, clearly no more than twenty-five or thirty, with an angelic face. He stands with his arms outstretched, as if waiting for his lover to join him in an embrace. She stares into his eyes, momentarily mesmerized. Removing her glove, she gently runs her hand over the cold white marble, careful not to shatter it with her strength. "Anything?" She asks her friends.
"Nothing unusual," Sage reports. Standing in the center of the room beside Rogue, she scans it with her enhanced glasses. "My scans show nothing of interest to us…except maybe that man resting over there has quite a bit of jewellery on."
"Sage!" Ororo turns from her examinations and studies her friend.
"I am just saying…"
"Girl after Remy's heart, Ah'd wager."
"What the Hell…?"
"Bish?" Rogue turns and pushes her ruby red glasses up her nose as she stares at him. Turning her back to the statue, she puts her glove back on, adjusting it to fit comfortably over her fingers.
"Someone's been here already."
"You sure?" Rogue questions.
"Very, and recently." Kneeling on the floor, he points to a faint footprint in the dust. "Male, judging by the size of this print. I'd say about 180 pounds perhaps 5' 10".
"Someone visiting a relative?"
"Any other time I'd say yes, but given the circumstances, I'd have to think otherwise." Storm replies. "Keep looking. We have to find that diary."
"You are assuming that it's here." Sage momentarily focuses her attention on the statue. "Perhaps this is just a trail that will lead us to a diary."
"What if it was here, but someone already found it before us?" Neil stops in front of an ornate nameplate identifying the remains of one of the mausoleums tenants. Absentmindedly, he runs a finger along the top of the nameplate.
"Whoa…that's strange." Neil stops mid-movement, eyes transfixed on his hand.
"Neil?" Elizabeth moves quietly to stand beside him.
"It moved." He looks over his shoulder to address Elizabeth. Pushing the edge of the nameplate down with his index finger, he kneels in closer for a better view. "Hey, it's a fake! There's a cavity behind it!"
Pulling the nameplate off with a soft click of breaking metal, they are greeted with an opening slightly smaller than the size of the plate. Bishop, retrieving a flashlight from his inner coat pocket, stands in front of Neil and points the light inside. Turning the light off and reaching inside with his index finger and thumb, he pulls out a small package wrapped in brown paper. Carefully examining it for several seconds as the others watch, he slowly peels away the paper to reveal their prize. "It's one of the diaries."
"And I thank you for finding it for me."
At the sound of the unfamiliar voice, the team whips around in unison to face the potential and likely threat. "Who are you?" Rogue demands, positioning herself in front of her friends.
Bishop draws his gun at the sound of an unfamiliar voice and aims it directly at the stranger's head. Energy crackles from Thunderbirds closed fist, his body ready to react as Rogue takes a confident step forward.
"Hey, Rogue. I'm hurt you don't recognize me." Standing partially concealed by the shadow of the tomb, he slowly steps into full view, an easy smile on his lips.
"You have me at a disadvantage, suh 'cause Ah don't. Mind telling me what y'all are doin' here?"
"My employer likes to read." He withdraws a crushed package of cigarettes from his back pocket and lights one with a silver lighter. Inhaling slowly, he adds in a reticent voice, "I think he just likes to look at the pictures. Maybe that's why he's so interested in getting his hands on them there diaries." Stepping towards Bishop, he adds, "May I?"
"Don't think so." Rogue closes the distance between them, cutting him off from her friends. "Who are you, Ah ain't askin' again." She pops the claws in her right forearm, holding the tips of them millimeters from his exposed throat.
Showing no outward signs of intimidation, except for the slight movement of his Adams apple as he swallows, he replies. "Name's Mackenzie, you can call me Mac."
"Well Mac, don't know you from Jack shit. Who's your boss?"
"You wouldn't know him. He doesn't get out much. I tend to do his running around for him. Now, may I have the book please?"
"You have GOT to be kidding." Elizabeth appears near Rogue's shoulder with her sword drawn. "Just what kind of idiot do we have here?"
Never removing his eyes from Rogue, he grabs her forearm and pushes strongly, her claws making contact with the blade of Elizabeth's sword. Recovering immediately, she reacts with a spinning back kick. Mac jumps backwards to avoid the crushing blow of her foot against his chest and simultaneously lunges towards Bishop. He fires his gun instantly as Mac lunges at him, a shot connecting in his left shoulder. "Take the book, Ororo!" Bishop passes it to her and levels his gun to shoot again.
