Not Myself
By Princess Alexandria
Mystique stepped out onto the deck, making sure to shift into a more human skin tone as she did it. The cars on the road behind the house were a parade of homebound nine to fivers. A break in the trees let her watch a few drive past.
"I'll have these loaded in a half hour." Shortpack called through the screen as she leaned against the railing.
"Okay. I think a few might not have my thumb in them." She smiled and glanced at him, but he didn't look up from his work. She let her smile fade. It wasn't that genuine anyhow. Mystique glanced toward the side of the house, where the woman that had her thought sat. Mystique didn't draw attention to the fact she was watching Christy.
Christy was pulling weeds from a garden bed. It was the first time Mystique had seen the woman do anything but mow outside. She watched the way Christy gripped the weeds by the base and yanked up, tossing the remains in a pile as if their very existence insulted her. If Christy thought she was hiding her turmoil, she was fooling herself. Mystique could see it plainly in the way Christy moved, and the heavy sighs. She could see it in the occasional freezing of motion as Christy stared at nothing.
Mystique turned and went back inside to start dinner. How she ended up playing housewife without the benefits still confused her. It hadn't taken long for her to somehow become in charge of cooking. At least Christy usually did the cleanup.
If Christy didn't come to her tonight, Mystique would force the issue, but she'd give Christy a little time to come to grips with her demons.
Christy tossed another weed into the pile while she thought about the mission. It was practically over. They'd done what needed to be done, they had cleared out the things that would hurt Jessi and the evidence was waiting for the police to go collect it. No one that saw that house wouldn't be suspicious that something was going on there, Liam had a cell, his trophy articles. Even without the safe they'd do something. They had them. The FOH, Steve, Jacob… Liam, were all going to be arrested.
Christy's jaw clenched as she gave up and sat back on her heels. Did she trust the government to take care of this? This was a world that could look the other way on murder if it were mutants dying. It was a country that had created sentinels to hunt and kill mutants. While the anti mutant angle had calmed down a little after Genosha, it was still there; still in the prisons, in the courtrooms, in the offices.
What if just one person asked about known mutants? Or Liam got a plea bargain to set up the others? What if somehow Liam weaseled his way out of this?
She should kill him. Christy reached out and grabbed another weed, yanking it out and tossing it to the pile. It made sense to kill him. Steve was a risk, but since it was his daughter he seemed to want to keep it quiet. It didn't matter if he cared about Jessi or not, he'd stay quiet. He'd proved that by trying to keep Liam quiet. Liam, however, had nothing to lose by outing Jessi. There were only two people that could ruin Jessi's life, and one was a serial killer who most likely was being held back by the FOH. If he got out… but could he get out? It was his house that held the cell. He was guilty, and while his vault didn't outline his own guilt, the house did a good job of pointing it out.
If she killed him Charles wouldn't like it. It isn't like it would be self defense, not like it was on the beach. Christy glanced towards the house and could almost hear Mystique talking with Shortpack. The boy wouldn't approve a murder, even on someone as evil as Liam, and Mystique was still planning to play at being Charles' puppet a little longer.
This was Christy's kid in danger. Mystique had agreed to help on the mission, but this was Christy's mission, her responsibility.
Liam would talk, long and loud. He'd want the last word. He'd want to take Steve down before he went down himself.
Liam would cut a deal if he could. He'd already gathered the evidence he needed to do that in case they ever got caught.
Christy wiped her hands on her jeans, brushing off dirt, before standing up. A man like Liam could cause a lot of trouble even from behind bars. She had to kill him. Christy moved to go inside and get ready for dinner once that decision was made. She had her priorities, and her kids were at the top of them. She felt better now, whatever this ended up costing, this was the right thing to do.
"Well, we have everything for the police. We just need to get it delivered to the officers." Shortpack smiled as he took another bite of dinner. Mystique wasn't loving the idea of playing delivery driver, but it made sense.
