Raien sat in the infirmary, wrapped head to toe in all the blankets
the room had. He looked at Bobby, deep inside his frozen shell. It really
was beautiful. The way the dim light hit every shining facet gave the
whole thing a dazzling effect. Though staring at it for the past three
hours had been agony. Every second he spent not fighting his way to
Chimera was like he was letting his lover down. He was going to need help
to do this, though, and he knew that if he left Bobby and did everything
himself, Bobby would never forgive him. So he waited, as agonizing minutes
crept by.
He was walking through hallways, the smell of blood in the air. Screams echoed on the concrete walls. He was confused. As he walked from cell to cell, Raien realized that he was not in control. He was there, conscious, but it was like someone else had taken the wheel. He watched himself stop, open one of the doors. His heart almost leaped out of his chest when he saw Chimera there. He reached toward his lover, surprised that his body moved with him for once. But where Raien had meant to touch Chimera's cheek, his hand tightened around his neck. At that moment he saw his hand. It wasn't his. He saw fear in Chimera's eyes, and something else, the look a person gets when they've given up their will to live. When things have gotten so bad that death seems a step up from where they are. Now standing outside his body he saw what the glove had been attached to. The same black space suit that he'd seen during the attack on the mansion. He saw Chimera look into the eyes of the man holding him. He watched him recognize something and start shaking. The man holding him threw him to the floor and looked at Raien now. Raien gasped. Behind the goggles he saw glowing white eyes. His eyes.
"Raien? Raien!" Said a familiar voice, waking him. When he looked up, he saw Bobby standing over him, still in his Iceman form. Something was different though. He looked bigger. As Raien fully woke up he saw that Bobby shoulders were covered in thick black ice. His face was the same, but his body was not. He looked much more powerful physically than he had the last Raien had seen him.
Still shaken and feeling more than a little sick from his dream, he stood. "You alright, Bobby?"
"I think so. How long was I out?" Bobby asked
"A few days." Raien said. Bobby's eyes widened and a half frozen tear fell from one, forming an icicle on his chin.
"Hank... And Chimera?" Bobby asked, sounding hopeful.
"The other X-Men are dragging their heels," Raien began "I think we need to do something. Now. I can't stand the thought of someone hurting Chimera, Hank, and Jubilee. I don't think the rest of the team is ready. Except maybe Wolverine. Gambit got shot, and Rogue hasn't left his side. Jean has learned the coordinates of the place they're being held, I think we can get them."
Bobby was quiet for a moment. "How can we get there though? My slides only go so fast." He was looking at the floor. "Lets talk to the rest of the team. If they aren't willing to leave now, I'll go with you."
Raien nodded and they left the infirmary together.
"Raien, Bobby, look. We just aren't ready." Scott said, sounding frustrated.
"I am ready. Who else is?" Raien asked, turning his back on Scott to face the rest of the team. Jean had just given them a direction and distance of the place their friends were being kept. Raien saw no need to stay any longer.
"I'm ready." Bobby said, an icy glare aimed at Cyclops.
Rogue looked at Gambit for a moment as if to ask if he was okay with her leaving. He nodded and she looked at Cyclops hard. "Ah'm ready. We all got people we know an love held bah those bastards. Ah think we need to get them out now."
"We need to plan this out! We need to act as a team, move as a team!" Cyclops shouted sounding somewhat defeated.
Wolverine had a half grin on his face at Cyclops being confronted so much in the past few weeks. He was really starting to look like an ass, and the best part about it was that he knew. "I think we are moving as a team. I think you're the only one not ready, bub."
Scott threw his hands into the air. "Alright we move today. Give me three hours."
Raien stared at him. 'Three hours? Chimera could be dead in one hour.' Raien caught himself. 'Chimera could already be dead.'
"No. I'm leaving now. Anyone who is ready-" Raien said before being interrupted by Scott.
"Three hours is not unacceptable. If you're going to be a part of-" Scott said before he saw the look Raien had on his face. It was the same look he'd seen this morning.
"Then take them. I'm leaving now." Raien said simply. He knew that he was not going to get any help from Scott. He'd known that walking in there. For three days that had been the feeling. Now that Bobby was awake, he could finally leave without feeling bad. They both deserved whatever revenge they could get.
