Part VIII
Kurt was transporting students from the underground tunnels to the dense trees around the mansion. Rogue, Colossus and Cannonball were already waiting with a couple of the younger kids and some of the older ones who tended to the others. Beast stayed in the tunnels with the students that were left behind while Kurt was teleporting.
Soon enough, everyone was completely out of the mansion. Rogue looked back, biting her nails. "What about everyone else?" she asked turning back to the group.
"All of the students are accounted for, which is a good thing. We'll go back for the others once we get them to a safe place," Hank explained ushering the kids along.
Rogue took one last look before entering the forest in front of her. Hearing an odd noise coming from behind her, made her stop. She turned back around toward the direction of the mansion. She saw a hand on the side of the hill they were standing on. It was Gambit! Rushing over, she pulled him up and held him securely in her arms. "Oh mah Gawd!" she screamed still cradling his head.
Colossus and Cannonball turned back around and went for Rogue. They saw her there but realizing their awkward situation and position on the hill, they realized that they needed to move to a more secure place. Cannonball grabbed Rogue, prying her hands away from Gambit. Colossus picked him up, mindful of his wounds.
"C'mon girl we need to get out of here!" Sam whispered harshly, pulling her into the trees. Colossus followed closely behind.
Once they were in far enough, Hank stopped them and he attended Gambit's wounds. He sighed and mumbled to himself, wrapping up his torso with white bandages. Kurt rubbed Rogue's shoulder comfortingly, while Sam paced up and down the clearing in the forest. "Well," began Beast. "He should live, but we need to get him to a hospital. He suffers from some bullets wounds."
"No hospital," the listless form grumbled. "Those bastards took de others," he said cringing as he tried to sit up against a tree stump. "Remy was trying to git to dem, but dose soldiers started firin' at me."
"What should we do?" Cannonball asked as Rogue went to Remy's side, holding his hand. She scolded him but hugged him at the same time. He sucked in a breath as she hit a sore spot on his shoulder.
"We can't just abandon them," Piotr said, finally saying something. He stood up, crossing his arms over his chest. "I say, we take back the mansion by force." He Russian accent was thick as he said those last words.
"Maybe we should approach this differently…" Hank said, holding his chin. "I'm assuming that whoever attacked the mansion knew about our mutant abilities. That's why they were able to overpower us so easily. If Kurt can get me back into the mansion, I might be able to activate Cerebro's defense systems and we could attack them by surprise inside of just charging in there without any form of a plan. And if we're lucky, maybe Phoenix will be able to reach us. I would bet my life that they don't know what she's capable of," Beast said standing up, looking over at Kurt.
"I will do my best," he said holding out his hand.
"Rogue, you take care of Gambit and the others. Keep close," he said motioning for the others to gather around. "Cannonball, you and Colossus stay near the mansion. You'll be able to hear our signal. That just leaves you and I, Nightcrawler."
He nodded as Beast took his hand, the familiar 'bamf' sound and the smoke all that was left behind. Cannonball took off, his speed incredible. Colossus touched Rogue's shoulder before running after him.
"They'll do it, right?" she asked Gambit, who had already passed out in her lap.
…
"Ah!" Logan yelled, his six claws still trying to work through the cell's adamantium walls. He finally stopped, drawing them back inside his hands with a 'snikt' that rang throughout the cell. He began pounding on the door, on the sidewalls, on anything he could get his hands on. "You bastards, let me out of here and I'll show ya what I can do!"
"Logan?" a voice called from the cell over.
"One-eye?" he asked hesitantly.
"Yea, it's me. Do you know where the others are?" he asked, resting up against the door.
"Nah, it's just me in here. More importantly, do you know who was captured?" Logan countered. Scott just shook his head, but he didn't answer. He was still a bit tired, probably an after effect of the sedative. He rubbed furiously at his arm. "Hey, you okay in there?" Logan asked, not hearing anything else.
"Just tired. I don't know where Jean is. I can't connect with her telepathically. I hope that she's back at the mansion," he answered off-handedly.
"I'm sure that Jeannie can take care of herself."
