Chapter 12

'What the hell is she doing here?'



The voice was that of Lance, looking directly at Lydia with a face of disbelief. Gasping for air following the breathless seconds in which they'd all made their escape from school, everyone had failed to notice the 'normal' person who'd come along with them. Now Lance eyed the girl with a mix of fear and distaste Scott stepped into the wake.

'She came back with me.' He said, facing off at Lance like he'd done countless times before they'd been anything close to friends, and the old enmity creeping to the surface just like always.

Avalanche responded to the challenge. 'It was people like her that just did that to us! What do you think will happen when they come here to tear down the gates and she's waving from the inside?' he moved his attention from Scott to Lydia, finally addressing her. 'And you, if you have to chose between him and everyone else, what do you think you'll do?'

Lydia looked stricken. 'They're wrong, they'll calm down soon and see that, things won't get that bad.' She sounded doubtful even as the words tumbled from her lips. Those around shook their heads slowly, they'd seen to much to have faith in the sentiments.

Lance laughed, an empty, hollowed out sound. 'Things already are that bad, you have no idea what you are walking into to.'

He looked to Kitty, standing shell shocked and shaking a little way away. 'If they get any worse I don't want to be here to see it.' He moved over to her and threw his arms around her, rocking the shaking girl back and forth.

head leaning on her shoulder, he glanced back over to Scott, eyes full of thunder. 'She is not one of us, and you have brought her in, you have involved her now, I really hope you don't live to regret it.'

Rogue stepped in, breaking up any further confrontation; the two boys were still glaring at each other like fighting dogs, old feelings leaping to the fore in time of crisis.



'Enough' she said, quietly but so clearly nobody in the group missed a syllable. She faced them, reluctant a leader as ever. 'You're right, we've all seen far too much. All of our lives we've crept and hid and been ashamed because we're different. We have shied away from ourselves because of people who are meant to be 'normal, balanced, safe', she looked Lydia in the eye 'people like you.'

'We've lived to long in a world of hatred, too long divided. And now our lives are under threat from one of our own, from a thing that embodies everything the humans fear in us, and they are right to fear him, already he's done the damage to us.' silently they all thought of storm, of the massacred town they had once called home.



'Mutant or human he doesn't care, under his hand we have looked death and destruction in the face and we're not even out of school yet! You're right we've all seen too much.' she paused, looked them all in the eye. 'It's not going to stop. Apocalypse isn't going to give up when you tell him you've had enough, the humans aren't going to walk away if you tell them you're tired. This is going to carry on until the end and we can either go down fighting or go down hiding, just as we've always done.'

'I will fight all this world has to throw at me, but I personally have had enough of hiding.'

there was silence, ebbing away with the growing sound of voices and cars and sirens approaching the mansion gates from the town that had welcomed then so curiously. Rogue didn't need an answer, there was no applause or cheers or words of support, but the reaction was made obvious. As one they rushed forward to begin the fortifying of their house from their neighbours.

Rogue caught Lydia's arm as she made to help Scott at the gates. 'When they come here, and we begin to defend this house, there will be no way back, we can't open the doors to let you out, and they will not welcome you back. Do you really know what you're doing.'

Lydia cocked her head defiantly, scary as she found Rogue sometimes, the girl was younger than her.

'They on the other side of this gate are wrong. And besides..' her mouth curled upwards in a tiny smile 'he's worth it.'

Rogue nodded and let her go, the two girls parted company, Lydia ran to help Scott climb onto the tall pillars that enclosed the gates of the mansion, as Bobby began the task of turning the fencing between them into a wall of solid ice. The other's were all engaged in similar tasks of defence, those who could produce no means of fortifying the building were designated the task of moving about, passing on reports of the approaching hoards and the progress of buildings. All of their skills would be employed, were things to come to fighting.

Mystique and Logan emerged from the house a short time after the younger mutants arrival at the mansion, somewhat earlier than expected. they could have just assumed that the distant shouting they had heard was from a TV that had been left on, or even a figment of their imagination, but harder to ignore was the growing sound of sirens, and what was possibly a large group of vehicles indeed, unless Logan's ears were deceiving him.