"I could deliver it tomorrow. You have an address for one of them?" It was easier to do it outside of a precinct, so that Mystique didn't find herself being held for questioning. Not a good idea for a spy wanted by the government.
"I have Detective Jackson's address. She's living in Lakewood." Shortpack looked at Christy again. The woman was rather quiet tonight. "Did you want to go with Mystique and make sure she doesn't taunt the detective?"
"I should work. As is I've already missed so much that I'll have to push back due dates for the students and cut out a few assignments." Christy sounded like that was a bad thing. Mystique saw the little monsters, and didn't really think they'd mind less work.
"We have them." Shortpack stared at Christy. "We should be celebrating, so why so quiet?" Mystique watched Christy stare back at him, knowing Christy had conflicted feelings on this. She'd also bet the no kill rule was bothering Christy quite a bit.
"I'll miss you guys." Christy turned to look at her as well. "That's all." Mystique held Christy's eyes and could see the serious expression.
"That's sweet." Shortpack smiled. "Maybe we can work together again someday."
"I wouldn't object to that." Mystique added with a smile of her own.
"Maybe." Mystique could hear the probably not in her tone. It was a shame Christy would rather be a teacher. She had potential and was fun.
Christy hit the mat hard and just laid there. Mystique was waiting for her to get back up, but this was a nice break from a teacher who was suddenly taking training a bit too seriously. She let the half done form she'd been trying to copy melt away and it was just Christy laying on the mat staring up into yellow eyes staring back down at her. "That wasn't good."
"I noticed." Christy still made no move to get up. "Can we just call it a night?"
"We've only done half of our workout."
"And you've been beating me like I pissed you off." Christy's eyes narrowed. "I do feel pain you know, just because I don't complain doesn't mean that I'm invulnerable." And she'd taken it quietly as long as she could, but whatever was bothering Mystique wasn't working itself out.
Mystique sighed and squatted down beside Christy. Christy felt hands gently probing at her torso, checking ribs that did ache, but wouldn't break. Christy had no idea how that worked, how something that wasn't there could hurt, but it did. Not like it used to in her own world, but it was there. "You should tell me. I wasn't trying to kill you." The pain was starting to fade again, but the gentle touch was still carefully mapping Christy's skin.
"Mystique." Stared into those yellow eyes as her voice barely escaped her lips. "They won't break. You don't have to worry about that."
"I just want you able to defend yourself." Mystique sat down completely on the floor next to her. "You can't count on a rescue and I'm not going to be here much longer. Charles already has a mission lined up for me."
"I'll still be training."
Mystique's hand rested on Christy's knee when Christy sat up. Christy watched Mystique just stare at her. "How are you feeling about this mission?" It was putting Christy on the spot. She felt like it was a mistake to walk away now, that it wasn't done.
"Fine. I'm glad we got them." Christy lied. "Monsters like that shouldn't be getting away with murder."
"Yeah, that should be left to monsters like us, right?" Mystique gave her a small smile and shook her head lightly. A question like that didn't really require an answer. "How many people have you killed Christy?"
Christy's eyebrows drew together, surprised and not pleased with the question. "I don't know for sure. I ordered deaths and I killed myself, but numbers… I could only guess."
"Give me a guess." Mystique scooted back to lean her back on the cushioned wall. "A round number."
"Why?" Christy didn't feel comfortable verbalizing a number like that.
"Well I know you did two here, and they were rather professional jobs." Mystique nodded a bit of respect Christy's way. "But total, I have no idea what you've done. I was an assassin, and for a long time a freedom fighter. I've killed quite a few people. I was just curious."
"I don't really want to talk about this."
"Just a number. Guess if you need to."
"What good will that do? I killed a lot, more than a lot."
"Fifty?" Mystique was still pushing for a number. "twenty-five."
Christy sighed heavily and moved to lean against another wall. "More, a lot more."
"Yourself?"