Back in the labs, one of the guards kicked over a chair, throwing up his arms. "I'm not watching this girl anymore! Do you know how boring it is to watch her sleeping there?" he asked General Derex who was working another computer. The guard was pointing at the sleeping form of Phoenix.
"I could always replace you," Derex replied looking over the rims of his glasses.
"We don't even know if she's a mutant or not. We could stick her in one of the cells and see what happens, but I'm not watching her anymore. She's starting to freak me out a little bit," he said shaking his head. "She just lies there like a dead girl."
"Oh fine," Derex said waving his hand, like he didn't care. "Put her with either Scott Summers or Wolverine. Whoever gives you less trouble."
With that, he wheeled her off to a long hallway where the some of the lights were out. The light bulbs were broken or needed to be replaced, but no one cared enough to take care of it. Just like they had done with Scott, he removed her IV and headed to one of the cells that General Derex told him to put her in.
"Wake up boys! Which one of you guys wants to have a cellmate?" he asked with a snicker. Logan ran up to the door, trying to look past the bars to see who it was. He knew they had captured Phoenix, but he wasn't sure where she was. His nose twitched with a familiar scent. It was faint but it was there.
"Let's see, which one of you deserves her?" he asked himself walking over to Wolverine's door. "You gonna behave?" he asked like he was talking to a dog. He opened the large metal door, giving Logan a shock as he tried to push the guard out of the way to escape. "Now that's not very nice," he said giving Logan another shock as he lay on the ground, a hand on his stomach.
Having enough fun, he threw Phoenix into the cell and left, his laughter ringing throughout the hall. "You okay?" Scott asked from the next cell.
"Yea, could've stopped him but he had Phoenix. If we can wake her up…" he said, his tone very suggesting. He didn't want to say anything just in case they were being monitored. Scott understood. They had a better chance of getting out of there alive if they had Phoenix, who would be able to control practically the whole compound.
"Wolverine?" a voice yelled from down the hall. It was Bishop.
"Lucas, are you okay?" Scott answered for him.
"Scott? I'm fine, who else is here?"
"Just me, Logan and Phoenix. What about you? Do you know who else was captured back at the mansion?" Scott answered, trying to find out more information. It was a bad sign if they didn't know who was taken and who wasn't. They didn't want to leave anyone behind, but how could they if they didn't even know who was imprisoned and who's still back at the mansion.
"Me and Sage," he replied. By the sound of his voice, they there more than a couple cells away from Scott and the others. "She's not doing to good. She keeps going in and out of consciousness. They did something to her."
"Probably a sedative like me and Phoenix. Keep trying to wake her up," Scott answered falling back against the wall again. If only he had his powers.
"Phoenix, wake up!" Logan whispered harshly, shaking her shoulders. She moaned, her body still limp. "Come on darlin' open those eyes so I can see 'em." He shook her again, this time her eyes opening just enough to make out the fuzzy image above her. "Hey," he replied softly, watching as a small smile formed on her lips.
"Lo-Logan?" she asked, her voice shaky and husky. "Where are we?"
"I don't know darlin' but I think you might be able to help us out here," she started to slip back into sleep, but Logan slapped her check lightly trying to keep her up. "Don't go back to sleep. Right, now you gotta stay awake."
"I'm so tired," she whispered.
"I know, and once we get back to the mansion you can sleep all you want. C'mon wake up!" he said lifting her body against his. She sat in his lap, her back pressed against his chest. Her head was lying on his shoulder. Logan kept rubbing at her arms and whispering in her ears. After a few minutes, Phoenix opened her eyes fully. She yawned a few times, taking in her surroundings and where she was.
Scooting out of his grasp, she sat next to him instead, resting her back against the cool surface of the metal. It sent shivers down her spine...or maybe that was Logan. "Look at me," he whispered, taking her head in his two large ones. "You have to use your powers. You're our only chance of getting us out of here alive." Wolverine spoke so softly that even the cameras in the cell couldn't hear what he was saying.
She nodded her head, understanding. "Block the view of that camera up there," Phoenix replied. He sat closer to her, shielding her from their probing eyes. She sat back, looking completely relaxed. Her eyes began to close, her mind reaching out to take control of the control system. When she opened her eyes, they were as black as night.
