They stayed, trapped in the dark for a long time. The silence ached in Chiara's ears, she wished someone would say something. She wished she could move. She tried again and again to spark one of her fingers, only finding that what Gaudi had said was correct. As much as she tried, she could catch no electric current running through her veins.
She felt weak and tired. She swum in and out of sleep, feeling like she was going to be sick. She wished that maybe, she could just die instead. She couldn't hear anything outside the room. No sign that Magneto had returned, or that there was anyone else in the room.
After what felt, and had probably been, hours, the lights flicked on, dim, but still blinding in comparison to the darkness. In the visibility that had followed, she could see everyone of her fellow mutants look up, surprised and shaken. Immediately the lights went out again. Then on. Then they continued to flicker.
"What's going on?" she heard Khahara said, her white eyes frightening in the intermittent light. She got no answer, but Chiara doubted she had expected one. There was the sound of struggle somewhere in the warehouse and the sounds of bullets bouncing off the walls. In the pause that followed, they all struggled to get free again.
Suddenly, something caught Chiara's eye and she looked over. It was Cat. She was changing, rapidly. Her hair grew long, short, curled, straight, bobbed, shagged, blonde, black, pink, blue. Her features changed as she struggled against the bonds. In a split second she was free and she fell onto the ground in front of her and scrambled to her feet.
"Cat!" she heard someone shout, but it was too distressed to make out who it was. Suddenly, there was the noise of power dying and then there was a silence. Chiara felt the metal strips peel away from her skin and she fell, somewhat clumsily, into someone's arms.
"What the hell?" she croaked, unaware her throat was so dry.
"Don't worry." Simon said. "The power got shut down... Magneto's barrier against our powers is useless." He supported her for a moment, then held her. Chiara pushed herself away, somewhat surprised.
"Anyone else need help?" she heard Yuako's voice say, closer to her than she'd expected.
"Yeah, anyone? Please?" Lucea's voice said. "And some light might be useful." Someone moved across the room to help her and she heard the others try to search for some light source in the room. Flexing her fingers, she created sparks on her hands, loving the feeling of using her power again.
Immediately the room was illuminated. They all stood together in a huddle, faces confused and relieved. The noises of struggle continued outside.
"Good." Simon said, as Gaudi and Lucea appeared. "Let's get out of here." he said. Chiara could sense the air of agreement in the group. "Who was concious when they brought us in?" There was silence. Yuako's eyes went purple.
"No need to find out." she smiled, as there was a sudden crash and then a scream of metal on metal from the direction of the door. It burst open, showing the dim features of Wolverine, followed by Storm and Cyclops.
"Let's go!" Wolverine said. His claws were out, long, silvery and glittering with blood. In a split second they were all running for the doorway. They didn't need an explanation yet. The only thought on their minds was to get out of the danger of the warehouse.
They ran down a echoing tunnel and hit a fork. Without thinking they seperated, Cyclops going down the other side with a group of students. Chiara felt a cool hand grip hers as they ran. It was Yuako's. Suddenly, a trio of gunmen appeared. They skidded to a stop and sprinted in the other direction. There was the sound of bullets being shot, but they never reached the feet of the retreating mutants, obviously hit off course by the psychics in the group.
They ran down the other side of the fork, following Cyclops's group into the dark distance. As she ran, Chiara felt the metal plates against the wall shivering against each other. All of a sudden, a plate flew from the wall, catching under her feet. For a moment she slid on it, trying to move, but she tripped and fell to the ground. In a fearful moment se looked over one shoulder, seeing the sillohette of a tall, helmeted man, coming down the passage.
She turned at her head to scream at the others to stop, but they were still running. The metal plates from the walls were piling up, creating a barrier that she could get through. As she tried to get up, a strong hand found her throat, throwing her against the wall.
She looked up into Magneto's paling blue eyes in fear. This was the end. She was sure. She closed her eyes and let loose the power that she had left in her body. She felt Magneto's hand tighten, then retract, and heard him cry out in anguish and let go. He fell to the ground, twitching with pain until he went unconcious.
Chiara stood coughing for a moment. There was the sound of clanging footsteps and then she heard the blessed sound of her name.
"Chiara!?" She knew the voice, and she went on instinct that it was not Mystique.
"Connor!" she shouted back in response. She heard him pounding on the metal wall.
"I can't get through!" he shouted back. Chiara searched her mind for an idea.
"Wait. Stand back!" she warned, creating a field of sparks easily on her hand. She threw them into the air above the metal wall, pleased that they stayed in place. She stretched her arms out to the side, feeling the electric energy now pulsing in the room. Slowly, but gradually, she lifted herself into the air and across the metal barrier. Suddenly she fell, unable to keep herself up and more, but Connor caught her.
"Thanks." she said, getting to her feet.
"Don't worry." he said. "I want to know how you did that, but for now, let's get out of here. This passage leads to stairs." he said. He gave her a short smile, then took her hand and together they ran through the corridor.
They reached the steep staircase which crossed back and forth as it got higher, but they went up. The higher they got, Chiara noticed the light was getting clearer and her breath was making a white puff in the air when she exhaled.
There was a window, and a door at the top and it was considerabley colder. Connor pushed the door open and skidded onto the ice outside that had formed there. The sun was coming up, turning the sky a angry, pinkish-grey. The frozen lake stretched out ahead of them.
"Come on." Connor said, stretching his hand out to her and helping her down the ice. They ran, slipping somewhat, over the frozen water and then they could see the X-Jet.
The engine was on, and it was lifting off the ground, the ramp still down. Connor sprinted to the base of the plane, grabbing the ramp. Chiara followed him, realising the urgency.
"Come on now." said Logan's gruff voice. He reached down and pulled Chiara into the jet, then Connor after her. In the few moments of dizzyness that followed, she felt someone scream her name in joy and hug her. It was Yuako.