Neva sorry about Lance! Roxy made me make him bad, but he's still a cool bad!



Part V: Childhood Bullies

The night wind hit my face as I ran to Kitty's apartment. The streets were desolate, and her apartment building just as smelly and creepy as it was earlier.

I found my way to her apartment, but the door was open! I went inside to investigate. Things were still messy, but I could tell that someone had been in here again. I closed the door behind me, and flipped the light switch. Nothing happened. Go figure, how could I not have guessed that she would have no electricity?

I made my way to her bedroom. That was the one piece of furniture that still stood intact. I had a hunch. Now, if I was Kitty Pryde, and I wanted to get things off my chest, but had no one to trust... I hopped on top of her bed, and lay there. With the streetlight outside, I could see, or read perfectly. I leaned over to the right side of the mattress and slid my hand underneath. Bingo! I pulled it out. A little brown-leather book sat in my hand.

"Ha!" I said out loud, "Good thing they didn't think to look under there!"

"I didn't have to think to look there, that's what I have you for!" Said a harsh voice from the doorway.

I turned my head to see who it was, when I had a blinding light flash before me. Someone else was here all along! Before I knew it, the room shock violently, and the shelves above the bed fell on top of me. Heavy books, and a pot were stacked on them, I heard a crashing noise, and a sharp pain shot through my head. Everything went hazy, and then I blacked out.

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"Rise and shine!" Said a sarcastic voice, as someone slapped my face.

I tried to move, but I couldn't. I opened my eyes to find myself in a dark warehouse like room. A light hung above me, and I sat in a chair. My hands were tied tightly behind my back. Another rope wound around my chest, and my ankles were tied to the legs of the chair.

Directly across from me, slightly hidden in the shadows, someone else sat in a chair, with a book in their hands.

"I must tell you, I am quite impressed. Apparently, you got further than me in the last few days, than I have in the last few months." Said the same voice I had heard from Kitty's apartment.

I stayed silent, and he stood up. He was a couple inches taller than me, and had shaggy brown hair, and a strong build. Maybe stronger than me, but definitely not as quick.

"Well? Are you mute now? You didn't seem very quiet in the apartment, gloating over your victory. Which, by the way was very helpful." He held up the book and smirked.

"Helpful? I'm just surprised that you could read it." I said smugly.

He eyed me with a cruel look. "Ha ha. Now, lets talk about you. Why exactly are you after Pryde?"

"We had a date, and she stood me up. What can I say? You don't meet a girl like her every day." I rolled my eyes, did he really think I was going to give him any info, this was a joke right?

"Oh please! Look, why don't you just let me in on who you're working for, and what you know, then we can all go home and..."

I cut him off, "...live happily ever after?" Apparently he didn't find my sarcasm very funny. He pulled back his fist ready to hit me, then stopped.

"Fine! You want to do this the hard way huh?" He actually seemed a lot happier at the prospect of torturing me. "Beast!" He yelled.

I heard heavy footsteps from outside the room. A very large ugly looking thing entered. Put simply, a beast.

"Uhh, What is he going to do, eat me?" I looked up as he stood over me. Not the kind of guy I'd want to fight.

"Meet Beast." The brown haired boy announced, as though doing an advertisement. "He can rip you limb from limb with absolutely no effort. Can you guess why he might want to do this?" The boy leaned in close.

"I don't know," I said, "but I'd rather have him kill me, than your breath." I turned my head away gasping for fresh air. Maybe overplaying it just a little.

He turned and threw his fist towards me, but right before he hit, Beast grabbed his hand.

"Lance," Beast said in perfect English, "Remember what our orders are. You wouldn't want to do anything to upset the boss."

"Ya ya, orders." Lance said pulling his hand away, "But orders are the only reason that your face isn't smashed in right now punk!" He said scowling at me.

I glared at him, but remained silent.

Lance turned to leave, then stopped, "Oh ya, one more thing. You're not as smart as you think you are. You had the answer in front of you all along, and didn't see it!"

"What are you talking about?" I asked in a sarcastic tone. I think he wasn't as smart as he thought.

Lance reached in his jacket pocket and pulled out the picture of Kitty and her family. "Bet you didn't know that they owned a cabin up I the mountains, did ya?" He smirked with a satisfied look. "And now, we're gonna have to pay the cat a little visit. So long silver!" He turned and walked out the door, with Beast behind him. I really had to get out of here now.

I sat there, twisting and turning. I tried desperately to get out of the ropes, but it seemed hopeless. It was my guess that the beast tied me up. This could take hours...

"Havin some trouble there cowboy?" Asked a female voice from behind me.

"Huh?" I turned around to see a girl with wavy brown hair with a white streak, and a black trench coat standing in the doorway.

She walked slowly towards me, circling me. "And you are?" She asked, with a southern accent.

I studied her for a moment, "Quicksilver. What are you?" What? Wups I meant whom, oh well.

"Huh. What am ah? Ah'm a southern belle, but you can call me Rogue." She continued to walk around me. "So what are you here fo?"

"That's a good question, I was just walking my dog then all of the sudden they grabbed me and brought me here." I cracked a smile. If not my lies, then maybe my charms could get me out of here.

"Really?" She said with a laugh. I nodded. "Well, lets jus see about that." She slipped off her glove, and leaned over till she was eye level. "Ya can't lie to me cutie." With her fingertip she slightly tapped my chin. When she did, I felt as though she was taking my energy. I got slightly colder.

"Hmm, so you're involved with Ms. Pryde?" She shook her finger. "It's my guess that they don't plan on lettin you go. Why don't I speed things up?" She already had put her glove back on, and she now pulled a knife out of her belt.

I cringed and held me breath for a second, waiting for the sting of metal, but it never came. I opened my eyes again to see that the rope that had been tied across my chest now sat on my lap. She crouched by my ankles and cut the ropes on my feet, than moved to my hands.

I leaped out of the chair and just stared at her dumbfounded. She put anyway her knife, and brushed her hands.

"Why did you..." I was confused.

"Why are you just standin here cowboy? You got a damsel in distress to save." She smiled at me, knowing how confused I was. "Now go on get outta here." She shoed me with hands.

I had a lot of questions I wanted to ask, but I decided against it. I had to get to Kitty, and quick. They were already ahead of me. I gave a slight bow, and tipped my imaginary hat, then sped off.

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I sped out of the warehouse, by the ocean, as quickly as possible. I saw someone's car parked nearby. Not just any car, but a black BMW convertible. Now, not that I normally would condone outright breaking of the law, but this was an exception.

I quickly hot wired the car, and sped off. Using my mutant abilities, I could make the car go much faster, and with more accuracy than it was designed for.

Even with my super speed, I drove for about a half an hour till I reached the mountains. Being as it was so cold, there really wasn't anybody that would have been up in the area today. And when I say day, it was now about 4:00 AM. As I approached the parking area, I saw another car there. Oh no! They were here, I hope I'm not too late.

I dashed down the trail that led to the cabin area quickly, and quietly. I reached a hilltop and looked down. That's when I smelled it, smoke!

My eyes scanned the forest. Because of the dense morning fog it was hard to see where the smoke was coming from. That's when one of my worst fears was realized, it was a cabin! The one cabin for miles sat in a blaze on the next hillside. There was no doubt in my mind that it was Kitty's. A chilling question crept into my mind as I raced for the house, was she already dead? Had I failed everyone?

There was only one way to find out. I came to the burning cabin and reached for the doorknob........