Scott looked like he wanted to say more. Fuck him anyway. Raien was out the door and down the hallway in a matter of seconds.
"Hold up, Sugar." Rogue said. "You're not doing this alone."
Raien stopped and turned. When he saw her, Wolverine, and Bobby behind him, he smiled. "Alright. Lets go get our friends."
Hank looked at Jubilee. He was very worried. She hadn't moved all day. She stared off in the distance, not even crying anymore. Hank had just held her since he found her. He didn't know what else to do. He didn't have the heart to check her for injuries. She wasn't bleeding though, thank heavens. It broke his heart, seeing her in this condition. He knew that the days of a young energetic girl coming to him the day before an algebra test thinking she was going to die were gone. He just hoped that one day she could reclaim a little of that. He hugged her closer and kissed the side of her head whispering anything he could think of to tell her everything was going to be okay. That the X-Men were coming.
It was more to convince himself though. Chimera looked hurt that they'd not come sooner. Hank had tried to explain that they would have to regroup, plan, and then they could mount a rescue effort. But the words fell flat from his mouth even as he said them. It had been nearly three days. Twelve of the most powerful mutants in the room had been taken.
Hank had tried that morning to mount an escape. The captors didn't even use the collars that would protect them from the mutants' abilities. No one wanted to fight though. They were too scared. It was disgusting. He'd reasoned that perhaps seeing something happen, seeing a guard taken down, they'd revolt. Everything had backfired. One of the men in the black space suits had come into the room. He'd pointed at one of the girls. Hank had sprung at him like a wild animal, gripped his arms and pulled to rip him in two. He was caught completely off guard when the body under him didn't move. Hands gripped his wrists and twisted making him howl in pain. A boot came up under his stomach, then he crashed into the rear wall, right next to Chimera. It had been over thirty feet.
That was when the despair had started. Laying in a heap of bruises and cracked ribs, he knew there was nothing he could do. That feeling of helplessness was not something he was even the slightest bit familiar with. He'd been scared for days.
As he picked Jubilee back up and lay in his corner, he did something he hadn't done in a very long time. His chest shook and a sob escaped him before he could swallow it and lock it away inside him. He had to stay strong for everyone. If he didn't believe, how could Chimera? They'd win. He still shook, and tears threatened to break loose. He looked at the ceiling. He'd always been an Atheist. Science left little room for faith. He caught himself begging for help. Anything that would hear his prayer. Then it dawned on him. What kind of god would let this happen?
The Blackbird raced from the hanger. Scott hadn't taken three hours. In fact he'd left in less than one. Jean, Storm, Kurt, and even Gambit were with him. He'd wanted to leave the Cajun in the infirmary where he belonged, but he'd insisted on coming. He could pilot. Or something.
It would take only a half hour for them to get to the coordinates Jean had come up with. They were going to get their teammates back.
Just as he was beginning to wonder how Raien, Bobby, Wolverine and Rogue had left (as they'd not taken the Blackbird), he saw something ahead. Scott accelerated. As he got closer, he saw four pair of boots. White flame. He smirked to himself. After all that in the war room this morning, Scott's team would get there first. He hit the accelerator again just as he passed them.
He blew past and looked at the readout again. He could see them on radar. A few moments passed and he gasped. They were catching up. Another minute and when Scott looked up, he saw Raien's face in the cockpit window. Not gloating. Deep in concentration. As if he was straining with something. Wolverine on the other hand waved. As they passed him and soon left the Blackbird far far behind, Scott slammed a hand into the metal seat divider.
"That son of a bitch." he muttered earning him several dirty looks. Except from Gambit. The man looked like he'd be outright laughing if his chest wound didn't hurt when he did.
Raien's head started to throb, but he was lost in concentration. A large cement building loomed in front of them, a long black chimney on the top, looking eerily familiar to those used by the Germans in World War II. There were no windows and fifty food chain link fence surrounded it on all sides. They landed just outside of the fence. Raien could feel the electricity in the air coming from the fence. As soon as feet hit the ground, they were moving.
