11. Where in the world?
The Orphanage of the Holy Name
Sydney,
Australia,
"We're sure this young lady will be very happy here,." the intimidating woman clothed in the black and white of a nun said sternly. Blink wondered if she could do anything that wasn't stern. Reminding herself she was supposed to look like a sullen, angry teen, she frowned and curled her lip at the sturdy but worn furniture. Beside her, Cecilia said, "Thank you, Sister Constance. However, I need to rush off. If you and Sally could show me out, I'd be very grateful. This building is quite confusing." Sister Constance nodded, beckoning for "Sally" to come with her as she showed the woman the way out. "One of the first buildings built in the country; it was used as a convict dormitory." Cecilia shuddered to herself. What kind of insane country made their old prisons into orphanages? Reaching the front door, Sister Constance stopped and said, "It's been a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Baker. I'm sure Sally will be very happy here." Opening the door, Cecilia gave Blink a brief hug of goodbye before walking down the steps to her car. Sister Constance and Blink watched as she climbed in and drove off. Turning back to Blink, Sister Constance said sharply, "Sally, we'll have none of your slacking here. I've been informed that you were removed from foster homes for reasons other than your mutancy and we will have no nonsense while you stay here. Understood?" Blink nodded, not having to feign sullenness this time. Nodding to herself, Sister Constance led the way back into the building. Blink followed, hoping this was worth it; otherwise she was going to kill JP.
Turning the corner a few hundred meters down the road, Cecilia pulled into the park where Jean-Paul was waiting. "It all went fine, "'Sally'" has been accepted into the orphanage and she knows to stay awake until she can set up a regular schedule with Monet." Jean-Paul nodded. "God knows Blink didn't have a normal childhood," he said. "She'll probably fit in just fine in a mutant orphanage gone sour." Standing up, he followed Cecilia back to her car and they drove off.
The Orphanage of the Holy Name,
Sydney,
Blink listened with half an ear as the woman lectured her about showing respect for the other students and lights out are at this time and you can only go out on these days and so on and so forth. Interrupting Sister Constance's flow of instructions, she asked, "Do I get any privileges because I'm 16?" The woman's frown deepened when she was interrupted but she answered in the same flat tone of voice. "No." Continuing down the hall, she bustled Blink into a tiny room (by herself until a roommate arrived, Blink was told) and shut the door firmly, admonishing her to remember dinner in half an hour. Dumping the small bag she had brought, Blink looked around and then sat down. She had half an hour to kill.
Twenty Minutes Later,
Blink sat up with a start. She'd been dozing. Suddenly, a voice sounded in her head. Blink? You online? Monet asked. Pushing a surly thought to the front of her mind where Monet would definitely pick it up, Blink climbed off the bed and tried to fix her clothes before giving up. Opening the door, she walked down in the direction she thought the dining hall was, feeling Monet following along in her mind. Turning around a corner, she gasped, running into a woman she recognized instantly and had hoped never to meet again.
The Archway Hotel,
Sydney,
Monet jumped up, feeling herself being forced from Blink's mind as she teleported frantically. Monet recognized the woman's face from the same place Blink did. The Granbury Estate. Jean-Paul had to get there fast or Blink wouldn't be there to get to. Guys! We have a serious problem!
The Orphanage of the Holy Name,
Sydney,
Appearing back in her own room, Blink desperately tried to summon enough of an image or something, anything that she could use to get herself out of here. She had to tell the others though so she couldn't just go back to the States. Suddenly, a voice spoke up behind her. "How nice to see you again, Clarice." Whirling around, Blink gasped, "Domino!" The woman herself calmly got up from where she had been leaning against the door and in a blur of motion, knocked Clarice out with a blow to the head. "You really don't know when to stay out of things. A good thing we knew you were coming." Opening the door to admit the woman from the hallway, red hair gleaming faintly in the light, Domino said, "If she's here, Northstar and Chamber at least will be too. Probably all the others. We need to go." The other woman and opened her mouth to reply when one of the walls imploded and Northstar flew into the room, Shard running in behind him. "How sweet," he said bitterly. "All the old team back together. Apart from the hospital cases, that is." He blurred and the red-head flew backwards, a fist slamming into her gut hunching her over, and a knee came up and slammed into her head, bloodying her nose. She dropped against a wall barely conscious. Whirling, Jean-Paul ducked under a volley of gunfire from Domino tearing up the orphanage wall. A blast from Shard knocked her back but she rolled to her feet and returned fire, forcing the other woman to duck.