"She's in."
Phoenix got to work as quickly as she could. All systems were now under her control. Her mind was reeling with the power that she held. She could literally see everything, everyone in every part of the compound was under her observation. She saw Scott in the next cell over, and she spotted Bishop holding her mother close. Jean was lying there motionless in another room, hooked up to something. She also saw Xavier.
"The professor is here," she whispered. "He seems to be under their control. He's hooked up to so many machines." Phoenix's voice was sounding uneasy.
"Don't worry, we'll get him outta here, soon enough."
Getting back to work, she cut off power to all the cameras in all the cells. She unlocked the cells that needed to be, the doors opening themselves. Bishop picked up Sage and headed down the hall towards Scott and Logan. Phoenix then cut off the power to the control room, all the screens going blank. She appeared on them instead.
"Hello gentleman," she announced, her voice going over the intercom as well. It rang down the halls where the X-men where. "I'm very glad to say that I now have control of all the systems that this base has to offer. Even the defense systems," she replied evilly as guns dropped from every room to focus in on the soldiers and especially General Derex who was staring at his computer screen. "I suggest that none of you move." The General was silently beating himself up for putting that girl in a cell against his better judgement.
Logan looked around. "Phoenix, if you're done playing games, would ya mind hurrying it up!" he asked, picking her up and wrapping her arms around his neck. "Tell us where the Professor is, so we can rescue him too. Is there anyone else that we need to know about?"
"Do not rush me," she said, her hair glowing and raising above her. Logan had to put her down, her energy level rising too much. "Jean Grey is also here, but I do not know what is wrong with her. She's located in the same room as Professor Xavier. Storm is confined in a special cell one level below us. No one else is present that I can see."
Scott's heart started to beat faster. "Tell us how to get to Jean!"
"I will direct you," Phoenix said pulling up floor plans in her mind. "Take that hallway there, and make an immediate right. Follow it until you come to a metal door. They should be in there. I must warn you that General Derex and some of the other guards are in the room across from there. I will help you where I can."
"All right, I'm going with you!" Logan said trying to follow Scott.
"No! Someone has to rescue Storm, and then there's still Sage and Phoenix. Someone has to get them out of here. Is there some way we can escape?" he asked, quickly moving his attention to the cyberkinetic.
"Yes, there is a jet in the hanger that we may use. From what I can tell, we are in some kind of Canadian base. I am not entirely sure how they got us here so quickly."
"We can figure that out later. You guys go ahead and I'll meet up with you," Scott replied, ready to run down the hall after Jean and the Professor.
"Wait!" Logan said, turning to the one man left. "Can you get to Storm?" he asked Bishop who nodded. He was going to reply when he was interrupted.
"Get her Bishop. I can give you directions how to get down there. Sage and I will be fine. No one is moving in this base without me knowing about it. Go now!" she said directing him over to the stairs.
"Good. Now, you don't have any powers Summers, so how the hell can you expect to get Jeannie and the Professor outta here alive? I'm coming with you whether you like it or not." Scott didn't have a chance to respond. "Phoenix, I'm sure that Bishop will be back before us. So can you create some kind of link to help us get out of here and to the hanger safely? We'll meet you there."
"I have never done anything of the sort before, but I will try to come up with something. I will be there for you," she said before they took off down the hall.
Phoenix worked twice as hard trying to help both teams. Getting Storm out was easy enough. Her eyes were white, her hair crackling with the power of lightning. She was breathing hard but besides that in good shape. She followed Bishop back up the staircase and to Sage and Phoenix. Storm quickly picked up Sage with the help of her winds, and Bishop grabbed Phoenix, one arm around her shoulders and the other holding tightly around her knees.
"All right little lady," Bishop said, referring to Phoenix. "You gotta tell me how to get out of here because I'm kind of lost."
"Take this left," she replied.
Bishop struggled with Phoenix from time to time, especially when she would power up. "How much longer?" he asked, gritting his teeth. Phoenix didn't answer right away, still busy with helping Scott and Logan. She had already locked the door to the room that General Derex was in, but he continued to try to enter his access code to open the door as he watched Wolverine and Cyclops.