Wolverine quickly found the wire supplying the fence with power, and severed it. Two quick slashes and their way through the fence was made. Bobby leading the way and Raien in the rear, they entered the compound. An alarm sounded. Three guards that were patrolling stopped, obviously surprised. Bobby didn't even stop moving. He simply looked in their direction and they froze solid.
The doors in the front of the building opened and a dozen soldiers poured out. Raien extended his hand and his aura burned around him. A globe of white flame appeared to one side of the soldiers. They lifted off the ground, falling toward it. Raien thrust his hand to the side and they flew screaming over the fence. His aura flickered for a moment.
"Raien, are ya alright?" Rogue asked. Raien shook himself. His skin had paled.
"I'm fine. Lets get them." He said. Wolverine looked at him for a moment with a look of approval. They walked through the doors, Bobby rounded the corner first. Loud gunshots. Bobby's back exploded outward sending shards of ice flying. All of them gasped. Just as Rogue called out to him, they realized that Bobby wasn't in pain. The craters in his back filled with ice and he was suddenly as he was a moment before.
When they came around the corner, a thick barrier of ice separated them from the soldiers. Bobby looked very pleased with himself.
"Hey bub. Leave some for me. Alright?" Wolverine asked. Definitely not a joke. He cracked his knuckles. The sound of metal touching in there was still disconcerting.
They moved down the hallway. Bobby didn't know where he was going except that he was going the right way. He couldn't explain why he knew. They neared the end of the hall and heard footsteps. Slow and deliberate.
They stopped. The hiss of air being expelled sounded just before a tall black figure stepped from the right side ahead of them. The sound of adamantium claws slicing through Wolverine's hands broke the silence. The man ahead extended a black gloved hand toward them. Bobby took a step forward. Suddenly fire leapt from the man's outstretched hand. Bobby's arms flew up and out and he became a wall of ice. When the flame hit, though, he recoiled, screaming in pain. While the rest of them were stunned at what they were seeing, no one saw Wolverine until his claws ripped through the black suit, severing the multitude of tubes attached to the man's body. He cried out as he fell to the ground, his voice distorted by some mechanical device obviously made to make it sound more threatening.
Bobby had reformed himself but was still shaking with pain.
"I'm fine. Lets go." Bobby said through gritted teeth. They moved at a run now. With Wolverine at the lead they advanced. As they were about to turn down another hallway, Wolverine put his hand up, silently stopping them. He sniffed the air and angled an ear toward their right.
"Soldiers. Over twenty. Raien?" Wolverine whispered. Raien nodded. His aura surrounded him again. He jumped straight out, inverting when he hit the hallway, far from where any of the soldiers would have expected someone to be. Before they could get him in their sights, a ball of fire blazed by them, ripping them from their perches, dragging them down the hall with it. Raien didn't stop moving. He crashed into the wall on the other side of the hallway, his aura gone, grabbing his head. A small grunt of pain before the other three were upon him. Rogue picked him up and looked at him. His eyes opened, flickered for a moment, then burned again. A trail of crimson rolled from his nose down his chin. He pulled away from her, standing on his own and wiped the blood from his face. His companions looked at him all with worried expressions on their faces.
"We can't do this without me. I'll be fine. Go." He said pain still evident on his face. It took a moment but they knew his words were true and moved. They ran into a few more guards which were either frozen solid in their tracks or overwhelmed by Rogue's strong arms and Wolverine's claws.
They'd found the cell, located in the central part of the building. The four guards posted outside were incapacitated before they even knew something was wrong. A number pad was to the left of the thick steel door. Wolverine slashed, but couldn't penetrate it. His claws could go through chain link like butter, but the steel here must have been six inches thick.
"Move aside." Raien said, still holding one hand to his left temple.
"Raien, you can't-" Bobby said, worry thick in his voice.
"Move aside. Please." Raien repeated, extending hands toward the door. "If we don't do this soon we're going to have a hundred guards here. We need to get them and get out."
The three grudgingly moved out of the way. Raien's eyes narrowed for a moment, and it seemed as though nothing was going to happen. A grunt of effort and the aura came to him again, an orb forming just in front of the door. The soft creek of metal bending filled the air. Another alarm blazed around them. It wouldn't be long until the place would be swarming with soldiers. Raien's knees wavered as the doors bent outward, and finally breaking from their hinges, they crashed to the floor. Raien's aura was gone just as quickly. They didn't see him wipe more blood from his nose.