"Over a hundred, but I ordered more." Christy's lips pressed together as she regretted saying it. If Mystique acted like that was an accomplishment Christy would feel sick. She already felt sick. She'd never repeated her late night calculations out loud. She wasn't even sure how many lives she'd taken, and it seemed wrong that she could loose track of something like that. The number might even be closer to two hundred, because if she was the lead hunter on the team all those kills were hers.
"Yeah, when you were queen." Mystique just rested her hands on her bent knees. "Police ever suspect you or did you get away clean."
"You know there were no police." Christy snapped at Mystique, very unhappy with the conversation.
"Right." Mystique stared at her. "You didn't have to cover things up because you were the queen. It's different around here. You got lucky with the beach."
"You have something to say just say it." Christy could see the conversation was designed for that little point.
"Fine. Charlie didn't tell me to train you as an assassin, and it's a shame because I would have liked to use these bastards for that kind of a trial run. You don't know anything about not leaving a trail. You just got lucky twice. The beach kills were pure luck, and Sybil… if the police didn't find out what she'd done or that she was a mutant I'm sure a better sketch artist might have spoken with that witness you actually spent time talking to." Mystique glared at her. "You may have experience killing, but nothing in covering your tracks. Don't do something stupid. I doubt Xavier will hire assassins to teach his children. I was surprised I got this job teaching you." Christy took a deep breath and let it out slowly, while her jaw was clenched. Stupid would be letting Liam live. "You've been working so hard. I've seen you up late at night working on that class. Don't throw it all away, not when we could come up with something else. Something that leaves you guilt free in Charlie's eyes."
This wasn't the conversation she'd expected, but as soon as Mystique started to talk about another way Christy realized she should have known the blue woman would have a plan. "We go up there and tell Shortpack we're going out again to celebrate. Act a little less like the world is ending…" Christy flinched, and she didn't think it was noticeable but Mystique's eyes softened. "sorry." The awkward silence just made it more obvious that it was a sensitive subject. "Just look a little like the winner. We'll slip out and cause a stir. I'll show you how it's done."
"Tonight?"
"Tonight sounds good." Mystique moved to push some of her sweaty red hair out of her eyes. "So, take a shower and then I'll show you how to get someone else to commit a murder for you while you are busy building a nice cushy alibi."
Christy stood up slowly, testing her body for any remaining pain, but it was much better. "Who we setting up?" She already knew the answer. It made too much sense.
"Daddy dearest."
Mystique walked with Christy to the car they'd recently gotten through some connection of Shortpack's. Her eyes took in Christy's determined movements and didn't see any sign that she'd hurt Christy too badly during sparing. She'd been trying to show Christy that it was too soon for Christy to try a solo project. It was obvious what Christy had been thinking about today and Mystique couldn't let the woman do this alone.
At least the situation between Liam and Steve was volatile enough to be believable, but they would have to work this just so or it wouldn't explode when it needed to.
"Got your phone?" She asked Christy as they started to pull out of the driveway. "It would be suspicious if I had mine. I don't like to be called off of fun."
"I learned that the hard way remember?" Christy sounded a little irritated about that as the woman focused on backing up the car. "I got my phone."
"Okay." Mystique sat back in the seat and ignored the tension Christy seemed to radiate. "He's already a killer."
"I know." It was what Mystique thought Christy might be upset about, but the response shot that theory down. Christy didn't seem to mind setting up Steve for this. Mystique turned to stare out the window and rested her chin on her hand.
"Head to Steve's house. Liam needs to pay him a visit." Mystique had listened to Steve and Liam interact in person and through the bugs and was sure that she could pull this off.
Christy took a deep breath and strained to see the shadows in the house. Without Shortpack they didn't have the ability to communicate and Christy hated this waiting. Mystique had walked into Steve's house as Liam five minutes ago and she'd told Christy if she didn't come out in ten minutes she could worry, but she couldn't come in unless she saw all hell break loose. Christy didn't risk blinking so that she wouldn't miss some hint that she needed to run in there. It was insanity to goad the man to kill in person and hope that it wouldn't backfire. Steve had to attack the real Liam.