Upon leaving the house their fears were confirmed, at the entrance to the house they could see their young charges busy at the task of what looked like sealing up the mansion grounds. Rogue was barking orders to Scott, who seemed to be shooting jets of red at something in front of the massive ice wall Bobby had obviously constructed. Tabby stood on the second pillar, Kurt Bampfing to and from her side. She too was firing off bombs at the ground in front of the house.

A grey whir sped past them, which they assumed was Pietro. Heading off into the gardens round the house, they could make out the faint noise of explosion, and something heavy falling to the ground. The sirens of police and fire department were no loud enough to be right outside the mansion gates.

'Something tells me the kids got into more trouble than a detention today.' Logan remarked.

Mystique eyed him scathingly, as she would have done when they fought on opposite sides and didn't have the same kids interests at heart. 'Now is not the time for that'. she bit back.

Unusually, Logan dropped his head. 'Sorry' he murmured. Mystique was shocked for a moment at the sight of her companion looking so abashed. there was something in it, now was not the time to explore it, that would be for a time when their home clearly wasn't under siege.

Mystique was running towards the gates even as she ordered Logan to help those who were in the grounds. He didn't pause a moment before following her instructions.



'More coffee sir?'

The smile on the air hostess's face was friendly and fake, and it slipped from her face the moment she left the passengers cabin. Peering out through the curtain that separated customer from staff, she gestured to one of her co-workers to come over.

'Who the hell are they?' asked her friend in a stage whisper. Beyond the curtain, where the first girls hand was discreetly pointing, sat three heavily cloaked male figures, hunched and silent. Every so often they would huddle in close and murmur to each other, though nobody could hear enough to work out what it was they were saying. needless to say, they were the most bizarre passengers that had got in this traditionally family type airline for a long while.

the two girls both flung the curtain back into place as the guy on the aisle seat glanced their way, embarrassed to almost be caught watching. in the split second where they had eye contact they could make out a haggard face, etched with the lines of both age and something they didn't have nearly enough time to put their finger on. he looked old, and yet somehow young, intimidating even.

the two hostess's looked at each other, and back at the now closed curtain before forming a silent agreement. next time they would send out someone else to serve the drinks in that cabin.

contrary to what the spooked girls in the staff spacing believed, they men they had been watching had been aware they were being watched for some time. the middle man leaned forward as stealthily as possible and, making sure nobody was properly watching, elbowed his companion in the ribs.

'I told you we shouldn't have worn these robes Cassius, we were supposed to be travelling as inconspicuously as possible!'

rubbing his now sore rib gingerly, Cassius hissed back 'don't you blame me Brutus, I was all for travelling in the storage bay.'

'And don't you think that would have looked even more odd, if we were found crouching amongst common luggage?' Brutus responded.

'I will have you know I am excellent at the art of concealing myself, thank you very much. You just wanted the cushy seating!'

'Well you know how much my back suffers in travel, this is worse than the time we used those blasted camels!'

The third of the three men had kept quiet for this exchange, but was able to silence those on his row with a finger placed gently to his thin lips. Raising his eyebrows imperiously, he spoke quietly to Brutus and Cassius.



'The both of you are attracting more attention with your argument than our mere robes could possibly do. We will not be able to succeed in our mission if you act like squabbling children for the rest of this journey, because if you continue to do so I will be forced to gut you both like fish to silence you. Let us not lose our purpose amongst petty bickering.'

Cassius and Brutus both fell silent, they knew and respected their friend enough to take his threat a tad seriously. Instead they glanced around the passenger cabin and their faces shifted into those of thoughtfulness.

'You see it too then?' Brutus asked, casually and quietly.

'Yes, the amount of those evolved on the plane, there are so many, how can there be so many in one place?' Cassius wondered.

'Perhaps times have changed since we were last forced to journey, perhaps more are able to change now.' Brutus suggested.

'Perhaps it is mere coincidence.'

'It is not coincidence' the third man said, in that same quiet, authoritative voice. 'It has all been preordained. Since the war lords return to the surface of man, more have begun to change, to evolve into their potential. The war lord needs soldiers for his army.'