Inside the room there were several people sprawled out on a cement floor. The smell of sweat hung in the air around them. A few of the mutants looked up at them.
"Hank!" Bobby exclaimed. "C'mon, hurry, we've got to get out of here!" Hank jumped to his feet, Jubilee in his arms, and Chimera not too far behind him. Hank looked at the rest of the room.
"Come on! Follow us!" He yelled at them. None moved. Not one. "Hurry! Come with us!" Hank stared incredulously for a moment at them, and as he looked into a few of their eyes, he knew that none were coming. These people were already dead. The realization sent a chill up his spine.
"We gotta move. They're comin." Wolverine said in a low tone.
Hank and Bobby looked at each other and smiled. Chimera looked at Raien. The man who'd saved him from FoH once before stood on wobbly knees, blood coming from his nose, pure relief on his face. Hank saw him too.
"My God. Raien? What happened?" Hank asked hurriedly. Raien wiped the blood again and turned to head back the way they'd come.
"No time. C'mon. Lets get out of here." He said, already breaking into a run. He wondered where all the soldiers were. They couldn't have run a place like this with only the ones they'd run into. They might be up to something. As much as Raien just wanted to give in to his pounding head and jump into Chimera's arms, he couldn't. He had to get the team out. He'd gotten them into this. As they ran through the hallways, Raien knew there was just one more turn and they'd be home free.
He rounded the corner first. He knew better, but his brain wasn't working anymore. He was totally exhausted. Using his power this much hurt. His feet skidded to a halt. Barrels of rifles leveled at him.
A gunshot shook the air around Chimera as he ran to catch up. His chest clenched tight as he saw crimson explode from Raien's back. The aura surrounded him and he brought his hands up. They shook as fire flew from them, sweeping the guards right out the door as if they'd been in a raging river. Raien's body jerked and both hands came to his head suddenly. The aura flickered and died. Then Raien's body went limp and he crashed to the floor.
"C'mon! What are you staring at lets go!" Wolverine yelled. Chimera picked Raien up. He hung limp in his arms. When he turned him over, Chimera screamed. Two brown eyes rolled toward the back of Raien's head. Brown. The glow that defined him, gone.
He was walking through hallways, the smell of blood in the air. Screams echoed on the concrete walls. He was confused. As he walked from cell to cell, Raien realized that he was not in control. He was there, conscious, but it was like someone else had taken the wheel. He watched himself stop, open one of the doors. His heart almost leaped out of his chest when he saw Chimera there. He reached toward his lover, surprised that his body moved with him for once. But where Raien had meant to touch Chimera's cheek, his hand tightened around his neck. At that moment he saw his hand. It wasn't his. He saw fear in Chimera's eyes, and something else, the look a person gets when they've given up their will to live. When things have gotten so bad that death seems a step up from where they are. Now standing outside his body he saw what the glove had been attached to. The same black space suit that he'd seen during the attack on the mansion. He saw Chimera look into the eyes of the man holding him. He watched him recognize something and start shaking. The man holding him threw him to the floor and looked at Raien now. Raien gasped. Behind the goggles he saw glowing white eyes. His eyes.
"Raien? Raien!" Said a familiar voice, waking him. When he looked up, he saw Bobby standing over him, still in his Iceman form. Something was different though. He looked bigger. As Raien fully woke up he saw that Bobby shoulders were covered in thick black ice. His face was the same, but his body was not. He looked much more powerful physically than he had the last Raien had seen him.
Still shaken and feeling more than a little sick from his dream, he stood. "You alright, Bobby?"
"I think so. How long was I out?" Bobby asked
"A few days." Raien said. Bobby's eyes widened and a half frozen tear fell from one, forming an icicle on his chin.
"Hank... And Chimera?" Bobby asked, sounding hopeful.
"The other X-Men are dragging their heels," Raien began "I think we need to do something. Now. I can't stand the thought of someone hurting Chimera, Hank, and Jubilee. I don't think the rest of the team is ready. Except maybe Wolverine. Gambit got shot, and Rogue hasn't left his side. Jean has learned the coordinates of the place they're being held, I think we can get them."
