Chapter 10 – Conclusion

Sabertooth smashed through the marble headstone and landed with a heavy thump on the lawn, debris scattered around him. The mid-afternoon sun cut a heated path towards him, heating his already warm body and his boiling blood. The smell of gun oil and starched uniforms hung heavily in the air. Rogue noticed that he flared his nostrils as he angrily got to his feet and threw his long coat tails behind him as he turned to face her. He smiled at her as he slid his tongue across his teeth to wipe away the blood. The X-Men were gathered outside the mausoleum steps in the accompaniment of forty plus rent-a-soldiers: all ready to fight the fight. Mackenzie 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. Neil released him and stepped away, giving himself room to fight. He looked over to his leader, Storm, for a clue of what to do. She stood closest to the small army, a slight breeze playing with her long white hair. Bishop had both of his guns drawn and targeted, Sage simply stood beside him. Energy shimmered from behind Rogue's glasses and reflected the sun as she half crouched behind Storm; three bone claws protruded from each hand.

The blue vault of heaven darkened so quickly one would have thought the apocalypse was near. A deluge of rain fell to the earth making visibility near impossible. Storm took flight as Sabertooth lunged for her, seeking protection amidst the elements. Wind whipped 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 gritted his teeth against the maelstrom that Storm had 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 reached up with a clawed hand and gripped her ankle, pulling her down towards him. She rose slowly into the center of the storm that she had created, intending to incapacitate Sabertooth from a safe distance. Her ascent was rudely halted by a painful grip around her ankle as she was torn from the sky. She felt her breath forcibly leave her lungs as she hit the ground, her control of the increasing storm slipping momentarily. Stifling a cry, she strained to regain her footing, but he was upon her in a flurry of attacks. She attacked him with a bolt of lighting; he screamed but did not release her. Panic began to consume her and she lashed out calling upon the fury of the winds to expel him from her. Into the air they rose, entwined together in a twisted embrace. Still, he gripped tight, and lashed out with his free hand at her face. Her vision became tunneled as she watched in horrific fashion as his claws; cracked, dirty, and razor sharp, came closer to her eyes. Still, she could not look away. Instead, she threw up her hands and grabbed his wrist. Physically, she was not really a match for him, but she knew how to use her body. Years of living on the streets and training with Wolverine gave her an edge most women would not possess. Seconds passed as she struggled, the world dropped away from her and she could hear his laughter through the controlled chaos of her storm. Suddenly, she was falling from the heavens – Sabertooth nowhere in sight. Regaining her composure, she stopped her descent and looked around her. Rogue hovered before her, grinning mischievously before returning to the ground. Following the hot-tempered southerner with her gaze, she saw 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.

That was then, this is now.

"Okay, Mac. The Diary. Where is it?"

During the scuffle, Mackenzie had attempted to quietly depart. Glancing down as he stepped over the prone body of a soldier, he looked up and stared into the dark eyes of Bishop. Surprised, he took a sudden step back and nearly fell over. Turning to go in the opposite direction, he faced Rogue.

"Uh, hey. You won! Yay for the good guys, right?"

"Didn't answer mah question, hon," Rogue drawled as she folded her arms across her chest. "Where'd ya stash Th' Diary. Hand it over b'fore Bish here gets all mad like." She gestured toward 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 laughed, deep and husky. "Gee, haven't heard that b'fore." She grabbed 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." Mackenzie dropped his head. "How about we go for some bonus points?" He lashed out with his feet and planted a kick squarely in Rogue's chest. The ferocity of his attack made her lessen her grip on him. He back flipped out of her grasp and attacked her his tendrils, wrapping them around her throat while he laughed.

"Sorry. My boss wouldn't like if you got your hands on it." He tightened his grip on her throat. "Been a blast, Rogue, but I gotta…." He fell to the ground, his tendrils falling limply beside him.

"Thanks, Bish." Rogue placed 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 smiled at each other as Elizabeth shouldered past Rogue and knelt beside the prone body of Mackenzie. She stood seconds later with the Diary in her hands.

