DISCLAIMER: Marvel's although they don't treat 'em right!
No one had ever accused Emma Frost of being a nice woman. But she found Charles quaint, and his little hippie band of mutants amusing at times. The sweet man had really tried to do his best by her, taking her in and all that, but his best had been sorely lacking. She had been after bigger fish in better waters. But she found a bit of nostalgia in her cold little heart for the place she had once called home.
That, however, did not extend to his lackeys. A few minutes of radio contact showed her that they were utterably insipid, and of no use whatsoever in the kind of mission it was turning out to be. She checked her watch for the fiftieth time, shouldering her plasma rifle. You'd think a telepath wouldn't need a rifle, but Emma enjoyed the feeling of power she got holding it.
Yeah, she was messed up at twenty years old.
She had clawed her way to where she was now, a queen among the underworld. She had fought tooth and nail to get there, and it hadn't been easy. There was already a string of murders and crimes attached to her name, better known as the White Queen. She had many shady dealings, but every now and then she liked to do what was for the good of her kind. Even if it meant working for goody-two shoes Xavier and his pets.
She heard them before she saw them. She thought it was awfully sloppy of them. She shot a round at them, just for kicks, her silencer on. The blonde hunk took to the sky, spreading out wings that blocked the sky, an obvious target. A skinny little brunette grabbed the boy next to her and the bullets passed through them like they weren't even there. The purple haired woman dodged them easily enough, her fist glowing in a sort of psychic sword.
"Katana, love," she said, sweetly. "And stop shooting at us if you don't want it lodged in your head."
"Just seeing what Charles has to put up against me," she said. "Not much, if he's letting these kittens out to play," she said, looking at Shadowcat and Iceman.
"Haven't changed, Emma," Warren said, wearily.
"If that means being a coldhearted uber bitch," Bobby said.
Emma laughed. "Darling Robert, so cute," she pinched his cheek. He swatted at her, his fist forming to ice. She laughed again "Tut, tut, Robert," Emma said, wrapping an arm around him. "Such language around the ladies." He shrugged her off. "Well then, are we ready for a break in?"
"How are we supposed to do that?" Shadowcat asked.
"The other contact is on the inside," Emma said. "She's looped the security feed for ten minutes and will keep the guards…occupied."
"Do you know if they are even here?" Warren asked.
"Of course they are. Do you think Mystique would take them anywhere else? But let me guess, you sillies checked the Brotherhood house, and were…delayed a bit by Blob and the other useless cronies, hmm?" She laughed throatily, the sound carrying on the cold air. "Rogue came here, as well, looking for Mystique. And another mutant was captured outside the perimeters."
"Must be LeBeau, if Rogue is here," Warren said. "Betsy, get in contact with Beast and tell them to rendezvous with us here."
"Sure thing," Betsy said. She walked off a bit and spoke into the communicator she wore on her breast. "They'll be here in fifteen minutes."
"Good. We wait until then," Warren said. "And no shooting at them when they arrive," he warned Emma.
"Who me? Wouldn't dream of it," she said innocently, smiling up at him.
"I have to use the bathroom," Rogue said.
"Would you stop complaining?" Gambit hissed at her. He stood by the door, waiting for someone to open it. He was hoping to hit them and escape. The card game had digressed into name-calling and almost came to blows between the two boys, so they decided to call it quits. It only did so much in keeping their minds off their predicament, anyways.
"Well, you'd be complainin' too if ya hadn't used the bathroom all day!" she retorted, angrily, dancing in place. "And Ah stink!"
"At least you're not shot," Scott said glumly, looking at his red stained bandages. "They could have given us some pain pills," he said to Jean. She nodded soberly.
"Aww, poor baby," Remy mocked, making a face. "Shh! I hear someone coming."
The door clanged open viciously, and Rogue flew at the man coming in. She hit her shoulder painfully on the door, but managed to drag him down with her. Remy took the opportunity to step over their bodies, kicking the man in the ribs for good measure, and dashing outside the cell. He stopped short.
"Um. Dis ain't good."
"Why, hello, Gambit. Fancy meeting you here," Sinister said.
Scott eyed Rogue warily. She was holding her arm awkwardly, like she might have dislocated her shoulder. She sat against the wall looking at the door, blood marring her vision. She thought an hour might have passed since they took Sinister had taken Remy and Magneto had taken Jean, but she didn't know for sure. Toad had escorted her to the bathroom, and she had the faint, sick feeling he had watched her. She had washed as best as she could in the sink, but her clothes still reeked.
"What do you think they're doin' with them?" she asked.
"Don't know." He shrugged his shoulders.
Rogue rested her head on her knees, staring at the door, wishing she could have gone through it too. It would have been better than sitting in this little white room. Her stomach growled angrily, reminding her it had been a while since she last ate. She even wished for some of Beast's spaghetti right now, even if the sauce was burnt and the noodles were slimy.
"They're gonna rescue us, you know," Scott said.
"Who?"
"The X-men." Rogue snorted.
"All three of them? Besides they don't know Ah'm here. They'll come get you. They all love their little boy scout."
"We were getting ready to search for you when I was kidnapped," Scott said. It gave Rogue little comfort. Her arm ached terribly. She heard scuffling outside the door, but she was too tired, too sick, to even attempt an escape. After Sabretooth had pushed her off him, clawing her face and chest in the process, Magneto had choked her. She rubbed her bruised throat. She wouldn't try something that stupid again.