"Good shot, dude." Mac grips his shoulder with his opposite hand and removes his cigarette from his mouth with the other. Gripping it between his middle finger and thumb, he flicks it away from him. "Had to try."
"Pretty lame attempt."
"Thanks." Removing his hand from his shoulder, he stands facing Ororo. Smiling, his gaze penetrates Storms blue eyes. She stares, momentarily transfixed. A moment's hesitation is all he requires. His hand accelerates from his side, a tendril escaping from his wrist that lashes out and grabs the diary from Storm's grasp.
"NO!"
A flash illuminates the dim interior of the tomb as a bolt of energy erupts from Thunderbird's hands to sever the tendril. The book falls with a soft thud to the cold tiled floor. Psylocke's blade stops in front of Mac's throat as he begins to move to retrieve the book. "I wouldn't." She simply states.
Forcibly turning him to face her, Rogue grabs him simultaneously by the back of his neck and wrist. " Neat trick, but hardly impressive chum. Ah think it's time you leave."
"But he was just starting to enjoy himself, girlie. What the hell's taking you so long?" Blocking the daylight with his broad back, Sabertooth fills the entrance to the mausoleum almost entirely. "Get the fucking book and lets get the hell out of here. I got a sweet filly hangin' by her fingernails waitin' fer me to get back to her."
"Sabertooth!" His name forces its way past Rogue's lips as a low growl. Pushing Mac away from her, she unsheathes her claws and throws herself at Sabertooth. He steps into her attack with a palm heel to her face. She connects with a set of claws into his ribcage.
"Arrggghhh!" He brings his hand away from his body with blood on it. Smiling, he licks the blood off his palm and offers a taste to Rogue. She responds with a violent kick to his knees and a swipe at his head. Dodging her attacks, he grabs her by the waist and throws her to the floor. Even as she hits the ground and begins to regain her footing, Storm unleashes a lightning bolt directly at Sabertooth that stands his hair on end and singes his skin. Thunder rumbles menacingly in the heavens, signaling that the weather goddess is displeased. Crouching, Rogue lifts the sunglasses from her face and unleashes her 'borrowed' concussive optic blast that drives Sabertooth back out through the door and onto the manicured lawn outside.
"Um, yeah. I guess I'll be leaving now." Mac quietly turns away from the X-Men and begins to walk away. "Nice seeing you all. No hard feelings, right?" Neil grabs him and arrests his movement.
"Wrong."
Moving Mac outside, Neil stops dead in his tracks at the sight of 40 heavily armed soldiers with their weapons aimed at his friends with Rogue and Sabertooth the center of attention. Both opponents square off, mere inches between them. "Geez."
"Hey girlie. See ya got the runt's claws. I guess killin' you will be good practice for when I finally get that hairy freak."
"Hairy freak? Hon, you're one t' talk. Ah'm getting fur balls just standin' next t' ya. But don't worry, Ah got some fur ball remedy right here." She illustrates with a fist in his face that sends him flying into a headstone. She looks up at the sound of guns cocking. "What the?"
"Surrender X-Men. We have you surrounded."
Chapter 10 – Conclusion
Sabertooth smashes through the marble headstone and lands with a heavy thump on the lawn, debris scattering around him. The mid-afternoon sun cuts a heated path towards him, exciting his already warm body and his boiling blood. The smell of gun oil and starched uniforms hangs heavily in the air. His nostrils flare as he angrily gets to his feet. Throwing his long coat tails behind him as he turns to face Rogue, he slides his tongue across his teeth to wipe away the blood. Spitting, he squints his eyes against the glare of the sun and takes stock of his situation.
The X-Geeks are gathered outside the mausoleum steps: the weather witch Storm, the big dude from the future with arms the size of mutated pythons, a hot looking albeit starchy babe, a pretty-boy rookie, and the soul thief Rogue; not to mention 40 some rent-a-soldiers: all ready to fight the fight. More fun than he had anticipated. Sure, his current employer had sent the soldiers along with him, but that didn't mean that he couldn't take a few out just for the hell of it. Grinning happily to himself happy in the knowledge that blood would soon spill, he lunges for the closest X-Geek.