"Ororo." Elizabeth passed the Diary to Storm as she glided effortlessly to stand beside Neil. He watched transfixed as she approached him, barely able to stop himself from moving toward her to envelop her in an embrace.

Gently smoothing her hands across the leather bound book, she opened the cover with a glance at Rogue and stared at the first page. A folded sheet of paper fell from the pages and floated gently to the ground. She knelt to pick it up and opened it from her crouched position. Scanning it for several seconds, she stood then passed it to Rogue.

"What is it?" She asked as she took the paper to look at it. She paled slightly before folding it up neatly and tucking it into one of her jackets inner pocket.

"Rogue? What's wrong? What did it say?" Neil asked.

Rogue glanced at him slowly, her eyes veiled beneath her ruby glasses. Suddenly a barrage of weapon fire erupted, a shot hitting Neil sending him reeling to the ground. Bishop and Rogue immediately stood in front of their teammates to act as human shields. Elizabeth and Sage stooped beside Neil.

"Are you okay?" Elizabeth queried as she searched him quickly for signs of bleeding.

"Aarrhhh", Neil found Elizabeth's eyes as he held his left hand over his right shoulder. "I think I'm okay."

Sage lifted his hand and examined the wound. "Keep pressure on it. It's only superficial."

Ororo summoned 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 shouted behind her shoulder as she took an energy blast square in the chest.

"Can't leave yet, girlie!" Sabertooth growled from behind the group. "We ain't done yet bitch!" He pushed his way past her teammates and lunged for her, knocking her off balance. They rolled as they hit the ground together, weapon fire still striking them. Straddling her, he pinned both her arms above her head with one hand and hit her with his other in her face. The punch was hard enough to leave an indentation in the ground in the shape of the back of her head.

"Son-of-a-bitch!" Rogue exclaimed. Severely pissed off, but unhurt, she bucked Sabertooth off her with a violent upwards thrust of her hips. He flipped over her head and landed with both feet on the ground, his back to her. By the time he turned to face her, Rogue had twisted herself off the ground and, using both hands as a pivot, landed a kick on the side of his head sending him sideways. She wiped the blood away from her mouth and stood 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 unsheathed her bone claws. "Ya wanna play, freak? Let's play skewer the homicidal Neanderthal."

"Rogue!" Storm shouted at her. "No!"

Storm ran toward her teammate in an effort to stop her.

"Back off!" Rogue sent 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 pushed her claws deeper into him. A feral grin spread across her face as she witnessed his grimace of pain.

"That would be enough of that, my seemingly slightly possessed southern belle." Hank McCoy, otherwise known as the Beast, vaulted over her head effortlessly grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her away from Creed. He landed with her close to him and pinned her arms to her side. Ororo picked herself up off the ground and approached her teammate.

"Enough, child."

Rogue abruptly raised her right shoulder and twisted her body away from Hank, freeing herself. A lightning bolt struck the ground by her feet.

"I said enough!" The resolute command in Storm's voice made her stop. Rogue shook her head, as if to clear it. Weapon fire continued to strike around them, both of their adversaries and of Bishops as he returned the volley. Rogue grabbed her head with both hands and shut her eyes.

"Time to go, Storm!" Bishop shouted back to her.

"Rogue, snap out of it! This is not the time to loose control." Storm cautiously and quickly approached her. Grabbing her by her shoulders, careful of Rogue's still extended claws, Ororo made Rogue look at her by giving her a sharp shake. "Rogue!"

Fists still pressed tightly against her forehead, Rogue's knees buckled as she sank to the ground, Ororo kneeling down with her. Groaning, she shook her head, opened her hands and retracted her clawed and closed them into tight fists.

"Rogue child, listen to me." She implored. "Focus on my voice."

"Ororo?" Hesitantly she replies through gritted teeth.

"Ack…" A choked cry is her response.

"Ororo?" Rogue opened her eyes and looked 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 appeared by Storm's side and took the Diary from her.