Someone beat on the door, the sound of metal against metal. Rogue flinched and sat upright. If they weren't opening it with a key…
"Hello," a voice said, with a heavy Russian accent, belonging to a man made completely of metal.
"Um." Rogue said.
"We're the cavalry," a girl, dotted with freckles said.
Rogue and Scott stood, as the others crowded the doorway.
"We have to get out of here, quick," Warren said. "Where's Jean?"
"Magneto took her," Scott said. "Did you bring my visor?"
Warren shook his head. "Do you know where he took her?"
"No," Rogue replied. "And Sinister took Gambit."
"Sinister?" Hank said. "Oh shit. And that's a scientific term," He added.
"We have to get Kurt," Rogue said, pushing past them into the hallway. "He's in here," she pointed to the next cell. Colossus grabbed the handle and wrenched it off the door, then began beating it until it caved enough to open. There was darkness inside.
"Kurt?" Rogue called, peering inside. She saw his shadow sitting in the back of the room. "Come on, we're getting' outta here," she said.
"I appreciate it, fraulien, but I do not vish to scare your friends. Nor do I have anyplace to go, once I am free."
"So it's better to stay in here?" she asked. "Come on," she walked in and grabbed his arm, dragging him into the light. There was a moment of silence as the X-men took in the blue skinned mutant Rogue held on to, fiercely. "This is Kurt," she said. "He's my brother."
Someone applauded from behind them. Rogue turned, facing Mystique.
"Very noble, Rogue."
"You!" Rogue hissed at her. "Ah hate you."
Mystique's face remained impassive. "I see your 'contact' managed to get you in without being caught. And told you were to find Rogue."
"That was you? Why?" Hank asked. Mystique nodded.
"He had my children," she whispered, fiercely. "Besides Magneto got what he wanted and this way he has no hold over me any longer."
"Nice time ta start actin' like a mother," Rogue said.
"We don't have time for this," Scott said, eyes clamped shut. Shadowcat had him by the arm. "We have to find Jean!"
"She's with Magneto, you'll have no chance of rescuing her."
"Leave that up to us to decide, lady," Psylocke said.
"Idiots! Do you want to get caught?" Mystique said. "I've made sure you have a clear shot out of here, but you have to go now!"
"No!" Rogue said. "Ah won't let him mess with them like he did with me!"
"What do you mean?" Mystique asked.
"Sinister. Ah know what you did to me, Momma."
Mystique visible blanched at that. "You know nothing."
"What do you want with Jean?" she demanded.
"I want nothing with her," Mystique growled. "She was nothing more than a bargaining chip."
"What does Magneto want with her?" Scott demanded.
Mystique glanced at her watch. "Magneto recently came into possession of a necklace of great and mystical power that can allow him to become immortal as well as shift the world into a version he likes better," her face twisted and she spoke hurriedly, "The only problem is those with a great will can overcome the effects of the necklace."
"So what does that have to do with Jean?" Iceman asked.
"She is the strongest mind in the world, therefore, with her influence, she can break the wills of those that might oppose him."
"And what does Sinister get out of the deal?" Scott demanded.
"A vessel for his virus, which can mutate human DNA, that will transmit the virus telepathically into all minds."
"Oh my God," Warren said. "That's just sick!"
"That," Mystique said, "isn't the worst part."
"It gets worse?" Iceman groaned.
"It further evolves the DNA of mutants."
"Meaning?"
"You tell me, Dr. McCoy," she said. "Is Jean the strongest telepath you know? Look, you have about a one minute window to escape safely. After that," she said, shouldering her gun, "you are on your own."
"We have to get Jean?"
"This doesn't make sense!" Rogue said. "What does Sinister want with Gambit? Why did you make me absorb Carol, if you were gonna kidnap Jean to give her to Magneto?"
"Did you ever wonder why he was working for Sinister in the first place, girl?" Mystique snarled. Rogue looked a bit stunned.
"Where would he take her?" Scott demanded.
"My assistance to you is done, X-men. Tell Charles all debts are repaid."
Rogue grabbed her before she could walk away. "If you won't tell us, Ah'll take it from you!" she said, plastering her hand across her foster mother's cheek. Immediately she felt the rush of her powers, the flood of memories and psyche that made Raven Darkholme who she was. Mystique.
She let the unconscious body drop to the floor. She grabbed Mystique's gun as her flesh began to ripple. She couldn't hold form and it felt as if her flesh were being torn apart."Ah know," she gasped, gripping her head, "where they are. But something's not right!"
"You got that one, right, love," Emma Frost said, leveling her rifle at her.
Confused? You should be! So here's what we know so far. Magneto originally wanted Rogue (remember the "she's gone" conversation?). Gambit kidnapped Rogue but it turns out Sinister wanted Jean for his virus to mutate humans and further mutate mutants. Mystique had Rogue absorb Carol to kill/absorb Jean. Carol told Sinister Mystique wanted her to "kidnap" Jean.Sinister merged Carol and Rogue in Rogue's head. Now Sinister and Magneto are working together,Sinister to create a supermutant and transmit his virus and Magneto to break the wills of those that would oppose the necklace. Xavier's contacts are Emma Frost and Mystique, and Mystique has turned good to help the X-men. I promise you, it will all be explained in the end, but I know you were probably getting confused (I was!). So stick with me. There are some other clues throughout as well-but I don't want to give to much away!
Thanks for the kind reviews, I'm too tired to personalize 'em, I promise I will next time!