Mac struggled in Neil's grasp as they walked into the sunlight but ceased and stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the soldiers outside waiting for them. He knew they were out there, but he didn't think he'd be in the line of fire. Neil releases Mac and steps away from him, giving himself room to fight. He watches as Neil looks over to his leader, Storm, for a clue of what to do. She stands closest to the small army, a slight breeze playing with her long white hair. Bishop has both of his guns drawn and targeted Sage simply stands beside him. Energy shimmers from behind Rogue's glasses as she half crouched behind Storm; bone claws protruding from her hands.
Neil can feel the power building in him at his mental command, can feel the energy flow into his hands. How often had he thought of how his life had changed? Not so long ago, he was just an ordinary guy. Now, he was an X-Man. He still marvelled at the feel and sight of his mutant powers. The energy wasn't warm like most people would think; it chilled him slightly. But it felt fabulous. And he knew that he would have to use it soon enough. That's when he sees Sabertooth attack Storm.
The blue vault of heaven darkens so quickly one would have thought the apocalypse was near. A deluge of rain falls to the earth making visibility near impossible. Storm takes flight as Sabertooth lunges for her, seeking protection amidst the elements. Wind whips her mane into a wild frenzy around her face as energy crackled from every pore. The battle that had erupted below her resembled the vortex that she was forming, forcing Sabertooth to fight his way to her.
Sabertooth grits his teeth against the maelstrom that Storm has unleashed upon him. He expected resistance; he knew she wouldn't make it easy. He loved the fight almost as much as the kill; and he wanted to finish the weather – witch off slowly. Pushing forward, he reaches up with a clawed hand and grips her ankle, pulling her down towards him.
She rises slowly into the centre of the storm that she had created, intending to incapacitate Sabertooth from a safe distance. Her ascent however is rudely halted by a painful grip around her ankle as she is torn from the sky. She feels her breath forcibly leave her lungs as she hits the ground, her control of the increasing storm slipping momentarily. Stifling a cry, she strains to regain her footing, but he is upon her in a flurry of attacks. She attacks him with a bolt of lighting; he screams but did not release her. Panic begins to consume her and she lashes out, calling upon the fury of the winds to expel him from her. Into the air they rise, entwined together in a twisted embrace. Still, he grips tight and lashes out with his free hand at her face. Her vision becomes tunnelled as she watches in horrific fashion as his claws; cracked, dirty, and razor sharp, come closer to her eyes. Still, she cannot look away. Instead, she throws up her hands and grabs his wrist. Physically, she is not really a match for him, but she knows how to use her body. Years of living on the streets and training with Wolverine have given her an edge most women would not possess. Seconds pass as she struggles, the world dropping away from her and she can hear his laughter through the controlled chaos of her storm. Suddenly, she is falling from the heavens – Sabertooth nowhere in sight. Regaining her composure, she stops her descent and looks around her. Rogue hovers before her, grinning mischievously before returning to the ground. Following Rogue with her gaze, she sees Sabertooth lying unconscious on the ground where Rogue had apparently threw him.
The battled raged for what seemed hours, but in reality was over in minutes. Soldiers who were not unconscious on the ground were fleeing. Sabertooth had quickly regained his senses, but was hog-tied by Rogue. He was cursing vehemently.
"Okay, Mac. The Diary. Where is it?"
During the scuffle, Mac had attempted to quietly depart. Glancing down as he steps over the prone body of a soldier, he looks up and stares into the dark eyes of Bishop. Surprised, he takes a sudden step back and nearly falls over. Turning to go in the opposite direction, he faces Rogue.
"Uh, hey. You won! Yay for the good guys, right?"
"Didn't answer mah question, hon," Rogue drawls as she folds her arms across her chest. "Where'd ya stash Th' Diary. Hand it over b'fore Bish here gets all mad like." She gestures towards Bishop.
"Hey, I don't know what you're talking about! Really! Man, Rogue, we had some good times right? I wouldn't lie to you, promise."
"Really?" She laughs, deep and husky. "Gee, haven't heard that b'fore." She grabs him with both hands by his shirt collar, jerking him closer to her. "No points for originality, sugah. But Ah'll give ya some for balls."
"Understandable." Mac drops his head. "How about we go for some bonus points?" He lashes out with his feet and plants a kick squarely in Rogue's chest. The ferocity of his attack makes her lessen her grip on him. He back flips out of her grasp and attacks her his tendrils, wrapping them around her throat. He laughs.