Monet flew above Chamber and Cecilia speeding along in Cecilia's car. As they approached the building, Monet flew across streets, slamming into the part of the building the explosions were coming from. Cecilia and Chamber skidded to a stop outside the building, Cecilia cursing about cars that drove on the wrong side of the road. They both ran inside and Chamber began to herd children out of the danger zone. Cecilia began literally herding the children, funnelling them through corridors in force fields but suddenly, Sister Constance came running in from a side corridor, pulling a taser out of her getup. Chamber spotted the woman but couldn't get to Cecilia in time and he yelled out mentally, Cecilia! Look out! The Puerto Rican woman spun around and slammed a shield into the woman, knocking her arm back so she jabbed herself with the taser. The nun collapsed, twitching, and Cecilia ignored her, herding children to safety.
Domino had Shard pinned down but Northstar was flying directly towards her when Monet smashed through the roof. The rubble dropped around and Northstar was forced to dodge aside, huge pieces of rubble blocking his path. He ran around but Domino had jumped back from the rubble as well, waving her gun around, searching for signs of Northstar, Shard or Monet. Shard rose up from the back of the room and tried to blast at the woman but a piece of stone hit her in the shoulder and pinned her to the ground. Monet clambered out of the rubble and saw the red-headed woman, who had escaped the cave in and was groggily crawling to her feet. Speeding towards her, ignoring debris and gunfire from Domino, she knew that she had to get the woman out of the fight before she could focus her telepathy. The woman made a vague gesture in Monet's direction, a huge piece of debris flying towards Monet but she just smashed it aside and kept going, slamming the woman once more into a wall with an enormous crash.
After dodging around the debris, Jean-Paul flew towards Domino, roaring in anger. The woman saw Monet take out the red-head and her face twisted in fury. Flicking a switch on her wrist, she vanished, leaving Jean-Paul to slam his hands against the walls in fury, seconds too late.
Twenty Minutes Later,
Cecilia ran back inside. The Australian Police had the kids under control and once they'd seen the Mutant Underground identification, they backed off, leaving the squad to do their job. Chamber was just inside looking out for anyone who wasn't meant to be there and she passed him with a silent nod. Inside, Jean-Paul was pacing so fast he was almost invisible, wearing a groove in the floor visibly. Monet was in a light trance, keeping the red-headed woman unconscious and Shard and Blink were unconscious. Cecilia walked over to Blink, finding signs of a blow to the head, the girl already twitching. Unless she had a concussion she'd be fine. Shard was more serious, pinned under a hefty piece of rubble. Cecilia put a shield around centimetres from Shard's skin and forced the support beam up and off to the side. She examined the woman's shoulder and found a fracture. Telling her not to move, she walked to Northstar and said, "Jean-Paul, Shard needs…Jean-Paul! Pay attention!" His head whipped around with a snap. "Sorry, Cecilia, what did you say?" Sighing, she replied, "Shard needs a doctor, JP. The local cops are too freaked to keep anything under wraps so we need to get her back to headquarters. That means Blink, preferably." Nodding, Jean-Paul said, "Ok, have Clarice take us back soon." Blink walked over, unsteady but conscious. "JP…I can follow her," she said quietly. Northstar whirled, at her side in an instant. "What?" he demanded. "Tell me, Clarice." The girl steadied herself visibly, still shaky from the blow to the head. "When she 'ported out of here, she left a…a…a 'residue' is the best way to describe it. I can follow that as she 'ports." Jean-Paul's head bounced up and down, nodding almost faster than they could follow. "First thing, get Shard, Monet and the red-head to headquarters, Bishop can get Sage to restrain her. Probably to interrogate as well, I'd answer any question that woman asked me. Then come back and bring Monet if you can so we can follow the residue." Blink nodded and walked over to the three named women, steadying herself visibly again before vanishing. Jean-Paul sighed. "Cecilia, we have to follow her. To catch her, to kill her, she can't just run free. I need to deal with her as much as Blink and Chamber." Cecilia nodded quickly. "I understand, Jean-Paul. We'll go."