"Finish it, Mackenzie." Sabertooth produced a feral grin for Rogue's benefit as he walked over and kicked her in the face. She heard 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 awoke with the familiar mix of confusion and nausea. She found it hard to focus on the voices she was hearing, not sure exactly who was speaking. She found that moving her head made her feel like she'd been chasing her own tail in a circle like a dog and now that she'd stopped, her head felt like it where still going. The imagery made her want to laugh. The actual sensation made her want to cry. She kept her head still and gripped the bed sheets instead.

"She's awake." A male voice announced.

She refused to open her eyes, to even move. A cold compress is applied to her forehead.

"Rogue, can you hear me?" A female voice asked this time.

The spinning refused to abate. Her brain felt like it was vibrating in her skull. She gripped the sheets harder, willing the sensations to go away. A large hand cupped hers, warm and strong. It was a comfort, but she felt compelled to recoil. She doesn't think to wonder why; she only reacted by pressing her hands against her eyes to shut out the light. Images flashed in her mind's eye, so quick and startling that it made her head ache more. She felt the heat of the day, smelt the sweet fragrance of the blossoms, and saw the fanged grin of a madman. When he reached for her, she bolted upright in bed, eyes wide, claws extended. She quickly looked around her, finally seeing where she is. Her body drenched in sweat, she crouched 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 bolted off the bed and away from the people who surround her. She's surprised when they make no aggressive moves toward her.

A door opened behind her and she turned, startled, as an African woman entered. "Storm?" Recognition finally dawned on her - these are her friends, her family. She sheathes her claws. "Are you okay?" She asked in a small voice.

"I am well my friend." Her hand went to her throat, to the bruises that she wore. "Are you?" She queried back.

"A-Ah don't know…"

Hands lightly gripped her shoulders from behind and direct her back to the bed. Henry moved to stand in front of her and gently forced her to sit on the bed. "Lay down, Rogue." His voice leaves room for no argument, so she silently obeyed his command.

"What happened?"

"We lost the Dairy, and sustained minor causalities." Tessa informed her.

"Is everyone alright?"

"Yes, Rogue." Hank stood over her. "We're more worried about you."

"We lost the Diary? Because of me." The last was a statement of fact. She knew where the fault rested. "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 sat on the bed beside her. "We are here to help you, child."

"Hah." A bitter laugh escaped her before she could stop it. She continued quickly before anyone could 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 looked to Storm. "Omigod! I attacked you!"

"Yes, you did." She rested a hand on Rogue's shoulder but made no attempt to placate her. Rogue rested her head in her hands letting her bangs cover her eyes.

"On the more positive side on things," Henry interjected, "I was able to locate our adversaries base of operations while the rest of you were involved."

She looked up at him through her hair. "That's good news, right? Where are they?"

"…Mississippi."

The next day, in Mississippi…

Their SUV was parked in a field overlooking the compound. Darkened cumulus nimbus clouds slowly crept across the sky, blowing the ripened wheat in a hypnotic rhythm back and forth, back and forth. The sun occasionally peaked out from behind the clouds and cast a golden glow over the landscape, showing intermittent dark and light. Rogue breathed in deeply, experiencing a pleasant mixture of summertime smells. Occasionally, the wind would catch her hair and play with it, blowing it in her eyes one moment and away from her face the next. It was pretty; it was peaceful. She was home. If it weren't for the ugly compound in the distance, she might even be happy. As it were, they were here on a mission. She had a job to do. As she watched a butterfly gently flitter from spot to spot, she couldn't shake the familiar sensation of déjà vu. Turning abruptly on her heel, she marched to where the rest of the team excluding Psylocke, were standing.

"Any word yet from Elizabeth? This our place?"

"Indeed it is, just as I had ascertained during out previous encounter with Sabertooth."

"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 countered.

"Stinks like one is all. Seems too easy." Rogues rammed 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 appeared 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 relented. "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?"

Several Hours 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 came to her like a slap in the face. She didn't know why she had forgotten it, but it wasn't really surprising considering her present state of mind. She found herself staring at the empty hallway before realizing that someone was 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 glanced behind her to see Bishop scanning the area. Psylocke was ahead of them acting as a scout. The others remain outside.