"Sorry. My boss wouldn't like if you got your hands on it." He tightens his grip on her throat. "Been a blast, Rogue, but I gotta…." He falls to the ground, his tendrils falling limply beside him.
"Thanks, Bish." Rogue places her hand over her throat, not so much because he hurt her, but more so to erase the feel of him.
"Any time, Rogue." They smile at each other as Elizabeth shoulders past Rogue and kneels beside the prone body of Mac. She stands seconds later with the Diary in her hands.
"Ororo." Elizabeth passes the Diary to Storm as she glides effortlessly to stand beside Neil. He watches transfixed as she approaches him, barely able to stop himself from moving towards her to envelop her in an embrace.
Gently smoothing her hands across the leather bound book, she opens the cover with a glance at Rogue and stares at the first page. A folded sheet of paper falls from the pages and floats gently to the ground. She kneels to pick it up and opens it from her crouched position. Scanning it for several seconds, she stands then passes it to Rogue.
"What is it?" She asks as she takes the paper and looks at it. She pales slightly before folding it up neatly and tucking it into her jackets inner packet.
"Rogue? What's wrong? What did it say?" Neil asks.
Rogue glances at him slowly, her eyes veiled beneath her ruby glasses. The pause is long before she opens her mouth to respond.
Suddenly a barrage of weapon fire erupts, a shot hitting Neil sending him reeling to the ground. Bishop and Rogue immediately stand in front of their teammates to act as human shields. Elizabeth and Sage stoop beside Neil.
"Are you okay?" Elizabeth queries as she searches him quickly for signs of bleeding.
"Aarrhhh", Neil finds Elizabeth's eyes as he holds his left hand over his right shoulder. "I think I'm okay."
Sage lifts his hand and examines the wound. "Keep pressure on it. It's only superficial."
Ororo summons hurricane force winds to unbalance their adversaries. The soldiers who had apparently fled the field in defeat have come back with reinforcements.
"We got what we came for boss. Dontcha think it's time we leave?" Rogue shouts behind her shoulder as she takes an energy blast square in the chest.
"Can't leave yet, girlie!" Victor Creed growls from behind the group. "We ain't done, you haven't bled for me!" He pushes his way past her teammates and lunges for her, knocking her off balance. They roll as they hit the ground together, weapon fire still striking them. Straddling her, he pins both her arms above her head with one hand and strikes her with his other in her face. The punch is hard enough to leave an indentation in the ground in the shape of the back of her head.
"Son-of-a-bitch!" Rogue exclaims. Angery, she bucks Sabertooth off her with a violent upwards thrust of her hips. He flips over her head and lands with both feet on the ground, his back to her. By the time he turns to face her, Rogue has twisted herself off the ground and, using both hands as a pivot, lands a kick on the side of his head sending him sideways. She wipes the blood away from her mouth and stands up.
"Now ya done it, Creed. Ah was content t' jus' leave ya all tied up, but now ya done gone and made me mad." SNIKT She unsheathes her bone claws, 3 in each hand. "Ya wanna play, freak? Let's play skewer the homicidal Neanderthal."
"Rogue!" Storm shouts at her. "No!"
Storm runs towards her teammate in an effort to stop her.
"Back off!" Rogue sends Storm flying backwards with a magnetic pulse from her right hand while simultaneously ramming the claws of her left hand into the rock hard muscles of Sabertooth's stomach. "How's it feel, maggot? Ya like pain, don'tcha?" She pushes her claws deeper into him. A feral grin spreads across her face as she witnesses his grimace of pain.
"That would be enough of that, my seemingly slightly possessed southern belle." Hank McCoy, otherwise known as the Beast, vaults over her head effortlessly grabbing her by the shoulders and pulling her away from Creed. He lands with her close to him and pins her arms to her side. Ororo picks herself up off the ground and approaches her teammate.
"Enough, child."
Rogue abruptly raises her right shoulder and twists her body away from Hank, freeing herself. A lightning bolt strikes the ground by her feet.
"I said enough." The resolute command in Storm's voice makes her stop. Rogue shakes her head, as if to clear it. Weapon fire continues to strike around them, both of their adversaries and of Bishops as he returns the volley. Rogue grabs her head with both hands and shuts her eyes.
"Time to go, Storm!" Bishop shouts back to her.