Two shadows walked in front of the living room window. Christy couldn't even tell who was who through the curtains. "Oh yeah I'm learning a lot tonight." She muttered as she just sat there. Pride didn't get the job done, so she just sighed and waited for Mystique to do all the work.
Christy almost swore she heard yelling, but she was a bit far away to get details. The front door opened suddenly and Mystique as Liam marched out, leaving it opened. A moment later it was slammed shut by Steve. Christy watched Liam march across the lawn and start down the street. They didn't have Liam's car, so instead of letting that be too obvious Christy was going to pick her partner up around the corner after making sure Steve didn't follow.
The light in the living room showed her that Steve was pissed. He threw something and the light dimmed. Probably hit the lamp. Christy waited a little longer watching the curtains swing from something hitting them before starting her car and driving away. At least Steve didn't grab a gun and chase Mystique. That's was all Christy was watching for.
"Hey," A pretty skanky looking whore was standing on the residential street corner smirking at Christy. "Gimme fifty bucks and I'll rock your world."
Christy smirked and finished rolling down her window while looking obviously around the area and seeing no one else. "I think I can offer." Christy opened the change compartment of her car. "One dollar and sixty cents. It'll buy you a couple donuts." She looked back up. "And I think it probably won't be worth more than that for me."
The woman leaned seductively, more seductively than the whore outfit would suggest she knew how, against Christy's car. "Raise it to two dollars and I'll give you head."
"Yours?" Christy fought to not smile as they played. "Aw gee… but where would I put it?"
"I have a suggestion."
Christy ignored her and muttered as if thinking out loud. "I could put it on a spike in the back yard and scare the birds away. Those beasts are always chirping so early in the morning."
"You really don't get the point of flirting do you?" Her whore friend just shook her head. "And don't tell a prostitute that idea, you won't get any that way."
"Get in the car." Christy grinned as she watched Mystique saunter in front of the car and move to the passenger side.
"My pimp is not gonna like the discount I gave you." Mystique was still teasing.
"I could add a pack of gum and a button to the deal."
Mystique finally laughed as she closed the door. "Smooth, really smooth Christy."
"Maybe a dandelion to make you feel special? I could pick one for you."
"Oh what a sweety." Mystique shifted to her true form. "But you don't have to give prostitutes flowers."
Christy stopped at the end of the street for some truck that had the right of way and glanced at Mystique with a bit of consideration. Her face was serious as she spoke. "I would never have enough money to buy the amount of flowers I would want to get you. Thanks for you help."
Mystique's eyes softened for a moment before the woman started to grin again. "Well nothing says thank you like some head. Wanna explore my pocket with that dragon tongue of yours?"
"Dream on Smurfette, dream on." Christy chuckled as she pulled onto the busier road.
"Oh, but it would be so smurfy between us."
"You'll have to smurf yourself."
The teasing tone faded as Mystique pointed to a gas station. "Pull over. I need to make a phone call."
"I have a cell phone."
"But when the police try to track calls to Liam later, it wouldn't be a good idea to show up on the man's cell phone records." Mystique explained and Christy felt stupid for not thinking of that. She nodded and pulled into the turn lane.
Christy got out of the car with her so that Mystique could show her what to do. They hadn't started training on voices yet, but once Christy was that far she'd be able to pull this off as well. Also she was a little sick of being left out.
With Steve's voice Mystique spoke. "I need to talk to you."
Christy wished she could hear the other side of the conversation. She watched Mystique, in her more human skin tone, as the woman rolled human colored eyes while waiting for a chance to speak. "No you asshole. I want to renegotiate your fucking blackmail and I want to do it now! Get your ass to my office."
Once she hung up she smirked at Christy. "So now we go out for drinks. It should take Liam at least a half hour to get there. He was at a bar watching sports with friends."
"And if this doesn't work?" Christy asked and Mystique shook her head.