"Tessa, you pickin' up any communiqué that we should be aware of?" Rogue asked.

"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 interjected over the comm.

Storm replied, "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 turned her attention to Bishop and Psylocke. "Fol'ow my lead, keep an eye out for unwelcome guests." She approached the end of the hallway and surveyed her situation. Two armed guards stood in front of the elevator. She can see no way to approach without being seen. Rogue quietly sighed to herself.

"She's here."

"Yes, I can see that for myself." He gestured to the stacks of monitors before him. Leaning back in his chair, he stroked 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 approached without hesitation, striding confidently toward the guards and then stopping 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 had not removed her gloves; she made no move to absorb them as she was instructed.

Something felt familiar, something felt wrong. She sensed from the beginning that she was being played, but she was of no mind to disobey Mystique. She reminded 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 punched both guards in the face instead as they begin to draw their weapons.

"All clear." She walked into the elevator without so much as a glance backwards at her comrades. The door closed just as they enter.

"You sure the book's on this level, Sage?" Rogue asked into the comm.

"Yes."

"Okay, then. Guess I can't argue wit' that." The elevator came to a stop and the doors quietly opened. Bishop fired into the hallway immediately, striking two armed guards. "Company!"

"I thought we were blind to their sensors!" Elizabeth hollered as she withdrew her sword and attacked the guards closest to her.

"Ain't nuthin' ever easy..." Rogue replied as she punched a woman then flipped her over her back. Weapon fire erupted in the hallway as the fight began. Bishop let loose with an energy blast taking out three guards simultaneously while Rogue merely punched and kicked her way to victory. Elizabeth cut an energy rifle in half with her blade and used the butt of her sword to knock the guard unconscious. As another guard approached her from behind, she executed a back thrust kick and followed through by pivoting on her supporting foot and delivering a roundhouse kick to his head. He fell to the floor with his comrades.

"This way!" Bishop commanded as the last guard falls and he began to move down the hallway.

"Not much point in bein' subtle now, huh 'Lizabeth?" Rogue asked as she stepped over the fallen bodies.

"I guess not." She followed closely behind Rogue, her sword still drawn.

All of a sudden, the harsh white lighting deepened to a blood red, flashing a deadly warning. From behind them, steel doors slammed shut into place with a metallic chunk. They turned in unison to see their way out cut off as the way forward abruptly closed off as well.

"Trap! Ah knew it! God – damned bastards! Ah said it was too fuckin' easy!"

She flew forward and rammed the doors with her shoulder resulting in a very loud boom. The doors, however, remained standing.

"What the...?" Rogue exclaimed. She stood before them and rubbed her shoulder. "Well now, they don't make doors like that anymore!"

"Do you hear that?" Elizabeth asked.

Bishop cocked his head to listen. "Gas!" They're flooding us with...knock...out...gasssss..."

Like marionettes whose strings have been cut, the three fell unconscious to the floor.

Bishop awoke outside the compound, finding Elizabeth and himself haphazardly thrown upon the ground. He stood to look around him just as Psylocke began to rouse.

"Where's Rogue?"

She awoke 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 gripped the steering wheel and stared in disbelief. Just as she began to realize how warm it is within the vehicle, a hand reached out and turned on the air conditioning. The movement caused such a fright in her that she nearly banged 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's Bishop and Psylocke? Where'd you come from? "

"Bishop an' Psylocke? Chère, dere not 'ere."

Rogue looked at him in disbelief, then opened the car door and got out. She turned away from the vehicle, hand on her forehead, and looked into the sky. 'What's going on here?' She thought to herself. 'Gotta be somethin' goin' on. This ain't real, Ah know it ain't.'

"Rogue?" Remy stood 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 turned to face him, her hand dropping to her side. "Jean? Why would Ah need Jean?"

He stopped and looked at her, searching her eyes with his. "You don' remember?"

"Remember what?"