"Rogue, snap out of it! This is not the time to loose control." Storm cautiously and quickly approaches her. Grabbing her by her shoulders, careful of Rogue's still extended claws, Ororo makes Rogue look at her by giving her a sharp shake. "Rogue!"
Fists still pressing tightly against her forehead, Rogue's knees buckle as she sinks to the ground, Ororo kneeling down with her. Groaning, she shakes her head, opens her hands to grab her hair and closes them again.
"Rogue child, listen to me." She implores. "Focus on my voice."
"Ororo?" She says hesitantly through gritted teeth.
"Ack…" A choked cry is her response.
"Ororo?" Rogue opens her eyes and looks up to find Ororo with her hands around her neck trying to pry away the tendril wrapped around it. Before Rogue can re-act, Sabertooth appears by Storm's side and takes the Diary from her.
"Finish it, Mackenzie." Sabertooth produces a feral grin for Rogue's benefit as he walks over and kicks her in the face. She hears Ororo's choked scream as blackness fills her vision.
"We're lucky we weren't all killed…"
"We knew there would be opposition."
"Of course, but we didn't think it would be Rogue…"
"We took too much damage, and we lost the Diary…"
She awakes with the familiar mix of confusion and nausea. She finds it hard to focus on the voices she is hearing, she doesn't know exactly who is talking. She finds that moving her head makes her feel like she'd been chasing her own tail in a circle like a dog and now that she'd stopped, her head feels like it where still going. The imagery makes her want to laugh. The actual sensation makes her want to cry. She keeps her head still and grips the bed sheets instead.
"She's awake." A male voice announces.
She refuses to open her eyes, to even move. A cold compress is applied to her forehead.
"Rogue, can you hear me?" A female voice asks this time.
The spinning refuses to abate. Her brain feels like it is vibrating in her skull. She grips the sheets harder, willing the sensations to go away. A large hand cups hers, warm and strong. It is a comfort, but she feels compelled to recoil. She doesn't think to wonder why; she only reacts by pressing her hands against her eyes to shut out the light. Images flash in her mind's eye, so quick and startling that it makes her head ache more. She feels the heat of the day, smells the sweet fragrance of the blossoms, and sees the fanged grin of a madman. When he reaches for her, she bolts upright in bed, eyes wide, claws extended. She quickly looks around her, finally seeing where she is. Her body drenched in sweat, she crouches on the bed with the sheets crumpled around her feet. She sees the startled expressions of the people in the room with her; sees the bone claws protruding from the backs of her hands. Startled, scared, she bolts off the bed and away from the people who surround her. She is surprised when they make no aggressive moves towards her.
A door opens behind her and she turns, startled, as an African woman enters. "Storm?" Recognition finally dawns on her - these are her friends, her family. She sheathes her claws. "Are you okay?" She asks in a small voice.
"I am well my friend." Her hand goes to her throat, to the bruises that she wears. "Are you?" She queries back.
"A-Ah don't know…"
Hands lightly grip her shoulders from behind and direct her back to the bed. Henry moves to stand in front of her and gently forces her to sit on the bed. "Lay down, Rogue." His voice leaves room for no argument, so she silently obeys his command.
"What happened?"
"We lost the Dairy, and sustained minor causalities." Tessa informs her.
"Is everyone alright?"
"Yes, Rogue." Hank stands over her. "We're more worried about you."
"We lost the Diary? Because of me." The last was a statement of fact. She knows where the fault rests. "Ah'm sorry…"
no, you're not. are you listening to this drivel? i wouldn't have fucked up like that, girlie
"You should have told us if you were experiencing difficulties." Ororo sits on the bed beside her. "We are here to help you, child."
"Hah." A bitter laugh escapes her before she can stop it. She continues quickly before anyone can speak. "No offence, but not even the Prof has had much luck helpin' me. 'Sides, Ah felt pretty much fine until it happened…"
sure you did. Liar. you do that a lot, y'know
"…an' then Ah just kinda…got lost…" She looks to Storm. "Omigod! I attacked you!"
"Yes, you did." She rests a hand on Rogue's shoulder but makes no attempt to placate her. Rogue rests her head in her hands, her bangs covering her eyes.
"On the more positive side on things," Henry interjects, "I was able to locate our adversaries base of operations while the rest of you were involved."
She looks up at him through her hair. "That's good new, right? Where are they?"
"Ahh, well…Mississippi."