"It will. You have your cell." Christy just nodded. "Shortpack doesn't have Steve's house bugged, so we'll hear from him if the cops are called or if anyone goes to Liam's house other than Liam."
"And if it doesn't work?"
"We'll do it your way." Mystique moved to the drivers side so Christy just tossed her keys over the car and got in the other side. "Let's check out that mutant bar. I'd like to sit around in the blue with you."
"That almost sounds naughty." Christy smiled at her partner. It would be nice to actually see Mystique when she was with her though.
Mystique moved around the car and opened the door for Christy with a flourish. "Milady." She smirked at the strange look Christy gave her. "Finally a go as you are bar. Let me show you around." Sure it didn't have dancing, but Christy had to be curious about a mutant bar, and since they already knew where it was they might as well visit.
There were small bars like this in other cities, but Mystique had been a little surprised to find one here. As they got closer Mystique noticed a man leaning against the outside wall of the bar watching them and his eyes seemed to trail slowly over Christy. A step closer and an arm over her friends shoulder while staring at him with a less than friendly look had him nodding and looking away. "Anyone gives you trouble you can't handle let me know." She whispered to Christy knowing that these places were not always gentle. New mutants walking in the door were sometimes tested in some archaic way to determine the pecking order.
"You forget." Christy turned to her. "I'm hardly innocent or defenseless." Christy brushed her protective arm off of her and walked, well not taller, that woman was still a good five inches shorter than Mystique, but with a confidence that screamed dangerous. Mystique smiled and moved to walk along beside Christy before the woman walked into the bar alone.
"My Queen, I think I see a table over yonder." Mystique chuckled when that earned her an irritated glance.
"I knew you were old, but gee… what are you like three hundred?" Christy spoke while walking toward the bar and Mystique stared after her. She shook her head and moved around the couple heading for the door so that she could order her own drink as well.
Christy didn't normally go to regular bars, the few she'd been in were gay bars and this had a different feel. She sipped at her drink and watched the various groups and couples sitting and talking. There was music, but no dance floor, and it came complete with a drunk or two hitting on women that were obviously not interested. "So… this is a bar." She muttered while turning to look at Mystique.
The other woman was leaning back in her chair surveying the crowd as well, with a beer in one hand. "Don't sound so excited." Mystique drawled before taking another drink from the nearly empty beer.
"Do you think the food is any good?" Christy pulled a menu closer to peek at the selection. Appetizers and dinner all fit on the half sheet one sided menu. Not a lot of selection. She looked up at the couples around here, their mutations far more obvious than her own and realized that the choices for dates in this city for these people really were limited. She gave up thoughts of how pathetic the bar was and thought at least it was there. Now if only someone would open a nicer restaurant for these couples they'd have choices. "I take a lot for granted don't I?"
"Many of the mutants that can pass do." Mystique seemed to study Christy's eyes. "They don't see the absolute worst all the time. I'm lucky that I can pass too, but I shouldn't have to. Places like this shouldn't have to exist, we should be able to go anywhere without worrying that some flatscan will take offense to us and attack." Mystique looked around the room pointedly. "This may not be much, but its more than many cities have. That's why it needs to be a safe place." Christy just nodded a little and took another drink. They were working on making it safe.
"There are gay bars and there are mutant bars." Christy set her glass down. "What we need is a lesbian mutant bar with dancing."
"I know I'd go." Mystique smiled at Christy before waving the waitress over. "More of the same." Mystique waved a hand at Christy's drink and her own. "Oh and some of those potato skins. They look good."
"I remember when I was a teenager and I thought as soon as I was old enough to go to the gay bars I'd find a whole new world. That sure wasn't true." Christy waited until the waitress was further away before starting to talk about this. "I was so sure that then I'd be a real lesbian. I'd meet all these wonderful women and we'd have fun…" Mystique smirked at her wickedly and Christy rolled her eyes. "Okay, yes that was the type of fun I was thinking of. Can you blame me I wasn't getting any. All my friends were straight and no one knew about me. I watched them start dating, but I couldn't ask a woman out. Not in High School. Mutants aren't the only people that have things to fear."