"Sit back down General," she ordered, lowering one of the defense guns. He eyed it before taking a seat like he was told.
"You tell 'em Phoenix," Logan whispered, carefully cutting at the Professor's wires and tubes that connected him to a strange machine.
"Jean, Jean, Jean," Scott repeated softly prying her loose as well. She was limp in his arms, her chest not moving at all. He knew he couldn't panic or else he would have to deal with something else...fear. All he wanted to focus on now was getting Jean out of here and safely home where Hank would heal her.
Logan watched as he threw Xavier over his shoulder. Scott cradled Jean close to his chest, his eyes watering. He heard something drop from her hands, and when he dropped his gaze to see what it was, he caught a glimpse of red. His glasses. He picked them up and put them back on over his eyes, covering the escaping tears. "Let's get out of here."
"Right, Phoenix we need some help here darlin'!" Logan shouted, looking up.
All of a sudden the lights went out, leaving them standing in the darkness. "That's not what I expected," Scott muttered. A crackling sound was heard on the intercom before they heard the sweet sound of their cyberkinetic friend's voice.
"Follow the lights," she said. There was suddenly a new trail of lights for them to follow. Not wasting any time, the two took off in the direction they were pointed in. "I will try to contain any of the soldiers in your way, but be alert. I might miss one or two," she said before her voice disappeared into the darkness.
Back with Bishop, Phoenix had finished leading him to the hanger. He was boarding the jet, Storm already strapping in Sage who was still going in and out of consciousness. She moaned, the bright lights hitting her in the face. "You might want these back," Bishop whispered, handing her the red glasses. She smiled, her shaky hand touching them. "I'll be right back. Gotta go back for our daughter." With that, he exited the jet to get Phoenix.
As Logan and Scott came running for the jet, Phoenix hit the ground clutching at her head. Bishop ran over to her, picking her up without question and leading her to the jet as well, followed closely by the others. Scott and Logan quickly strapped in the two telepaths before doing the same for themselves. Scott was in the pilot's seat and Ororo, who had already powered up the jet, was acting as co-pilot.
"Phoenix, hey are you okay?" Bishop said sitting beside her.
She nodded, her eyes still black as onyx. "I'm trying to connect to the mansion computer systems but that's a little bit harder. I've already drained a lot of power." She closed her eyes, a hand at her temple. Her eyebrows creased together showing how hard she was struggling to link with the mansion.
"Take our power," Sage whispered looking to Bishop. They were already in the air by this time, so she considered it safe to get out of her seat. She touched Phoenix's shoulder and then touched Bishop's. "I'll be the catalyst. Bishop, give us your energy."
He nodded, amplifying his power. With the new boost of power, Phoenix was able to easily connect with the mansion computer systems. She saw Beast already working at the main computer, typing rapidly. She saw he was trying to access the defense systems just as she had at the Canadian compound. Helping him, she appeared at the bottom of the screen. "Hello Hank," she whispered, trying not to scare him too much.
Both him and Kurt jumped back. "Phoenix? Thank God you're all right. What about the others?" Nightcrawler asked, walking over to the computer with Beast.
"We are fine. I'm not sure about Jean though, they did something to her. We are returning to the mansion at once. What is the status over there?" she asked, taking a look through the cameras. Some of them were already destroyed but most of them were intact and still working. She began assessing the situation herself.
"The soldiers are still in the mansion. We're not sure what they are doing but I was trying to get control of the defense systems so that we could surprise them. But I'm sure you already knew that," he added with a smile.
"Yes. How are the students?"
"They're all fine," Kurt said this time.
"I will help you take down the soldiers, but you have to be ready and prepped in the infirmary by the time we get there. You will have to work extra hard on Jean," she said guns coming out on the grounds and inside the mansion just as they had at the base.
Taking care of the soldiers was hard work, but as Cannonball and Colossus showed up, things seemed to get a little bit easier. Nightcrawler and Beast teleported to help them with Phoenix still controlling the computer systems. By the time Scott and the others arrived at the mansion, it was almost in pieces. The underground was still intact and still working, which was more important. They rushed Jean to the infirmary, Henry working on her at once. Ororo offered her services since Jean was usually the assistant to the resident doctor. He gladly accepted.
