Kurt's eyes shot to Alistaire's.
"Don't." Kurt told him, looking back at Tabitha and Betsy.
Alistaire stopped in mid motion. "Don't… answer my phone?"
"Who was that?" Kurt asked them. "Just now, on the phone?"
Tabby and Betsy shared a knowing smile.
Alistaire's phone rang again.
"Now." Betsy said.
"Yeah." Tabby smiled. "It's early but… Now."
Alistaire began lowering the phone to his overcoat pocket.
And suddenly both Tabby and Betsy jumped in to action.
Betsy swung hard and decked Alistaire across the jaw. He drove his phone in to it's pocket as it rang again and he fished around for his Forge made ray gun; The Bosley Special.
Tabby let loose with a hand full of time bombs. They blanketed the area Kurt was in.
Kurt watched in horror as they came at him in the thick slow motion of disbelief.
He pulled away, spun to leap free, and teleported all at once – just out of instinct.
He reappeared with a ferocious kick to Betsy's chest, driving her back and allowing him to drop to the ground over Alistaire who was only just now drawing his pistol. Kurt snatched him around the wrist and teleported.
"Damn!" Tabby swore. "Kurt is so hot!"
Betsy laughed. "Tell me about it." She said, standing up and rubbing her shoulder.
A bamf sounded upstairs.
"He's in Kitty's room." Tabby fumed. I know he still has feelings for her…
Betsy smiled. "Not for long!" She took off down the hall.
Another bamf sounded from down the hall.
So he's not in her room any more… Tabitha reasoned. He must be taking them somewhere… So he'll head for…
Tabitha burst down the hall past Kurt's room and around the corner to Rachael's just as Kurt appeared.
Tabitha screamed in frustration and let loose with a savage onslaught of bombs.
Kurt grabbed Rachael. She woke quickly, retreating in to Kurt's arms as she saw the bombs and closed her eyes.
The bombs all froze in place as Rachael threw up a telekinetic field to keep them at bay and Kurt teleported them both safely down below to where Kitty and Alistaire were waiting in the car below.
"Go! Go!" Kurt told them through the thick cloud of purple brimstone that hung in the little car.
Alistaire floored the gas and the car leapt down the road.
Kurt keyed his wrist communicator. "Forge! Lucy! Don't answer your phones, understand?"
Forge held on tight around Lucy's waist as the message came in on his wrist communicator. "Phones?" He replied. "I don't carry mine anymore."
Mine's not turned on. Lucy told Forge mentally.
"And Lucy's isn't turned on. Why, what's up?"
"Some kind of mind control or something. Betsy and Tabitha are affected. They got a phone call and then attacked us. We should pass you on the road soon, we'll stop and regroup then."
"We're watching for you." Forge told him. "But what about Illyana and Brian?"
Kurt swallowed. "They're on a mission. I'll have to break radio silence for this one though."
"Alright. See you soon." Forge keyed the 'off' button.
Kurt swallowed and re-keyed his wrist communicator. "Brian!"
"Yeah, I'm here." Brian said softly.
"Don't answer your phones or go back to the lighthouse! Understand?" He paused. "You haven't had any calls yet, have you?"
"No." Brian said quickly. "But we've found Emma Frost." He hesitated. "She's … not right."
Kurt hung on the idea. "How… What's wrong with her?"
Illyana keyed her wrist communicator. "She's catatonic. It looks like some form of psychic damage."
Kurt swallowed. "Okay… Take her to a hospital. Tell them…" Tell them what? He thought. "Tell them to put her on whatever life support she needs until…" He swallowed. "Until I tell them otherwise." He decided.
"Got it." Brian replied somberly.
"Call be back then and we'll arrange a place to meet, but be careful what you say on the radio. Betsy and Tabitha could be listening."
"Got that too." Brian breathed heavily. "Kurt… Do you know how to help Betsy?"
Kurt swallowed. "We're going to grab the man who did this and make him fix it." He said, hoping he sounded convincing.
Brian hesitated. "Okay." He said at last before keying off his radio.
He looked at Illyana as she leaned over Emma.
"How is she?" Brian asked.
"Weak… And dying." Illyana stood up slowly. "But I guess we should get her to the hospital and then go meet Kurt."
Brian nodded. "And then we kill him. Right Mr. Watts?"
Mildred Watts stood in the corner, smiling like a proud father. He plucked his hat from the chair near the door and pulled it on over his head.
His smile said all it needed to, and knowing this, he turned – his files and treasures in hand – and strolled out the door.
Illyana picked Emma up. Brian moved to do it but Illyana shook her head. "Let me do it." She said, crating the portal and struggling with Emma.
"But…" Brian reached out.
"I… I know her." Illyana said. "It's … personal."
Brian swallowed. "Oh. Yeah, sure." He shrugged and followed as Illyana created another portal and stepped through.
Illyana was torn. She was carrying Emma for three reasons. The first was, it was Kurt's will. The second being that she knew it would make Emma crazy if she were aware that Illyana was saving her life. And the third took her by surprise. The third reason she was carrying Emma was that, despite it all, no one had as much right to attack Emma this way as Illyana did.
And if I could refrain… Then why did this happen? She sneered. Right after we kill Kurt… I'm going to find out who did this!
Forge felt the terrible jolt but had no idea what caused it. He and Lucy flew off the bike at top speed as they thundered down the road towards Kurt's rendezvous.
Lucy spun on him, looking horrified and grabbed him out of the air, clutching him close as they hit the ground and rolled.
Forge leaned in to the embrace. I have never been loved... so completely. He told her.
She laughed in his mind as they rolled together, with her taking all the damage that she could of the accident. I wish I could say the words… I know you would like to hear the words...
I don't need the words. He told her back. And I understand why you don't…
She squeezed him tighter as the finally slid to a stop.
Suddenly Forge was hit again, this time by a blinding white light that seemed to come from the back of his mind and obscure his vision.
The last thing he saw was Lucy collapsing as though hurt.
Lucy! Lucy! He screamed in his mind. LUCY!
But there was no answer.
"LUCY!" He called out.
"She can't hear you now." Came a rough and sarcastic voice. Forge turned blindly towards it and felt a quick and sudden impact to the back of his head before everything went dark.