"Where you're from, was it as bad for mutants as it is here?"
Christy paused, her train of thought derailed with that one question. She glanced around at the diversity in the bar, the clear mutations, then leaned closer to Mystique over the table. "We didn't know we had mutants. I didn't even know I was one. It wasn't… it wasn't like here. For all I know I might have been the first one, the only one."
"Oh I remember thinking that." Mystique sighed. "We weren't as plentiful when I was young. Still I'm surprised that it would be so rare there." Christy stayed silent. She'd wondered if her world had been more like this one if it would have survived, but that did no good. She tried to just look forward, and hope that if it ever happened here that the mutants and heroes of this world could stop it.
"Guess we were behind the times." Christy sat back as new drinks were placed on the table by the waitress and gave a small smile of thanks to the woman before focusing back on her partner. "What I want to know is how long do you think we'll be here before I get called." It was nagging her a little and it kept them from talking about her world now. She wasn't feeling up to it.
"If we aren't called in an hour and a half we'll leave."
Shortpack was working on his own pet project when the computer beeped. He minimized the program he was working on and clicked on another. "Oh God." He stared at the information running across his screen. "And of course the dynamic duo are bar hopping." He moved over his keyboard typing as fast as a six inch man could as he searched for more details.
"Hey cutie." A deep and slightly slurred voice drew Christy's eyes up from the newspaper she'd pulled over to read while her friend found the bathroom. "How about you ditch your friend and come home with me." His smile was wicked. "Unless you both wanted to have the night of your lives."
Christy kept her expression blank as she stared at him, unblinking, and made no attempt to speak. Her eyes narrowed just a little and waited. As expected he started to look uncomfortable with the silence. He deserved it, he had absolutely no respect when he propositioned her. A nicer man would have warranted a more polite brush off. She glanced past him to the table of men that he'd come from, taking in the obvious attention of all those men. "Keep your game of truth or dare away from my table." She glared at him. "And if you want a little advice, that line sucked." He looked a bit stunned at her response. "Get out of here before my friend gets back. We were trying to have fun."
"Little dyke wouldn't know fun if it bit her." He muttered none too quietly as he walked away. That was supposed to be an insult, but she just smirked at him when he turned to look at her again.
"Fan club?" Mystique asked as she sat down and Christy could see Mystique noticing the men all staring at them as Mr. Smooth told his story.
"Did you know that not accepting an offer of bad sex from a half drunk fool proves you're a lesbian?" Christy shook her head and smiled. That topic was tossed as unimportant and they moved on to talk about other things.
"Hey you asshole." The words traveled easily as the man saying it was yelling. Christy glanced over to see that Mr. Smooth had picked another woman to harass, and the woman's boyfriend came back with hands full of drinks and an angry glare.
"This bar would be much better if they didn't let men drink." Christy muttered. She was irritated with being hit on several times and hearing angry men posturing over the women. It wasn't something she was used to and it reminded her of the raiders more than her own tribes men. Her own men weren't allowed to be so disrespectful of people.
Mystique watched Christy sit up straighter in the middle of their conversation and reach into her pocket. Finally. She was beginning to think that this plan wasn't working and they'd have to resort to Christy's hands on approach if they wanted Liam dead by morning.
"Hello." Mystique smiled and glanced around at the noisy bar. "Yes… Oh shit." Christy's faked shock was done well enough to fool their handler. "Where?" The pause was longer this time. "Okay, we're on it." Christy hung up and smirked at her while picking up her glass. "You are sneaky." Mystique felt her own smile grow as Christy raised her glass to Mystique and then finished the rest of her drink.
"So…"
"Apparently we need to get our evidence to the police so they go after Liam's house before anyone else tries to clean it out. He was killed and Shortpack called the police when he heard Steve and Liam at the headquarters. Shortpack tried to call the police when he realized it was going bad, but they didn't make it in time." That boy was probably going to actually spend time feeling bad about that, but he'd get over it and this really was the best plan to protect that Jessi girl.