Scott stayed in the infirmary, watching through the glass doors as they worked on her. Bishop, Logan, and Colossus set up beds for Sage and the Professor. He was still a bit confused and disoriented, but he was coming to. He told them a little on the plane about how he was captured. On one of his regular visits to see his half-brother, he was captured and had been at that Canadian base for about three or four days. He lost count.
Cannonball and Phoenix went to get the others and bring them back to the mansion. It wasn't literally a mansion anymore, but it was still their home. Kaitlyn ran into Phoenix's arms, the tranquilizer having already worked its way through her system.
After settling everyone in, all the X-men returned to the infirmary, a new bed set up for Gambit. They waited patiently to hear any news about Jean. Phoenix sat in one of the chairs, holding the sleeping Kaitlyn in her arms. She was pressed up against her chest, her legs dangling on either side of her. Phoenix released her hold momentarily to rub at her head. "Got a headache?" the voice above her asked.
She smiled, already knowing who it was. "Yea. Did a lot today," she smiled opening her eyes. "Someone else knows what I'm talking about," she replied, bouncing her legs a little bit to indicate that she was talking about the girl in her arms.
"Come on, let's put her to bed," Logan whispered picking her up and taking her from Phoenix. The lower levels had some beds, the kids already filling the up. The youngest get beds, and then it went from there. None of the X-men slept anyway, but some of the older students had to sacrifice and sleep on the cold floor. Logan placed Kaitlyn on a pile of blankets, wrapping one of them around her. "She's a good kid."
Phoenix nodded. "Yes." They didn't talk as they made their way back to the infirmary. She slipped her arm through his, holding it close to her body. Logan didn't say anything. He didn't make any move to stop her, but he didn't make any move to encourage her actions either.
As they neared the infirmary, Logan stopped and turned to look at her. She didn't smile up at him. Her eyes had returned back to normal, the light color a contrast to his dark, almost black eyes. "Phoenix I-"
He didn't continue as she stood on her tiptoes, her small frame suddenly being crushed to his tall, broad one. She did smile then as he lowered his head to hers. She was almost afraid to close her eyes, like she was expecting too much already. But she did, and Logan kissed her. It was soft at first, both of them savoring the feel of each other. As the seconds passed, it became more forceful for the need to taste each other. Phoenix had to pull back, finally realizing that she did need air to survive.
Logan wouldn't let her though as he pulled her back to him. This time he wanted entrance to her mouth, running his tongue along her lips silently begging for her to open them. She did and their tongues battled as Phoenix clutched at his head, both of her arms wound tightly around his neck. Logan's hands traveled around her body, settling on her hips, pulling her to him. When they stopped for breath, he whispered her name. "Jean…" he said softly. Phoenix opened her eyes, shock evident on her face. Logan realized his deadly mistake of calling her that name.
Phoenix backed away, her hand grasping at her shirt. Logan tried to reach for her, but she cringed trying to get away from him like his touch burnt her. In a way it did. "Phoenix wait, that's not what I meant." His voice was pleading. He'd never heard himself sound like that before, so…desperate.
Shaking her head, Phoenix's glare turned to ice. "I may have her name Logan, but I will never be Jean Grey!" she spat. Her eyes were glossed over, the unshed tears threatening to spill over, but she wouldn't let them. Phoenix wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of seeing her breakdown right in front of him. She ran from him then, back to the infirmary, she didn't know where.
She stopped when she ran into something hard, solid and steel. After falling to the floor, Colossus offered her a hand smiling down at her. "I was trying to catch you before you fell but…" his voice trailed off when he saw her face. Phoenix was crying openly now, her body shaking from her sobs. "What's wrong? I came to find you and Wolverine to tell you that Jean is okay. She's going to be fine!" Colossus said, his Russian accent ever present.
Phoenix tried to pass off her tears as tears of joy. She jumped into his arms, trying to put on her best smile. He spun her around, her legs flying behind her. "That's such good news!" she said following Piotr back to the med lab. Wolverine came out of the shadows, leaning against the cold wall. What had he done?