Two Hours Later,
Blink had 'ported back after having one of the MU healers give her a brief "freshen up", one of the services they often provided for field agents. Monet had come with her, leaving the red-head in Sage's capable hands. Sage had looked so terrifyingly grim after the first probe of the woman's mind that Monet was nervous. Not that she would admit it. But chasing a gun-toting psycho like Domino around the world was preferably to watching Sage interrogate the woman. Jean-Paul was pacing again when they returned. He had been wearing huge holes in the floor all morning from the look of it. Blink and Monet arrived and Northstar was at their side instantly. He began to talk too fast for them to understand. "BlinkitsaboutimeweneedtogonowyouknowthelongerwewaitthefurtherwayshewillgetwehavetogoNOW!" Cecilia and Chamber walked over, Cecilia laughing slightly. "Sorry about that, he's been practically jumping out of his skin since you left," Cecilia said, amused. Blink had ignored Jean-Paul, walking over to where Domino had 'ported out from. "I'm ready," she announced. Jean-Paul, of course, was beside her instantly, the others almost instantly after. Opening a portal, Blink walked through and the others followed.
Central Train Station
Chennai, India,
You know, appearing out of a bright pink portal in the middle of a train station isn't the best way to be inconspicuous, Monet thought to herself, sighing as Jean-Paul vanished, reappearing in the air scanning the crowds. Monet tried to fight through the press along with the ground-bound but gave up when she began having to push people hard enough to hurt. She lifted off as well and joined Jean-Paul scanning the crowd. Suddenly, he vanished with a shout. Couldn't the man even bother to tell the rest of them where she was? Monet though exasperatedly. But then she too spotted the break in the crowd, a trail of people being thrown violently out of Domino's path, more viciously as it progressed. Suddenly, a shot rang out and people began to run and scream. "Monet!" Blink called and when Monet dropped back to float just above her, ignoring the stares, Blink said, "If too many people cross the site, the resonance will fade. If we can't catch her, you and JP have to look after it till I can get there!" Nodding, Monet flew off again, directly towards Domino. Jean-Paul had arrived already but Domino had a hostage, dragging her off to the side. Monet thought frantically, ruling out telepathy and attacking Domino. Just too many people. The crowds below heaved as Blink, Cecilia and Chamber tried to force their way through to the calm patch, centred around Domino. Jean-Paul was shouting at Domino now, demanding she let the hostage go. Right. Like that was going to work. Wondering what she could do, Monet watched in horror as Domino slammed into a shop, grabbing something from behind the counter. With a grin, she disappeared in a flash leaving a terrified hostage behind. Jean-Paul was there instantly but the girl's family ran up to her, invading the calm space around where Domino had been standing. Monet dropped down too, hustling them out while Blink, Cecilia and Chamber burst out and ran into the shop. Monet eyed Blink questioningly and she nodded. "It's still good. Let's go before it gets any worse though." With that, the pink girl focused, opened another portal and they ran through.
The Baixa of Luanda,
Angola,
Where the hell are we now? It's damn hot! Chamber said, flapping his trench coat quickly. They were on the edge of a city, somewhere near an ocean, a good-sized port visible a little way off. Taking to the air, Monet and Jean-Paul caught sight of a jeep speeding toward the port, an obviously pale white woman sitting in the front seat looking back while pointing a gun at the men beside her, driving frantically. Monet took off after them while Jean-Paul dropped to the ground to let the others know, speeding along at a lower altitude, sending furious funnels of dust whipping along behind him as he shot after the car like a bullet. Cecilia grabbed Blink and Chamber. "I've got something I want to try," she said quickly. A second later, three circular discs, made from Cecilia's force field, materialized in front of them. "Climb on," the dark woman said with a grin. Jumping on quickly, Blink and Chamber were startled when the discs lifted off and began to carry the three forward at a good speed. Glancing over at Cecilia, Chamber saw her face twisting in concentration, strain obvious. She was carrying a lot. Clarice, why don't you 'port ahead, I don't think Cecilia can carry too much. Clarice looked over, nodded and vanished. Cecilia glanced at him gratefully as they sped over the landscape, the empty disc disappearing. They sped up, floating meters above the buildings, not hearing the shouts and calls directed from the street.
