The next morning, Rogue was gone before the alarm clock even sounded, probably because of Bobby, I presumed. Tonight was the night! I hummed excitedly as I dressed and walked down the halls. Soon, we would find out if Bobby decided to join.
I had breakfast with Kurt, but Bobby and Rogue didn't appear, which got me a little uneasy, but not too much.
What really unnerved me was the fact that neither Rogue nor Bobby appeared at any of their classes during the day. It was obvious that something was amiss, but I didn't know what.
"I'm worried," I confided to Kurt. "What if they're hurt, or captured by Magneto, or-" "Don't worry, Kitty," Kurt said soothingly, rubbing my back. "They will be fine." We sat in silence by the window for a few moments longer until I had a tingle in my spine. I always had a tingle or prickle in my spine when something was about to happen.
"Let's go," I said tightly, grabbing Kurt's hand and falling through the floor to the Lower Levels. "What is it?" Kurt asked, a little surprised by the pressure I was putting on his hand and the fact that we were running crazily through different passageways.
"Something's wrong," I said. "I can't ignore that fact any longer, and something is about to happen." We stopped, and I turned to Kurt. "Go to the jet," I said. "Get it ready. I'm going to get the X-Men."
"If you say so, Kitty," Kurt said, still a little astonished and shocked. Before I left, I looked up at him, my heart hesitant and my eyes clouded with mixed emotions. "Kurt, I-"I began, and he looked at me. "I...I mean..." But before anything could happen, I heard a distant explosion, and all the noise upstairs ceased as the students held still and looked outside the windows.
"Go!" I shouted, and used all my strength to push myself up through the ceiling. I landed in Jean's room, where she was craning her neck to see outside the window. "Jean!" I said. She jumped and turned to look at me.
"Something is wrong, we have to go now," I said. "And I'm sure it has something to do with Magneto, because I felt this prickle, and-" She held up her hand, and I shut up. "I know," she said. "Rogue and Bobby have been kidnapped by Magneto and Mystique."
"How do you know?" I asked, a little frightened. "There were reports earlier this morning by a few students about me supposedly going into Bobby's room and getting him up," she said. "I did not go into his room."
"Mystique somehow got inside here?" I asked in horror. Jean nodded. "Also, Scott supposedly took Rogue down to the Lower Levels to discuss something of the utmost importance with her, but it was not Scott. Bobby and Rogue are in imminent danger. I only just now figured it out."
"We have to evacuate the school!" I said, my mind flying furiously through different ideas and scenarios. "We have to save Bobby and Rogue!"
"Storm and Scott are getting the students out now," Jean said, walking swiftly from her office and holding my hand as I transported us to the Lower Levels, her mind already on the same track as mine.
"Wolverine and Kurt will come with us," she said as we walked rapidly to the jet where Kurt was waiting. "This will be your first mission," she said, glancing at me. "Sorry it will be so abrupt." "No worries," I said, dashing through a wall and leaving her behind as I got into the jet a few seconds before she did.
Moments later, as explosions rocked the school, Wolverine dashed inside the jet and slammed it closed. "Let's go," he said roughly, getting into a seat next to Jean. Jean smiled, and we were off.
I looked at Wolverine thoughtfully. His face looked tough, but his eyes told a different story. They were full of fear and anger. I was sure that the fear was because of Rogue, that she would get into trouble. They were close. The anger-obviously because Mystique and Magneto had dared to steal her and Bobby off.
I felt someone's hand lightly touch mine, and I jumped a bit, but it was only Kurt. He smiled at me, and took my hand. I smiled back, and took his in silent support.
We didn't have time to reassure each other much, however, because just then, the jet landed where the indicators said that Rogue and Bobby were. The four of us silently dropped out of the jet.
"Follow close," Jean warned me, going behind Wolverine, whose claws were bared and ready to swing and slice at anyone who dared attack us. I nodded, keeping close to both Jean and Kurt. The fact that I was on my first mission was a frightening one, but also an intriguing idea.
We walked silently in a group into an old lighthouse, and up the stairs. Everything seemed to be going well, I noted. Kurt smiled at me, and he looked as if he were about to speak when suddenly a blinding light spread through the lighthouse. I could hear cries of pain: my own included as my eyes were blinded. And the light was off as quickly as it had come on.
It took me a few moments for my vision to return, and I realized I was sitting on a stair. I blinked rapidly, still seeing bright spots of light, and looked around for Kurt. I suddenly realized, to my terror, that I was alone. Kurt, Jean, and Wolverine had vanished as if they had never existed.
The silence was deafening, and I swallowed my tears at the fact that maybe they were dead. But I had to keep climbing up to the top of the lighthouse, for Rogue's sake. And Bobby's.
And so, I put off my fear and hesitation for courage and bravery, climbing the stairs heavily and slowly, each step sounding like a cannon going off in my ears. Somehow, without Jean and Wolverine for protection, everything seemed much larger and scarier.
I reached the top of the lighthouse, ready to dash through walls if need be-to my death. And I saw a horrific sight. There, pinned on the walls by arms of metal, were Rogue, Bobby, Wolverine, Jean, and Kurt, all struggling. Kurt seemed to be trying to teleport, but whenever he did, a jolt of energy shot through him and he would cry out.
"Kurt!" I cried, and ran towards him when I heard a sound. I whirled around, my hands in the classic defense pose. I saw Magneto and Mystique strolling towards me, Magneto laughing softly. "So, my dear," he said pleasantly.
"Let them go!" I said through gritted teeth. "Kitty!" Jean cried. "Go!" I didn't pay her any attention. Magneto ignored her as well.
"You have a choice to make now," he said. "I am not interested in joining your little band of evil followers," I said. "Oh, maybe not now," he said, "but you will be. We'll see. You have another choice now," Magneto said, and Mystique smiled grimly. I shuddered at her yellow eyes. "You can get one person down from the wall to help you," Magneto said. "To help you try and defeat us, I mean. You can choose either Kurt or Rogue. The catch is: whichever one you do not choose will die within thirty seconds. If you lose, you all will die anyway."
"Oh, God," I whispered, my hands trembling. "You're evil!" I said in horror. "Evil is a harsh word," Magneto said, his hand lifted to free whichever one I chose. "So, Kitty: choose."
My glance darted from Rogue who was hanging from her bonds, her eyes determined and gazing at me intently, and to Kurt, who was looking at me helplessly. How could I choose between my best friend and the person who I loved?
And I made my decision.
A/N: Sorry that this chapter is so badly written, but it's like really late, so, I hope you'll forgive me. Anyway, at least I finally updated, right? That is, if anyone is actually reading this story. :) Much luv!