'How can you be sure?' Cassius asked, and it was Brutus who answered.

'Of course he's sure. Hermes never reads wrong with destiny.'

For a second it seemed Cassius was considering mimicking him, but thought better of it at the look on Hermes face. When he spoke again, it was with less volume than before, but the words still rung out loud and clear.

'I am sure of it. There will be a war, the challenger must be made to meet the warlord, and the fate of us all will be decided on the battlefield, just as it always has been.'

Cassius and Brutus leaned back in their seats, the lines upon their faces grim and firm set. 'If only you could say how it ends.' Cassius remarked idly.

Hermes responded. 'In blood, I should imagine, but this is what we journey for, to play our own part in the outcome, whether it ends in our blood or the warlords, who knows.'

When the brand new hostess pulled the drinks trolley by, he ordered three whiskeys.





Try as Bobby might, he just couldn't stop the guns penetrating the ice. Now the firemen had started with their hoses, and the defences were beginning to crumble, the shouting of the mobs outside the mansion gates were getting louder. Rogue was at his side in an instant, hand placed on his shoulder. 'Try and aim just in front of the gate, make it harder for them even to approach' she said quietly. Bobby grasped the idea in a second and soon the small road leading up to the besieged gates had been turned into a snaking ice rink. One of the arriving police cars couldn't stop before hitting the slippery surface and went skidding off the side into the grass areas that surrounded the road, the driver climbed out clutching his head and those trying to gain access to the mansion were only incensed further.

One of the crowd stepped forward and hurled something at the walls, whatever it was smashed against the ice barricade and fell uselessly to the ground. Its impact was minimal, but it was soon followed by others. A barrage of waste and sticks and stones began to rain down on those defending the house.

Somebody else came to the fore, an empty bottle clutched in their hand. 'Take this you freaks!' he yelled before hurling the glass into the air, it hurtled high enough into the air to pass over the defences, and as it smashed a piece of it flew ad hit Amara on the arm, making her cry out in surprise and pain. At the sound Bobby stopped creating more ice instantly, but the attack did not falter.

'Came from Bayville didn't they?' somebody asked, remembering the now infamous town name, 'probably had a hand in trashing that, filthy mutants.'

'And now they've moved on to our town. Demented murderers!' at the word the town increased in anger, if that were even possible, the stream of objects flying at the house became almost continuous. Something hit Scott just above his glasses, which came dangerously close to smashing, and he instantly crouched down clutching at a gash to his head.

Mystique came running up behind them all, to where Rogue was standing, caught between giving orders and helping out with the actual defence. as she arrived, so did Pietro, racing in to tell them all that those further into the grounds were having to fight with a mob who had managed to slip in through an entrance other than the main one.

Rogue looked to her mother. 'We can win this, I can go in and get rid of them all. I mean, we didn't want to have to hurt anyone but..'

'The mansion is lost Rogue', Mystique said, in as gentle a tone as she could muster, 'for every group you get rid of, they will send a mob five times greater to replace them. we can't win this.'

'We have to keep fighting for this!' Rogue said passionately, 'this is our home, we have to keep fighting for it.'

'Honey, there are some things we have to know we just can't fight.' Mystique said softly.

Her daughters shoulders seemed to slump at this, as if all the weight around her had finally collapsed on her shoulders. When Rogue spoke again she sounded more tired than she had ever done before.

'How long will it take to get everyone loaded up into the cars and ready to go?' she asked.

'Give us a few minutes to round everyone up, we'll take only what it necessary.' Mystique said back, pained at the look she saw on Rogue's face.

'Then get them all together, you too Pietro.' she placed a finger on the lips that had been about to protest, and quicksilver bit back what he had been about to say. 'Come back for me when everyone else is ready, and we'll leave together.'

his brow furrowed only a little, before he kissed her finger, nodded and was gone in a flash. Mystique hurried with her daughter to the gates, where now nearly everyone had suffered some sort of damage. there were holes appearing in the ice wall, where bullets had managed to break through.

