Chapter 09

In Her Own Hands

In the hollowed gray metal paneling at the end of an empty stretch of corridor is a circular metal door that is shaped like an X. Professor Xavier pushed the joystick of his wheelchair forward until he arrived at the very center of the door. No one is allowed to accompany him on what lies behind the door except for routine maintenance. He waited for exactly five seconds when the small laser emitter at the center of the door begins to glow with a red light that shot right at the professor's left retina. The laser from the retinal scanner glided twice in a crisscross pattern and the doors opened, followed by an electronic female voice that said, Welcome, Professor.

It was the best-kept secret that lies under the mansion. The metal-walled room has a sphere-like shape with a bridge that leads to the center of the room as he rolled his wheelchair there. A silvery metal helmet attached with wires was placed on top of the computer console as he picked it up and slips it over his head. The entire room begins to hum with energy as he closed his eyes and concentrated all his mental powers through the helmet.

A dream-like world begins to take shape in his mind that overlooks the entire town of Bayville. Everything has an appearance of an apparition while he was the only tangible being. As he looks around he begins to feel a familiar but faint presence that made him shift his head towards Long Island. Travelling almost in the speed of light he reaches the coast. Again he felt the strange telepathic power that seems to come from Derek but slowly it has started to weaken with every second that passed. Gliding over the ocean, the telepathic signatures were audible in his ears as he looked down. In the middle of the Mid Atlantic Ridge is a decrepit oil platform that was rusting all over. Though it was completely empty he could almost hear the screams coming from Derek and another voice that seems to force hypnotic suggestions. The ghost world instantly vanished as Charles opened his eyes and his vision returned in the familiar walls of Cerebro. A cold chill begins to run down his spine and his eyebrows turns moist as he returned to the door leading to the corridor. Leaning on the walls stood Kurt now in his battle uniform as he waited for the professor.

"Kurt. Teleport us to the communications room. I think I have found the whereabouts of Derek Vane."

"Yes, sir." Kurt said as he placed his hand over both Professor Charles's arm and wheelchair and vanished in a puff of sulfur

Wolverine guided the flight stick of the jet over the city of Manhattan when the professor's voice came through the jet's onboard communicator. Storm took the headset and pressed the button on the panel to connect the line.

"Storm, Wolverine," The professor's voice came clearly through the headset. "I think I have found Derek's coordinates."

"Where is he now?" Wolverine answered through his headset mouthpiece.

"They're somewhere in an abandoned oil platform in the northern part of the Mid Atlantic Ridge. I'll transmit the exact coordinates to the computer."

The small screen on the flight console lit up and data begins to be fed into the computer. Another screen above the cockpit showed a topographic map of the Mid Atlantic Ridge and a small red dot blinked above it.

"I don't know how much time you have but I suggest that you make the first move. Magneto must have been brainwashing Derek for over an hour."

"Amazing that he managed to hold on up to now." Storm said.

"But I fear that Derek is going to lose this fight. I'll bring the rest of the team as backup right away."

Kitty sat on her bed for the last twenty minutes as she keeps her eyes on Rogue now lying in her own bed with the sheets covering her. After witnessing the recent confrontation between Rogue and Cyclops, Kitty could only watch over Rogue and thinking that Derek has a very special place in her heart that she disregarded any kind of protocol. This made Kitty more nervous as she kept her back against the wall and her feet up. Rogue cried herself to sleep, after taking the effects of absorbing Scott's powers to try to get into his mind.

A slight knock came to their door as Kitty shifted her sights from Rogue towards it. Jean opened the door as quietly as she could, carrying a plate under a dish cover in a tray. The blue furry arm of Hank McCoy could also be seen through the open door before it closed.

"How is she?" Jean spoke in an audible whisper.

"She's sleeping, I guess. The whole thing has really drained her out."

Jean placed the tray over Rogue's study desk and sat next to Kitty on her bed.

"I didn't see how much Derek has meant to Rogue to make her go off like that." Jean shivers a bit as she recalled the incident in the medical room. "It just scares the lights out of me if she ever thinks of taking the matter into her own hands."

Changing the subject, Jean continued. "By the way, the professor managed to find out where Derek is and I'm afraid I might have to leave you with Rogue. Don't worry. Beast is just outside the room standing guard."

Kitty shook her head a bit. "I'm not worried about that. It's Scott that I'm wondering about. Why didn't he come to help Derek when he was so close?"

Jean froze as she also remembered Scott and why he never showed up when he was only standing nearby when Derek was taken. Before Jean could answer, the two women turned towards Rogue's bed when they heard her stirring from her sleep. Rogue slowly sat up from the bed as Jean and Kitty approached her. She was wearing the sweater that Kitty knit for her and her hands were inside the sleeves, making her arms appear much shorter.

"How are you feeling? Jean said as she sat next to her and placed both hands on Rogue's shoulders. She could almost feel Rogue shaking with anger.

"I heard you say that the professor found out where Derek is." Rogue spoke flatly.

"He has." Jean answered and shot an anxious glance at Kitty. "But I'm afraid that you won't be able to come with us this time."

Rogue snaps her head towards Jean and gave her a hard stare. "Why not?"