The next day, in Mississippi…Their SUV is parked in a field overlooking the compound. Darkened cumulus nimbus clouds slowly creep across the sky, blowing the ripened wheat in a hypnotic rhythm back and forth, back and forth. The sun occasionally peaks out from behind the clouds and cast a golden glow over the landscape, showing intermittent dark and light. Rogue breathes in deeply, experiencing a pleasant mixture of summertime smells. Occasionally, the wind catches her hair and plays with it, blowing it in her eyes one moment and away from her face the next. She finds it relaxing and peaceful, like balm on her ragged soul. She's home and if it wasn't for the ugly compound in the distance, she might even be happy. As it is, they are here on a mission. She has a job to do. As she watches a butterfly gently flitter from spot to spot, she can't shake the familiar sensation of déjà vu. Turning abruptly on her heel, she marches to where the rest of the team, excluding Psylocke, are standing.
"Any word yet from Elizabeth? This our place?"
"Indeed it is, just as I had ascertained during out previous encounter with Sabertooth." Beast replies.
"Where did you take off to anyway?"
"I found their trucks not far away and managed to…liberate…certain bits of information from a wonderful young fellow. He was most helpful. We even have blueprints which we were going over while you were…resting."
"Sounds awful convenient, don'tcha think?"
"Are you saying that you feel this may be a trap, Rogue?" Storm counters.
"Stinks like one is all. Seems too easy." Rogues rams her fists into her jacket pockets. "Feels like we're being played."
"I would have to agree with Rogue's assessment." Elizabeth says as she appears beside them. No one had heard her approach. "This doesn't seem right."
"Told ya."
"And you basis for this would be?"
"Instinct. It was too easy…"
"We have only just found where the Diary was taken, we have not yet retrieved it. However, I must concur." Storm relents. "We must expect to encounter the worse once we get inside the compound. I have no doubt that the Diary is heavily guarded. The question remains, by whom?"
"Then what say we get in there and get this over with?"
Later…
"You know what you have to do," Mystique said. "Make sure there are no witnesses. I want you in and out before the next guard change." She glanced at her watch and added, "That gives you twenty minutes."
Rogue fidgeted under her mother's unwavering gaze. She knew what she had to do. Mystique had already drilled it into her head. She had spent half the night studying the blueprints of the government compound and preparing for her mission. She wasn't a child anymore, and she was getting tired of being treated like one.
"Don't worry Momma. Ah know what Ah gotta do." Rogue peered over Mystique's shoulder to glance out of the non-descript black van they had liberated and unconsciously clenched and un-clenched her hand over the handle of the gun she was holding. Her attention was brought back abruptly by a sharp jab of Destiny's cane into the small of her back. She glared in sudden rage, surprising herself.
Mystique caught Rogue's gaze and pinned her beneath it. "Do not fail, Rogue. Lives depend on the information you are about to…liberate…tonight."
The memory comes to her like a slap in the face. She doesn't know why she had forgotten it, but it isn't really surprising considering her present state of mind. She finds herself staring at the empty hallway before realizing that someone is speaking to her over the comm.-link.
"Any signs of trouble yet?"
"Nope. All's clear so far. We're proceeding down into sub level 10." Rogue glances behind her to see Bishop scanning the area. Psylocke is ahead of them acting as a scout. The others remain outside.
"Tessa, you pickin' up any communiqué that we should be aware of?" Rogue asks.
"I've managed to hack into their systems and blind their sensors to you. Electronically, you should be invisible. I'm reading two guards at the end of the hallway you are presently in, blocking the elevator. There are two other guards in a large room in the centre of the level you are on."
"I see the two at the end of the hallway," Elizabeth interjects over the comm.
Storm replies, "We do not want to engage in a confrontation if at all possible. Rogue, it would be best if you 'handled' them."
sure, use your powers…we could use the company…
she's only using you, rogue. they're trying to drive you mad. she really wants you to retrieve information for them, she doesn't care about being quiet.
SHUT UP! GEEZ. GIVE A GIRL A BREAK, WOULDJA!
"Understood." Rogue turns her attention to Bishop and Psylocke. "Follow my lead, keep an eye out for unwelcome guests." She approaches the end of the hallway and surveys her situation. Two armed guards stand in front of the elevator. She can see no way to approach without being seen. Rogue quietly sighs to herself.
"She's here."