Bobby was quiet for a moment. "How can we get there though? My slides only go so fast." He was looking at the floor. "Lets talk to the rest of the team. If they aren't willing to leave now, I'll go with you."
Raien nodded and they left the infirmary together.
"Raien, Bobby, look. We just aren't ready." Scott said, sounding frustrated.
"I am ready. Who else is?" Raien asked, turning his back on Scott to face the rest of the team. Jean had just given them a direction and distance of the place their friends were being kept. Raien saw no need to stay any longer.
"I'm ready." Bobby said, an icy glare aimed at Cyclops.
Rogue looked at Gambit for a moment as if to ask if he was okay with her leaving. He nodded and she looked at Cyclops hard. "Ah'm ready. We all got people we know an love held bah those bastards. Ah think we need to get them out now."
"We need to plan this out! We need to act as a team, move as a team!" Cyclops shouted sounding somewhat defeated.
Wolverine had a half grin on his face at Cyclops being confronted so much in the past few weeks. He was really starting to look like an ass, and the best part about it was that he knew. "I think we are moving as a team. I think you're the only one not ready, bub."
Scott threw his hands into the air. "Alright we move today. Give me three hours."
Raien stared at him. 'Three hours? Chimera could be dead in one hour.' Raien caught himself. 'Chimera could already be dead.'
"No. I'm leaving now. Anyone who is ready-" Raien said before being interrupted by Scott.
"Three hours is not unacceptable. If you're going to be a part of-" Scott said before he saw the look Raien had on his face. It was the same look he'd seen this morning.
"Then take them. I'm leaving now." Raien said simply. He knew that he was not going to get any help from Scott. He'd known that walking in there. For three days that had been the feeling. Now that Bobby was awake, he could finally leave without feeling bad. They both deserved whatever revenge they could get.
Scott looked like he wanted to say more. Fuck him anyway. Raien was out the door and down the hallway in a matter of seconds.
"Hold up, Sugar." Rogue said. "You're not doing this alone."
Raien stopped and turned. When he saw her, Wolverine, and Bobby behind him, he smiled. "Alright. Lets go get our friends."
Hank looked at Jubilee. He was very worried. She hadn't moved all day. She stared off in the distance, not even crying anymore. Hank had just held her since he found her. He didn't know what else to do. He didn't have the heart to check her for injuries. She wasn't bleeding though, thank heavens. It broke his heart, seeing her in this condition. He knew that the days of a young energetic girl coming to him the day before an algebra test thinking she was going to die were gone. He just hoped that one day she could reclaim a little of that. He hugged her closer and kissed the side of her head whispering anything he could think of to tell her everything was going to be okay. That the X-Men were coming.
It was more to convince himself though. Chimera looked hurt that they'd not come sooner. Hank had tried to explain that they would have to regroup, plan, and then they could mount a rescue effort. But the words fell flat from his mouth even as he said them. It had been nearly three days. Twelve of the most powerful mutants in the room had been taken.
Hank had tried that morning to mount an escape. The captors didn't even use the collars that would protect them from the mutants' abilities. No one wanted to fight though. They were too scared. It was disgusting. He'd reasoned that perhaps seeing something happen, seeing a guard taken down, they'd revolt. Everything had backfired. One of the men in the black space suits had come into the room. He'd pointed at one of the girls. Hank had sprung at him like a wild animal, gripped his arms and pulled to rip him in two. He was caught completely off guard when the body under him didn't move. Hands gripped his wrists and twisted making him howl in pain. A boot came up under his stomach, then he crashed into the rear wall, right next to Chimera. It had been over thirty feet.
That was when the despair had started. Laying in a heap of bruises and cracked ribs, he knew there was nothing he could do. That feeling of helplessness was not something he was even the slightest bit familiar with. He'd been scared for days.
As he picked Jubilee back up and lay in his corner, he did something he hadn't done in a very long time. His chest shook and a sob escaped him before he could swallow it and lock it away inside him. He had to stay strong for everyone. If he didn't believe, how could Chimera? They'd win. He still shook, and tears threatened to break loose. He looked at the ceiling. He'd always been an Atheist. Science left little room for faith. He caught himself begging for help. Anything that would hear his prayer. Then it dawned on him. What kind of god would let this happen?
