Another Showdown with Stryker

"Professor I'm scared," Danielle shuddered as they pulled up to the courthouse.

"It's going to be all right Danielle," Xavier said calmly. "They're just going to ask you what happened. Just tell the truth and don't lose your temper and you'll be fine."

In the limo were Xavier, Kitty, Ororo, Jean, Scott and Danielle with Logan driving. "Easier said than done, Charles," Logan growled. "With all these flamin' reporters around here." True enough there was a huge pack of them all over. "It's like…" He stopped himself.

"Like Evan's trial all over again?" Ororo sighed. "You're right, it is."

"More like a circus," Scott bristled.

"Well the court itself is closed, thank goodness," Jean sighed. "Better brace ourselves."

As they emerged from the limo reporters shouting questions barraged them. "Is it true that you threatened Stryker's life?" One shouted.

"Mr. Xavier is it true that you are part of some kind of hidden agenda as the Reverend Stryker claims?"

"Girls! Did you make that story up about you being hunted by Purity agents?"

"Is it true you're planning on using your powers on Stryker at the trial?"

"Did you actually know what Stryker was planning? Did you know his plans would backfire?"

"How are you feeling as you confront the man who tortured you and planned the deaths of all the mutants in New York?"

"HOW DO YOU THINK THEY FEEL?" Logan roared. "WHAT THE HELL KIND OF STUPID QUESTION IS THAT? BACK OFF YOU VULTURES!"

Eventually they made their way inside. "Does anybody else feel like they're going to completely lose it?" Kitty muttered as they finally entered a room where they would wait until being called to testify.

"I think we're all on edge," Scott told her. "Maybe we should talk about something else to get our minds off of the trial?"

"If that's possible," Kitty sighed.

"Did you have any luck finding Leech?" Jean asked Xavier.

"No," Xavier sighed. "I'm afraid not. I've programmed Cerebro to alert me the next time he uses his powers."

"As if we didn't have enough to worry about," Logan grumbled. "This trial, lawsuits, the governments of the world wanting to either kill us or use us, Magneto and the Hellfire Club with the Bio-Pulse, the Hellfire Club going after Cypher…Now we gotta prevent a freaking nuclear holocaust too!"

Kitty tried to focus on the conversation but found her mind wandering. For a long time she had tried to forget the events with Stryker. They had kept replaying in her nightmares for weeks before she went to the Professor for help. The counseling had worked but now she felt as shaky as she did when the nightmare started.

Soon they were called in and they sat down in the back of the court. Even though there were no cameras Kitty still felt uncomfortable. She tried to focus on what she had to say but she still felt sick to her stomach. To see Stryker again…

Then he entered the court. Kitty's face was emotionless as he was brought in shackles. Part of her was glad. But the rest of her was slightly terrified to confront him again. What if that first time I told him off was a fluke? What if I can't do this again? I can't do this! I want to phase out of this court and run away.

Stryker glared directly at her and she felt the hairs on her neck bristle. No, I can do this! I have to do this! I can't let this lunatic hurt people again. I can't let him hurt the Professor again. I can't let hurt me again. I have to do this…

Kitty are you all right? She felt the Professor's mind touch hers.

Fine Professor, I'm just a little stressed that's all…Kitty took a deep breath.

I understand. To tell the truth I'm a bit nervous myself. Just remember, he can't hurt you anymore, The Professor sent back.

That's right. He can't hurt me anymore. Kitty breathed.

The next hour felt like an eternity to her. The court went through the proceedings slowly and methodically. Kitty blocked it out. She knew Stryker was staring at her but she refused to acknowledge him. Part of her was terrified but another part of her wanted to do something violent to the man who tortured her friends and nearly killed her. Trying not to lose control of herself and retain composure was hard. It was the only thing she could focus on.

Then she was called to the stand to testify. She walked to the witness stand without a trace of hesitation or fear. There was almost an air of dignity going up there. I can do this. I can do this. She kept telling herself as she placed her hand on the bible and took the oath.

"MUTANT FILTH!" Stryker screamed as he nearly leapt out of his shackles. "HOW DARE YOU BLASPHEME THE HOLY WORD OF GOD WITH YOUR IMPURE HAND?"

Rage rose in Kitty's body. "HE'S MY GOD TOO YOU BIGOTED…"

"ORDER! ORDER!" The judge pounded his gavel. "There will be order in this courtroom!"

BOOM!

All of the sudden the room was filled with some kind of smoke. People were screaming. Her vision was impaired and the smoke started to burn her lungs. "What the…" Kitty coughed and instinctively phased through the wall into the next room where there was fresh air. She fell down onto the floor coughing. She heard a gasp and looked up. She was in a conference room where she saw a lawyer and a startled client try to get dressed again from the table they were on.

"Oh my god…Sorry…" Kitty managed to get up and back away. "Sorry…Sorry…" She phased out the door.

She backed out only to notice the commotion in the hallway. She saw a glimpse of Stryker being hustled away by several people in black. "No…" Kitty realized that Stryker was attempting a breakout. "NO!"

