The next few days went by about the same. Toad drinking whatever he could get his hands on and Mystique and Sabretooth doing their best to ignore it. Sabretooth was none too pleased about getting babysitting duty, but Mystique promised him that Senator Kelly would be taking a break soon, and that when he did, she's take over Toad-watching.
She was gone longer hours recently. The Senator's lobbying for mutant rights seemed to be an exhaustive effort. And keeping up with the X-Men. She didn't know why they hadn't outed her yet but she was inclined to find out.
Mystique crept along the dark path through the woods toward Xavier's Institute for the Gifted. The night was unnaturally quiet, and she found herself growing nervous. She shifted into the guise of a student, the same one she'd used when poisoning Cerebro.
As she neared a sixth sense told her to move silently and stay hidden, even though she was transformed into a student. As she crouched in the underbrush something moved beside her. A dark figure that she knew immediately did not belong here.
She moved slower, changing her color to black, melding with the shadows like none other could. Even her eyes and teeth and tongue took on the inky stain. She moved flawlessly into the open doors of the school to find a small boy on the ground near the entrance.
She knelt beside him, checking him carefully. He was alright, merely tranquilized. Her eyes narrowed as she got to her feet and padded silently forward. Around a corner she caught sight of them, a mass moving as one. A military force, all sporting guns, and suddenly she knew that they were there because the mutants had been revealed, and that if they were revealed…
Mystique turned and darted back through the door, praying that the children weren't harmed. She would help them later if she could, but her loyalties lay first with her own.
The Brotherhood.
She reached her car and put it in drive, tearing down the dark streets, and reaching for her phone. She hoped she wasn't too late.
---
The phone rang, and Viktor Creed glared down at his inebriated companion. Toad had finally passed out on the couch and was giving him a few blessed moments of relief, and now this. Creed reached over and picked up the receiver.
"What?"
"The Xavier Institute has been compromised. Chances are you guys will be getting company soon. Get out of there."
Sabretooth swore under his breath.
"Where will you meet us?"
"This line isn't secure. I'll find you. Just get moving. Don't leave Toad behind."
Sabretooth rolled his eyes. She didn't need to add that, it was sort of a given. He hung up the phone and reached for the young man on the couch, tossing him over his shoulder as he ran for the door.
Toad moaned a little as he was jostled but didn't wake. Thank goodness for small miracles. He hurried down the rocky terrain toward the beach, where their motorboat was docked. He sniffed the air. Something was moving quickly toward the Island.
Sabretooth tossed Toad unceremoniously in the back, which managed to propel his awake, and reached to gun the engine. He just hoped no one on their boat could hear as well as he could. Toad tried getting to his feet, his face sobering up real quick.
"What's going on?" He'd moved to stand beside Sabretooth, glancing out of the dark water nervously.
"Somebody outted us."
"Oh."
Toad kept his eyes pealed as Sabretooth sped through the water. He'd left the lights off, so they were running in the dark. He hoped they didn't hit anything, not that there was much out here to hit. He felt drained and nervous, and wondered briefly if Mystique was alright.
Sabretooth could hear the boats pulling up to the other side of the island. The craggy landmass should provide them cover as they continued their journey. Even if the men knew were to look the only thing they would have seen would be the waves surf behind them, glinting in moonlight. They were lucky the moon was waning.
He figured the best place to take them would be Canada. He had people who owed him favors there, and places he knew where to hide. Toad wouldn't like it much, the weather was much colder this time of year than the Island, but he'd have to make do. Sabretooth would get them both wintry clothes and keep an eye on the Frog.
They'd make it alright.
He kept the boat at a steady pace until they reached the mainland. Toad had nodded off again and Sabretooth lifted him gently off the boat. He picked out a nice looking SUV and quickly hotwired it. Brute force was great, but they needed to keep a low profile, and gutting the driver for the keys wouldn't do that.
He deposited Toad into the passenger seat and started toward the interstate. At least the car was big, so he would be comfortable on the trip, and the man had the decency to fill up the tank.
Sabretooth flipped on the radio to listen for any sign of trouble, but if they were covering what had happened at the Xavier Institute, the news hadn't made it's way to Maine. The trip to Quebec woudlnt' take too long, as long as they could find a place to cross over undetected.
He glanced over at his sleeping compatriot as he rolled over and grunted in his dreams. They'd have to stop for clothes soon. He switched on the heater and Toad seemed to relax into the seat again.
---
Mystique breathed a sigh of relief as she entered a bar near the base where Magneto was being held. She'd had to push up her plans to get him out by a couple of days, but she'd managed. She lounged against the bar waiting for the fat guard to come in and take her bait.
Today she was a leggy blonde in slutty motorcycle attire. She was sure the poor slob wouldn't be able to resist her. Sure enough, moments later her target appeared and she began her act, all the while hoping that Sabretooth and Toad had gotten out safe.
When Magneto was freed they would all be reunited, but for now, all she could do was wish them well, and she stood over the unconscious man with a grin, producing a very large syringe, do her job the best way she knew how. She knew exactly what was in store for the heathen before her, and she only wished she'd get a chance to watch.