Rogue climbed up to where Bobby and Amara were stooped low, both bleeding from various body parts. Out of all those on the newly created battlements, only Tabby was still standing, firing off cherry bombs even though a nasty bruise seemed to be forming round her shoulder blade. Her face didn't betray the mark of hurt though, and she continued to hurl her defences down on the attackers.

Kurt bamfed in out of nowhere, his eyes immediately set on his girlfriend, then travelling to his sister. 'Call her an idiot maybe, but there's one of the bravest people I know.'

'Have you come from the other side of the battling?' Rogue asked.

'Yeah, Jamie just split into seven. Scared as he was, it did even the odds a tiny little bit. Though not enough, we're losing, slowly maybe but we can't hold out Rogue, not without hurting the mob in a major way. what do you want us to do?'

'We're leaving, get everyone out of there as fast as you can, and load them up into the cars. I'll hold them off.'

He nodded once, moved over to his girlfriend, and wrenching her from the thrill of battle, they disappeared. Around her, Rogue could see Mystique helping the injured mutants down off the top of the gate and away back towards the house, and Rogue was soon standing, facing the mob alone.

She didn't say anything. she held up her hands, and almost sensing something was about to happen, the crowds outside the gate halted slightly. Rogue closed her eyes, the pendant that was both a curse and a blessing began to glow from where it hung around her neck. there was a blinding flash of light all around the perimeter of the grounds, and those who found themselves on the outside of it stepped back in sudden fear.

the light faded, and Rogue was still standing, almost gripped into place, her arms outstretched and her young face scrunched in effort and concentration. One of the policemen built up the nerve to fire a warning shot in the girls direction. it struck what seemed to be a barrier of thin air and exploded in a smaller flash of that same white light. Rogue winced slightly, but her and the house remained untouched.

It took those outside the grounds far too long to discover that they could not penetrate the invisible wall Rogue had created. They were too caught up in anger and frustration to see the effort it was taking her to maintain the defences. Because every second she held the barrier was fast becoming agony.

The car pulled up at the gate after what seemed like an eternity, Pietro beat it slightly in his hurry to get to her. Sensing as she always did that he was nearby, Rogue fired one heat filled gaze at the enemy, and tumbled back off the wall, knowing her boyfriend was quick enough and strong enough to catch her from the fall. They were in the car and driving away in seconds, Lance at the wheel, the last in the trail of vehicles.

Rogue was still lying in Pietro's arms and seemed barely conscious, but she still ordered Lance to pull in front of the others and head for the grouping of trees at the far end of the garden.

He obliged, happy to put on a spurt of speed and move to the forefront of the group. seeing the dark of the small wood they were approaching, those in the car looked to Rogue in worry.



'They'll have all the entrances covered' she explained wearily, 'we need a less conventional way out.'

They discovered what the way was about twenty metres away from the first group of trees, when Rogue closed her eyes and they started flying out the way. The cars didn't even have to brake to wait for a path to be cleared, as the thicket flew out of the way in front of them.

Through this newly created pathway they came finally to a road, pulling them well out of the town of Bedford, and away from the mob that was undoubtedly following them at this very moment.

Rogue opened her eyes, and laid on her boyfriend's lap asked 'did we make it to the road?'

Pietro squeezed her arm and Lance said 'Yeah, thanks to you, what now?'

'Keep driving, don't stop until you're not being followed, and you're sure we won't be found.'

Lance lowered his brow. 'You mean after all that, we're going into hiding?' he asked incredulously.

Rogue didn't answer, she'd already passed out in Pietro's arms.



It was strange, the things the mortals did to compensate for their own inadequacy. This was what Apocalypse thought, as a television was wheeled in front of him by two of his followers. The strange box glowed and flickered and came to life, showing a serious looking mortal girl staring straight out of the television in what she clearly hoped was a convincing, business-like manner.

she began to read out the latest news bulletin, and Apocalypse turned to the two that had brought the offending item before him. 'And what, dare I ask, is the reason for this?' he asked in a voice that was all too polite for the other mutants liking.