Jean-Paul had caught up with the jeep after about 30 seconds. Unfortunately, Domino had seen them come and, knowing his common strategies fairly well, had begun to shoot in the right places before he arrived. A desperate halt had been called for and the resulting sonic boom had sent the jeep skidding forward, swerving wildly. He could hear Domino shouting from inside and the local guy screaming and suddenly the driver's door opened, the man sent flying out. Luckily for him, the road was unsealed and the loose rocks had all been thrown away by the sonic boom, so he landed painfully but without serious injury. The jeep's tires screamed as Domino put a foot to the floor, speeding across the last few hundred meters to the port. Jean-Paul glanced back and saw Monet approaching, too slowly. Chamber and Cecilia were far back, but…wait a minute, were they flying? Never mind. Glancing around, he saw Blink vanishing as she ported in short jumps to the end of her line of sight. Arriving next to him, she panted slightly. "Can't…do…this...too…much" she gasped. "Its…hard...to…copy…Domino's…portals…so…I…have…to…" but Northstar was nodding, impatient. He took off quickly, catching up with the jeep as it swerved into the parking lot of an important looking building. Domino jumped out, guns blazing and ran inside, slamming something against the door. He began to slam against it as Blink and Monet caught up, Cecilia and Chamber floating down to join them. Suddenly, Blink cocked her head and said, "She's gone."
Mutant Underground Headquarters,
Sage sat in the chair facing the bound prisoner, the inhibitor collar looking painfully bulky against her neck. She simply stared at the woman knowing about her what she now knew. No wonder the damage to Jean-Paul and the others had been so extensive. This woman's mind had power on a scale that she very rarely encountered. She doubted that there were more than three telepaths on the planet who could even last a moment in direct confrontation. The most serious problem was, she'd had training from two of these people. Staring expressionlessly, Jean Grey watched the woman who had been assigned to her interrogation in. If she tried a probe, she was in for a very serious surprise.
Havana Port,
Cuba,
"Blinking" in to another port, this one much less dry, Northstar wasted no time, in the air and after Domino who was running on foot a few hundred meters away. Unfortunately for the others, the Cuban troops who had been summoned to deal with Domino opened fire on the rest of the squad. Monet ignored them, Cecilia shielded herself automatically, Chamber simply blasted them away and Blink 'ported them all out into the ocean. Northstar dodged all shots, continuing after Domino but a volley of machine gun fire hits some old brickwork and it fell in front of Northstar, and he swerved. Domino glances behind herself and laughs out loud. Northstar flies over the rubble as Domino enters a seemingly random house. Blink 'ports past the rubble and Northstar slams into the door at an inhuman speed, sending the fragile timber flying into the house. Blink doesn't even need Northstar's roar of frustration to tell her that Domino had gotten away again.
Mutant Underground Headquarters,
Jean Grey looked up at Sage through sweatstained hair. Staring back expressionlessly, Sage's mind nonetheless was processing information as fast as she could. The woman strapped to the chair had been very certain she wouldn't be giving anything away. She almost hadn't. But Sage had managed to crack her and now it was only a matter of time before the woman told everything she knew. But time was short, Jean-Paul's squad was chasing Domino directly towards something very, very dangerous. If she didn't find out more…. "Now, Jean, let's talk about your mentor." Sage began. She never enjoyed doing this but what must be done, must be done.
Greenwich, Connecticut,
The United States,
Panting faintly, Domino sped along the roads, through the broad canopy of trees arching overhead. Checking the mirrors for any sign of the damn Underground, she nearly missed her turn, spinning the wheel of the car sharply to swerve into a long driveway. In the corner of her mirror, she saw the small pink flash of their arrival but she was almost there. Skidding to a halt outside the palatial old house, she slammed the door open and ran inside. Sprinting up a flight of stairs, she entered a darkened room, slamming the door behind her. "Master," she said. "I've got some bad news about Jean." The figure in the chair, facing the fireplace that provided the only illumination, replied, "I already know, my pet. Everything is well." Domino swallowed, her mouth dry. "Master, the Underground may have followed me. They are in Greenwich at least." She waited for the reaction. "All is well for now, my pet. I've taken care of Jean. As for the Underground, I want you to go downstairs to the training room. There are a few young people waiting to meet you. You are to attack the Underground through any means necessary, using all assets available." Domino nodded, relieved that she wasn't to be punished. "Domino," the voice began and she froze. "Domino, if you fail at this, you don't want to come back alive. Jean is taken care of but she was in Sage's hands for some time and that delightful woman got a good bit of information from her. She knows about you. She knows about me. So you definitely don't want to fail me now. So use every available asset." Nodding, Domino left the room, closing the door softly. Heading down to the training room, Domino knew that she wouldn't like what was to happen. But she had her loyalty. She would do what she had to do.