"Kitty!" Jean shouted as she came out of the courtroom with the other X-Men. "Where…?"

"He's getting away!" Kitty shouted as she ran after them.

"Kitty! Wait!" She could hear Scott shouting behind her.

Kitty didn't pay attention. All she could think about was catching Stryker. She literally phased through people and walls in order to follow them. She didn't pay attention to anything else but Stryker.

How are they going to get out of this building? They're going upwards so that means…THE ROOF!

She had to get to the roof before they did. They were taking the stairs. She couldn't take the elevator; it might be too slow. But she could still follow them. Remembering her training she levitated herself through the walls upwards. She had done it before only in short distances. But if she concentrated hard enough…

Up, up, up she went through the concrete and wood. She could feel the strain on her mind and lungs but she refused to stop. Just a little more… Just a few feet more…

The sight of the sky and the feeling of fresh air welcomed her. Her relief was short lived as she saw Stryker and his team jump into a helicopter. "Until another time Pryde!" Stryker laughed. "Then there shall be a reckoning!"

Rage fueled Kitty as she ran. The Helicopter was already several feet in the air. Some gunmen were shooting at her but thanks to her powers their bullets missed. "No…No…" Kitty pushed herself and felt a strength grow inside her. A strength born of determination and rage. She leapt into the air and used her powers to rise. She willed herself to move upwards. She could almost feel her feet crunching the molecules of the air and using them as steps to rise upwards. In a few seconds it would be too late. The helicopter would rise too fast and fly away. She would not let that happen.

Just a few more inches.

Faster.

A little more…

I can do this!

The look on Stryker's face as she phased her head and hands through the helicopter floor was priceless.

"NOT TODAY!" Kitty screamed as she phased Stryker through the aircraft. "NOT TODAY!"

"ARE YOU INSANE?" Stryker screamed as they fell through the sky. "YOU'LL KILL US BOTH!"

"NO! JUST YOU!" Kitty screamed as she held onto him.

"Kitty no!" Jean screamed and she felt herself stop falling. Before she realized it she and Stryker were being lowered to the rooftop by Jean's telekinesis.

"You witch!" Stryker hissed as the guards ran up and grabbed him. "You ruined everything!"

"Save it, Stryker! You haven't begun to pay for what you've done," Kitty glared at him. "So don't think you're going to get off easy!"

"VENGANCE SHALL BE MINE MISS PRYDE!" Stryker screamed as he was dragged away. "ON YOU AND YOURS! VENGANCE SHALL BE MINE!"

"Kitty are you okay?" Jean put her hand on her shoulder.

"No…Not really…I mean," Kitty shuddered. She saw the X-Men had all managed to make it to the roof by using the elevator.

"Kitty I didn't know you could move through the air like that," Danielle blinked.

"Neither did I," Kitty was starting to feel rather shaken. "It was like I could literally walk on the air."

"Your phasing powers are more complex than we thought," Xavier said. "Scott, Jean take the girls inside. All right?"

They did so leaving Logan and Xavier alone. "I should have known our dealings with Stryker weren't over," Xavier sighed. "It's lucky Kitty stopped him from escaping."

"Even luckier Jean was here to stop Kitty. She was gonna do it Charles," Logan whispered. "I saw that look in her eye. Stryker's gotten under her skin."

"You know what's worse, Logan?" Charles whispered back. "Part of me was hoping she would do it. It was Jean that stopped her, not me. I didn't even want to stop her."

"I guess that's 'cause out of all our enemies he's the one who hurt us the most," Logan sighed. "Well, besides the Porcupine but still…"

"I thought we were all over Stryker and what he did to us," Xavier sighed. "I was wrong. And I fear Kitty is suffering worst of all."

"What worries me is that Stryker thinks she ain't suffering enough," Logan frowned.

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"I'm sorry sir," The guard said. "I was so sure it would work." The two of them were riding alone in the back of the prison transport vehicle. Stryker was in chains.

"It's not your fault Thomas," Stryker said. "Perhaps it was not God's will that I be released from my confinement. I must serve more penance for my failure."

"Don't say things like that!" Thomas said. "We can try again. The next time…"

"No, Thomas, you must do your duty and guard me faithfully," Stryker said. "At least I can talk to you and the others and continue my mission to the poor souls back at the prison. And through you and the others I can communicate with my flock."

"If it wasn't for that damn mutie…" Thomas hissed.

"Yes, perhaps we've underestimated Miss Pryde…" Stryker said with a growl. "That will be rectified. Thomas I need you to get a message to Disciple One. Tell him no more rescue attempts."

"But sir…"

"Let me finish. From now on the X-Men are our number one priority. We must gather information and do all we can to bring them down. Starting with the most dangerous of them all, the She Devil Shadowcat…"

"Actually Sir," Thomas grinned. "We do have some rather…interesting news. We've been investigating her family life and it's quite…Well depraved is the best word I can use to describe it."

"Oh really?" Stryker grinned. "Do tell…"

Now what does Stryker have planned? Find out by reading! Next: Doug goes home to confront his family and things go from bad to worse when the Hellions come calling!