'A piece of news sir, that we feel might please you.' one of them managed to blurt out. Even like this, sitting and at a point somewhere near to relaxation, their master made for a terrifying site.

readying himself to punish those who disrupted his solitude, Apocalypse gave the television a glance, and to his surprise, found something that amused him to say the least, in the report the young woman was currently delivering.

'Today a quiet high school hallway erupted into violence as a group of teenage mutants ran riot amongst a peaceful community. One human girl has been taken to hospital following the attack, where doctors have described her condition as being 'serious'.

'In response to the mutants rampage, residents of the surrounding area headed up to the house the mutants had obtained as a place of residence, accompanied by police, where they were met with further violence. Several officers and civilians were taken to hospital with minor injuries, and the band of mutants fled the scene.'

'Now however this reporter can reveal that several of the inhabitants of this 'mutant boarding house' were in fact present at the massacre of Bayville town just several weeks previously, and following this most recent mutant related attack, it would not be surprising were links to be made.'

'the head of the band is a girl in her mid to late teens, described by many of her now ex-students as being withdrawn and prone to anger, the following picture has been reconstructed through witness description as official records contain no photographs of the mutants. the public is warned not to approach these 'people', as they are potentially armed and dangerous, and that any sitings should be reported immediately to the nearest police force.'

'there will be more on this story after these messages, including a feared hostage situation, as a local Bedford girl is reported missing....'

the television was flicked off, and the two who had brought it in were believed beyond measure to see that Apocalypse did indeed look pleased by the report.

'You have done well.' he said in his deep, imposing voice. 'Now leave me.'

As his followers hurriedly wheeled their discovery from the room, it became clear that Apocalypse had been hiding just how pleased he was. something resembling a grin threatened to split his ghoulish face in two.

his enemy was now at a disadvantage, having to fight on two fronts just as he was. though nobody really knew of him yet, the world had yet to tremble, the filth had yet to see who it was that would deem them not worthy.

But the girl was now known, and was being hunted by them, things couldn't have been going better even if he had planned it himself. the decision to lay low for a time had paid off and the army was growing strong again. the more his presence on the Earth was felt, the more those who had the potential to become something better than scum evolved into that potential. the number of prospective soldiers grew as each day went by, and as the humans attitude towards mutants worsened, so the more soldiers would come to him. and they who would be doomed by this would realise their mistake just as it was too late.

yes, things were certainly going well, as good as he could have hoped for on his return to the living earth. and yet something had gone wrong. the refusal of the girl to join him had not come as a surprise to Apocalypse, in fact her opposing him almost made sense, it seemed preordained somehow. what he had not expected however was the flight of the psychic Xavier, and a mind reader had ranked highly in his list of wanted soldiers. no he found the mutant's position impossible to determine, and it seemed that the psychic had slipped through his fingers.

no, he decided, the rebuttal of Xavier was not something he had factored for, but no matter, he thought to himself, the smile slipping back into place.

there were others.

'Do you think it was holding up that defence that took it out of her?'

'she's just been so tired lately, this definitely didn't help.'

'It's my fault, it's all my fault, I'm so completely stupid.'

'Yeah actually it is sort of....'

'Don't even say it!'

That was Lance's voice she'd heard last, Rogue was sure of it. slowly, she fought to force her eyes open, and found herself surrounded by her friends, each of them looking worried as hell and slightly the worse for wear.

Lance stopped his almost rant when he saw her awake, his face instantly softening into a tired smile. His arm, she noticed groggily, was tied up with what was clearly somebody's shirt, it must have been bleeding badly. taking a wider look around, her expression became clouded in confusion. she was still surrounded by trees.

'But I thought I got us out of the woods, I thought we got to the road, did I just dream that?' she wondered aloud, and Pietro, smiling and cradling her upper body in his arms explained.



'yeah you did great and we all got out safe, though not entirely sound. we thought we've been driving for hours, thought we'd stop here and Logan's taken Scott, Bobby, Sam, Fred and a couple of others to see if he can find a place for us to stay. Mystique is busy patching everyone up, but she wants to be told as soon as you're awake.'