"Yes, I can see that for myself." He gestures to the stacks of monitors before him. Leaning back in his chair, he strokes his beard in contemplation. "Let them continue, but put up a modest struggle. We don't want them to get overly suspicious."
"And what about her?"
"Leave her to me. When the time comes, she'll wish she was never born."
She approaches without hesitation, striding confidently towards the guards and then stops a foot before them. Both men stare at her, uncertain how she managed to be there, and why she was only staring back at them. She has not removed her gloves; she makes no move to absorb them as she was instructed.
Something feels familiar something feels wrong. She sensed from the beginning that she was being played, but she was of no mind to disobey Mystique. She reminds herself that this is what she was trained for and she was expected not to show any weakness. She had already shot a couple of guards point blank when she entered the compound, a little more mess wouldn't hurt. She thought about pulling her knife when she realized that Mystique wasn't outside waiting for her, Storm was. She punches both guards in the face instead as they begin to draw their weapons.
"All clear." She walks into the elevator without so much as a glance backwards at her comrades. The door closes just as they enter.
"You sure the book's on this level, Sage?" Rogue asks into the comm.
"Yes."
"Okay, then. Guess I can't argue wit' that." The elevator comes to a stop and the doors quietly open. Bishop fires into the hallway immediately, striking two armed guards. "Company!"
"I thought we were blind to their sensors!" Elizabeth hollers as she withdraws her sword and attacks the guards closest to her.
"Ain't nuthin' ever easy..." Rogue replies as she punches a woman then flips her over her back. Weapon fire erupts in the hallway as the fight begins. Bishop lets loose with an energy blast taking out three guards simultaneously while Rogue merely punches and kicks her way to victory. Elizabeth cuts an energy rifle in half with her blade and uses the butt of her sword to knock the guard unconscious. As another guard approaches her from behind, she executes a back thrust kick and follows through by pivoting on her supporting foot and delivering a roundhouse kick to his head. He falls to the floor with his comrades.
"This way!" Bishop commands as the last guard falls and he begins to move down the hallway.
"Not much point in bein' subtle now, huh 'Lizabeth?" Rogue asks as she steps over the fallen bodies.
"I guess not." She follows closely behind Rogue, her sword still drawn.
All of a sudden, the harsh white lighting deepens to a blood red, flashing a deadly warning. From behind them, steel doors slam shut into place with a metallic chunk. They turn in unison to see their way out cut off as the way forward abruptly closes off as well.
"Trap! Ah knew it! God – damned bastards! Ah said it was too fuckin' easy!"
She flies forward and rams the doors with her shoulder resulting in a very loud boom. The doors, however, remain standing.
"What the...?" Rogue exclaims. She stands before them and rubs her shoulder. "Well now, they don't make doors like that anymore!"
"Do you hear that?" Elizabeth asks.
Bishop cocks his head to listen. "Gas!" They're flooding us with...knock...out...gasssss..."
Like marionettes whose strings have been cut, the three fall unconscious to the floor.
Bishop awakes outside the compound, finding Elizabeth haphazardly thrown upon the ground beside him. Bishop stands to look around him just as Psylocke begins to rouse.
"Where's Rogue?"
She awakes with a start, pressing herself against the seat and staring into a lush green field. Rolls of hay dotted the horizon, a mower sat to her immediate left, and mountains guarded the distant horizon. She grips the steering wheel and stares in disbelief. Just as she begins to realize how warm it is within the vehicle, a hand reaches out and turns on the air conditioning. The movement causes such a fright in her that she nearly bangs her head on the side window.
"What's wrong, petite?"
"Remy?"
"Rogue? Quel est erroné? Remy don't usually make you so nervous...what say we take a stroll an' enjoy th' day?"
"Remy? What am I doing here? Where are Bishop and Psylocke? Where'd you come from? "
"Bishop an' Psylocke? Chère, dere not 'ere."
Rogue looks at him in disbelief, then opens the car door and gets out. She turns away from the vehicle, hand on her forehead, and looks into the sky. 'What's going on here?' She thinks to herself. 'Gotta be somethin' goin' on. This ain't real, Ah know it ain't.'
"Rogue?" Remy is standing beside her, a worried look on his face. "You not feelin' well? Mebbe I should take ya back t' the mansion...Jean can help ya out again."
She turns to face him, her hand dropping to her side. "Jean? Why would Ah need Jean?"
He stops and looks at her, searching her eyes with his. "You don' remember?"
"Remember what?"