"I wish I could convince the professor to take you too along. Believe me, Rogue." Jean looks at Kitty for support. "But it might be too dangerous even for all of us so…"

Rogue continues to glare at Jean as Kitty tries to calm her down when the lights in the mansion started to blink with a red glow and the claxons sounded. Professor Xavier's voice boomed all over the mansion.

"Jean, Beast, Iceman, and Magma. Suit up and report to the underground hangar immediately."

"I'm really sorry, Rogue." Jean said as she bolted out the door. Kitty stood and closed the door and stared through it.

"Well," Kitty said in her usual cheery voice, trying to keep the dark atmosphere as light as she can. "Jean just brought you dinner but I guess we could always order some pizza and…"

Kitty was cut short when her entire body froze rigid and her face twisting with pain. Behind her neck was the bare hand of Rogue that she also shook when Kitty's powers were transferred into her. She continued to hold onto Kitty's neck for ten seconds then released her, sending Kitty to the carpeted floor with a flop. Rogue shook her head slightly to clear the dizziness that was making her stagger on her feet. After a few moments Rogue grabbed her combat uniform and after phasing into it she phased through the floor and disappeared.

The medical room was only directly above the underground hangar as Scott also dons his combat uniform. Though the professor suspended him for the mission, he had to redeem himself somehow though the chances are slim. Cyclops was facing the wall behind the curtain when he froze and jumps out of the dressing room when he found a hand coming through the wall. He almost stumbled over the tray when Rogue emerged from the dressing room.

"Rogue!" Cyclops said when he realized that Rogue must have sapped Kitty's powers into her.

"Get out of my way, Cyclops." Rogue warned as she took one step forward. She could feel the powers she got from Kitty fading away unless she uses the elevators leading to the hangar to conserve what was left.

"You can't disobey the professor, Rogue." Scott said in a firm voice.

"Yeah? Then what're you doing all suited up? I thought you're out from this mission?" Rogue shot back.

Rogue and Cyclops were locked in a confrontational stance as Rogue took another step towards Scott who was blocking the door. For every two steps Rogue took has forced Cyclops to take one step back. Realizing that Cyclops was caught in a stalemate, he reaches out for the doorknob and tightens his grip around it.

"You have to take me along as well." Cyclops said as he kept his hands on the doorknob.

"Why should I?" Rogue growled.

"Because you're my friend, Rogue. If you're gonna go down for disobeying the professor's orders then I'm going down too. What I did back in the Solarium was stupid. I also blame myself because it happened."

Rogue remained hostile as Cyclops turned the doorknob and opened the door a few inches from the frame.

"I don't expect you to forgive me for the rest of your life, but if you must know," Cyclops paused then opened the door all the way and continued. " I am happy for you and Derek."

Cyclops took a step back from the door and Rogue went through without looking at him. He pressed his back against the wall and sighed, watching Rogue continually press the button of the elevator leading down. The elevator doors parted open after five seconds as Cyclops watches Rogue enter. His hand was holding on his regular shades when he was about to pull off the visor from his eyes, Rogue's voice shot out through the corridor.

"Well? Are you coming or not?"

It took ten seconds for the elevator car to land near the tier leading to the underground hangar. The Velocity was already hovering over the landing pad and the powerful sound of the engine filled the entire cavern.

"We're too late!" Cyclops shouted in the noise.

"Not yet! Let's get to that overhead bridge!" Rogue shouted as she took the lead. The two ran towards the middle of the bridge, as the chopper's nose was already halfway through the doors. Rogue turned to the direction towards the doors then wrapped her arms around Cyclops's waist the moment he arrived.

"Jump!"

Cyclops also wrapped his arms around Rogue's waist and lifted her up. The two reached their left legs over the rails of the bridge and after counting up to three they pushed off and dived headfirst towards the chopper. Cyclops shifted his weight so that Rogue was on top of him as Rogue shut her eyes, concentrating on what was left of Kitty's powers in her body. Cyclops also shut his eyes and preparing himself for the phase or to be sliced to death by the Velocity's powerful spinning blades.

Inside the cockpit, Professor Xavier took the controls with Beast sitting on the copilot's seat. Behind them were Jean, Iceman, Magma, and Nightcrawler sitting on the seats with their belts fastened around them. Beast just announced that the chopper's rockets were primed and ready to fire when the chopper shook as everyone turned to find out what caused it. Everyone was shocked to see Cyclops groaning in pain from the impact from landing on the small of his back, as Rogue remained motionless over Cyclops's chest and moaning. Jean immediately unlatched her seatbelt with Nightcrawler following suit, picking up Rogue off the floor while Nightcrawler also did the same to Cyclops.

"Cyclops! Rogue! What are you doing here?" The professor shouted at front as he kept the chopper in a steady hover as it moved forward.

"We're coming with you, professor, whether you like it or not." Cyclops answered as he clutched his lower spine. Rogue remained silent, thinking that it was best that Cyclops should handle the talking.

Professor Xavier closed his eyes for a second as he shook his head. Turning over to Beast, who he just shrugged, the professor pressed a button on the control panel and pushed down on the throttle. The rockets were starting to fire.

"Get in your seats quickly and strap yourselves in." The professor ordered as the chopper's rockets begins to hitch the chopper forward. "We have a lot to talk about once this is over."