"And what have we learned today class." Mystique raised her own glass with a smile. Christy was a great apprentice, they understood each other. Mystique felt like taking the woman dancing, but sadly they had to get back to work.
"Would that be that streetwalkers cost less in residential neighborhoods?" Christy stood up and when Mystique made a motion to join her Christy waved her down. "Finish your drink. You earned it. I'll just go settle the tab and we can go."
"Fucking asshole…" The men's voice rose again but Mystique was too busy watching the sway of Christy's hips as the woman walked to the bar. Looks like the depression from earlier was gone. Christy felt like the mission was done now.
A scream alerted her to the danger and Mystique's eyes widened as she turned to see one man turn to flames and the other man ducked as a stream of fire moved over him. "CHRISTY!" Mystique was on her feet and moving but she knew it was too late. She watched in horror as the flames engulfed her partner and tossed Christy into the bar. Alcohol bottles fell over the form and the scream of pain from that woman clenched at Mystique's heart.
People were running away, a few running towards the fire. Mystique leapt over the counter and looked for the fire extinguisher. Her eyes found the sink first and Destiny's words replayed in her mind. Why couldn't that woman have warned them about the bar? Mystique thought angrily as she grabbed the hose and turned water on full blast. She aimed at her burning friend and hoped for the best.
There was no smell of burning flesh, which most would expect, but Mystique paid that little attention as she put out the fire to see Christy laying on the ground unconscious and looking unburned.
"Oh my god." Some other person spoke but Mystique ignored the spectators as she leapt back over the counter and kneeled on the burnt floor.
"Christy?" She reached out to check for a pulse before pulling her hand away. It wouldn't tell her anything. Christy lay so still, her hair dripping wet, her body naked. She tried a few more times to get a response, but she got nothing. They couldn't stay here, she could hear someone calling an ambulance, and even if the hospital took Christy in, they'd never know how to treat her.
With a deep breath Mystique stood up and shifted a cloak onto her body, before pulling it off and placing it over Christy to preserve the woman's modesty. "Come on sleeping beauty, open your eyes." She whispered into Christy's ear before bracing herself to pick the woman up. Still no response. Mystique slid her hands under Christy's knees and back and lifted.
Her eyes widened in shock as she lifted Christy too easily. "You've lost a little weight." She pulled the body closer to her and turned to the door.
"The ambulance…" Some helpful person protested her leaving.
"Wouldn't know what to do with a mutant like her." Mystique glared at the people in her way and they parted silently, still in shock. Mystique swallowed her fear and marched out of their quickly, while wondering how hurt Christy really was. She couldn't see it, but the woman probably only weighed ten pounds.
"Wait." Someone ran after her into the street. Mystique barely slowed, but a man was holding out Christy's wallet and phone. Both looked burnt. "Found these on the floor." Mystique shifted a coat on, with large pockets. He hesitated a moment before putting them in the pocket, since her arms were full. "Is she going to be okay?"
"I don't know."
"Do you need help?" He was keeping up with her fast pace toward the car.
"Hold her." Mystique stopped beside the car and held Christy out. She needed to get the keys out. "Careful, she's light." She told him before handing Christy over.
"She is. How does she keep the wind from blowing her away?" He looked surprised, but Mystique ignored him as she opened the door and took Christy back. She didn't bother talking to him. She was pissed. Christy had survived an apocalypse, being stabbed, being… and Mystique takes the woman out to a bar for a drink after the mission…
"God dammit Irene." Mystique growled as she pulled out of the parking spot. "You and your best in the long run crap isn't gonna cut it now." Irene should have just told her. Mystique grimaced as she glanced over at Christy. "I'll get you all patched up girl. Don't you worry." Mystique was worried enough for them both. She didn't even have a working phone to warn Shortpack about what happened.
She wished that Christy would just breathe once even to show she was really alive. Mystique couldn't tell if she had already died.