The Blackbird raced from the hanger. Scott hadn't taken three hours. In fact he'd left in less than one. Jean, Storm, Kurt, and even Gambit were with him. He'd wanted to leave the Cajun in the infirmary where he belonged, but he'd insisted on coming. He could pilot. Or something.
It would take only a half hour for them to get to the coordinates Jean had come up with. They were going to get their teammates back.
Just as he was beginning to wonder how Raien, Bobby, Wolverine and Rogue had left (as they'd not taken the Blackbird), he saw something ahead. Scott accelerated. As he got closer, he saw four pair of boots. White flame. He smirked to himself. After all that in the war room this morning, Scott's team would get there first. He hit the accelerator again just as he passed them.
He blew past and looked at the readout again. He could see them on radar. A few moments passed and he gasped. They were catching up. Another minute and when Scott looked up, he saw Raien's face in the cockpit window. Not gloating. Deep in concentration. As if he was straining with something. Wolverine on the other hand waved. As they passed him and soon left the Blackbird far far behind, Scott slammed a hand into the metal seat divider.
"That son of a bitch." he muttered earning him several dirty looks. Except from Gambit. The man looked like he'd be outright laughing if his chest wound didn't hurt when he did.
Raien's head started to throb, but he was lost in concentration. A large cement building loomed in front of them, a long black chimney on the top, looking eerily familiar to those used by the Germans in World War II. There were no windows and fifty food chain link fence surrounded it on all sides. They landed just outside of the fence. Raien could feel the electricity in the air coming from the fence. As soon as feet hit the ground, they were moving.
Wolverine quickly found the wire supplying the fence with power, and severed it. Two quick slashes and their way through the fence was made. Bobby leading the way and Raien in the rear, they entered the compound. An alarm sounded. Three guards that were patrolling stopped, obviously surprised. Bobby didn't even stop moving. He simply looked in their direction and they froze solid.
The doors in the front of the building opened and a dozen soldiers poured out. Raien extended his hand and his aura burned around him. A globe of white flame appeared to one side of the soldiers. They lifted off the ground, falling toward it. Raien thrust his hand to the side and they flew screaming over the fence. His aura flickered for a moment.
"Raien, are ya alright?" Rogue asked. Raien shook himself. His skin had paled.
"I'm fine. Lets get them." He said. Wolverine looked at him for a moment with a look of approval. They walked through the doors, Bobby rounded the corner first. Loud gunshots. Bobby's back exploded outward sending shards of ice flying. All of them gasped. Just as Rogue called out to him, they realized that Bobby wasn't in pain. The craters in his back filled with ice and he was suddenly as he was a moment before.
When they came around the corner, a thick barrier of ice separated them from the soldiers. Bobby looked very pleased with himself.
"Hey bub. Leave some for me. Alright?" Wolverine asked. Definitely not a joke. He cracked his knuckles. The sound of metal touching in there was still disconcerting.
They moved down the hallway. Bobby didn't know where he was going except that he was going the right way. He couldn't explain why he knew. They neared the end of the hall and heard footsteps. Slow and deliberate.
They stopped. The hiss of air being expelled sounded just before a tall black figure stepped from the right side ahead of them. The sound of adamantium claws slicing through Wolverine's hands broke the silence. The man ahead extended a black gloved hand toward them. Bobby took a step forward. Suddenly fire leapt from the man's outstretched hand. Bobby's arms flew up and out and he became a wall of ice. When the flame hit, though, he recoiled, screaming in pain. While the rest of them were stunned at what they were seeing, no one saw Wolverine until his claws ripped through the black suit, severing the multitude of tubes attached to the man's body. He cried out as he fell to the ground, his voice distorted by some mechanical device obviously made to make it sound more threatening.
Bobby had reformed himself but was still shaking with pain.
"I'm fine. Lets go." Bobby said through gritted teeth. They moved at a run now. With Wolverine at the lead they advanced. As they were about to turn down another hallway, Wolverine put his hand up, silently stopping them. He sniffed the air and angled an ear toward their right.