Todd got up at this to head towards one of the vehicle where Mystique was obviously hard at work. Pietro took this as an opportunity to lean in close and whisper to Rogue.

'You had me worried, please don't put so much pressure on yourself again.' she could only manage a tiny smile and a half-nod in return, and it seemed enough for Pietro.

'Kitty it's not your fault' she said to her friend, still sitting anxiously by her side. propping herself up on her boyfriend, Rogue pulled herself into a sitting position. 'they were always going to find out who we really were one day, and they were never going to be happy about it.'

'But I certainly had a hand in choosing the day.' she said ashamedly.

'It was an accident' Lance said firmly, reaching across to grip her hand. 'nobody here blames you.' here he glanced at the returning Todd, who Rogue guessed had been responsible for the earlier comment about things being Kitty's fault. the other girl stayed quiet, but didn't seem entirely convinced by it all.

'What happened back there?' Tabby asked, something that looked like a once-frozen bag of peas held to her face. 'did your powers sort of wear you out or something?'

'I don't know' Rogue answered vaguely.

'Doesn't matter now' Kurt said, 'You're up and almost about again, that's what matters.'

they were interrupted by another sound, something moving in the trees behind them. Rogue pulled herself both quickly and gingerly to her feet. 'What the hell is it now?' she said, with just a note of frustration in her voice.

'Yeah' Lance added 'do we not get time to recover from anything?'

nobody answered, they all lined up, holding their hands up in readiness. from behind they could hear a car door slamming, meaning Mystique had also heard the voice. Rogue saw Evan struggling with a limp to join the group, and thought just how true Lance's words were.

the noise grew close, until three cloaked figures emerged from the thickness of the trees, they too holding their hands high, just not in attack.

The middle figure lowered it's hood, revealing an old, worn, noble face, bearing an almost reverent expression. his eyes were fixed on Rogue, who was still spoilt for a fight.

at his movement, the other two had followed suit, and now the three aged men stood before them, though those on the sides of the middle figure didn't look quite as impressed with what they were seeing as their friend.

'It is the challenger' the middle figure said, in a slightly awed voice.

Rogue and the others shrugged their shoulders, looking non-plussed.

'Forgive me' he said quickly and eloquently, 'I am Hermes, and these are my comrades in arms, Cassius, and Brutus.' he gestured either side of him, and the two men nodded one by one as their names were mentioned.

'That's lovely, I'm Rogue, and I'm going to blow your heads off in five seconds if you don't tell me why you felt it necessary to sneak up on me and my friends through the bushes.'

The men seemed both startled and bewildered. 'But you are the challenger.'

'No no, pretty certain I said my name was Rogue'

'Who is the challenger?' Tabby asked, and the look Rogue gave her was enough to suggest that this wasn't a question she wanted asking.

'when the warlord awakens, it is the task of the most powerful opponent on the Earth to become the challenger, the person to combat the warlord, to meet him in...'

'now I haven't been counting exactly,' Rogue cut Hermes off loudly, 'but I'm pretty sure the five seconds has been and gone.'

'it is our job to alert the challenger to their calling' he went on quickly, 'to remind them of their destiny.'

'I don't want to know about destiny!' Rogue almost shouted back. Now the other mutants looked more puzzled by her behaviour than that of the visitors.

'But it is the duty of the challenger...' Brutus ventured feebly

'I told you my name is Rogue, I am no challenger!' she said angrily, before clutching her hands to her temples and falling to her knees on the grassy floor. her face screwed up in pain, her eyes opening and closing wildly.

at once all in the clearing gathered round her, but by the time they had assembled Rogue had already stood up, showing no sign of injury, and had pushed her way through the newly formed crowd.

'Do what you will with your destiny garbage.' she said hotly. 'I'm going to New York.'

now absolutely everyone other than the girl with the fire in her eyes looked completely lost. 'would it be a stupid question to ask why?' Kurt said

Rogue turned on her heels from beginning to walk away. 'Because Apocalypse is going after Jean Grey.'

DISCLAIMER: Characters and situation are property of Marvel and WB