"Soldiers. Over twenty. Raien?" Wolverine whispered. Raien nodded. His aura surrounded him again. He jumped straight out, inverting when he hit the hallway, far from where any of the soldiers would have expected someone to be. Before they could get him in their sights, a ball of fire blazed by them, ripping them from their perches, dragging them down the hall with it. Raien didn't stop moving. He crashed into the wall on the other side of the hallway, his aura gone, grabbing his head. A small grunt of pain before the other three were upon him. Rogue picked him up and looked at him. His eyes opened, flickered for a moment, then burned again. A trail of crimson rolled from his nose down his chin. He pulled away from her, standing on his own and wiped the blood from his face. His companions looked at him all with worried expressions on their faces.
"We can't do this without me. I'll be fine. Go." He said pain still evident on his face. It took a moment but they knew his words were true and moved. They ran into a few more guards which were either frozen solid in their tracks or overwhelmed by Rogue's strong arms and Wolverine's claws.
They'd found the cell, located in the central part of the building. The four guards posted outside were incapacitated before they even knew something was wrong. A number pad was to the left of the thick steel door. Wolverine slashed, but couldn't penetrate it. His claws could go through chain link like butter, but the steel here must have been six inches thick.
"Move aside." Raien said, still holding one hand to his left temple.
"Raien, you can't-" Bobby said, worry thick in his voice.
"Move aside. Please." Raien repeated, extending hands toward the door. "If we don't do this soon we're going to have a hundred guards here. We need to get them and get out."
The three grudgingly moved out of the way. Raien's eyes narrowed for a moment, and it seemed as though nothing was going to happen. A grunt of effort and the aura came to him again, an orb forming just in front of the door. The soft creek of metal bending filled the air. Another alarm blazed around them. It wouldn't be long until the place would be swarming with soldiers. Raien's knees wavered as the doors bent outward, and finally breaking from their hinges, they crashed to the floor. Raien's aura was gone just as quickly. They didn't see him wipe more blood from his nose.
Inside the room there were several people sprawled out on a cement floor. The smell of sweat hung in the air around them. A few of the mutants looked up at them.
"Hank!" Bobby exclaimed. "C'mon, hurry, we've got to get out of here!" Hank jumped to his feet, Jubilee in his arms, and Chimera not too far behind him. Hank looked at the rest of the room.
"Come on! Follow us!" He yelled at them. None moved. Not one. "Hurry! Come with us!" Hank stared incredulously for a moment at them, and as he looked into a few of their eyes, he knew that none were coming. These people were already dead. The realization sent a chill up his spine.
"We gotta move. They're comin." Wolverine said in a low tone.
Hank and Bobby looked at each other and smiled. Chimera looked at Raien. The man who'd saved him from FoH once before stood on wobbly knees, blood coming from his nose, pure relief on his face. Hank saw him too.
"My God. Raien? What happened?" Hank asked hurriedly. Raien wiped the blood again and turned to head back the way they'd come.
"No time. C'mon. Lets get out of here." He said, already breaking into a run. He wondered where all the soldiers were. They couldn't have run a place like this with only the ones they'd run into. They might be up to something. As much as Raien just wanted to give in to his pounding head and jump into Chimera's arms, he couldn't. He had to get the team out. He'd gotten them into this. As they ran through the hallways, Raien knew there was just one more turn and they'd be home free.
He rounded the corner first. He knew better, but his brain wasn't working anymore. He was totally exhausted. Using his power this much hurt. His feet skidded to a halt. Barrels of rifles leveled at him.
A gunshot shook the air around Chimera as he ran to catch up. His chest clenched tight as he saw crimson explode from Raien's back. The aura surrounded him and he brought his hands up. They shook as fire flew from them, sweeping the guards right out the door as if they'd been in a raging river. Raien's body jerked and both hands came to his head suddenly. The aura flickered and died. Then Raien's body went limp and he crashed to the floor.
"C'mon! What are you staring at lets go!" Wolverine yelled. Chimera picked Raien up. He hung limp in his arms. When he turned him over, Chimera screamed. Two brown eyes rolled toward the back of Raien's head. Brown. The glow that defined him, gone.