Chapter 34

Mystique and Toad together walked across the bridge into the Brotherhood's lair. Mystique travelled a little in front, with Toad carrying Senator Kelly over his shoulder. Up ahead. Sabretooth was moping against the wall, when he noticed the entry however, he quickly looked up, watching the group come forward.

"Tell Magneto he has a visitor," murmured Mystique quietly as she passed by Sabretooth with a teasing smirk.

Sabretooth watched them past, eyes glaring at the unconscious body of Senator Kelly. He clenched in fists in deliberation and anger, but he spun round with a flare of his furred coat and stalked off to inform Magneto.

Ahead, Toad had dropped Senator Kelly into a metal chair, which had been specially crafted by Magneto for the Senator's arrival. The unconscious man's wrists and ankles were bound to the chair by thick cuffs. With the Senator secure, the pair of mutants stepped away. Toad sloped off to one side, sitting himself upon a rock, whilst Mystique walked towards the looming metal machine that was positioned at the end of the bridge. She stared up at it slowly, the gigantic mechanism glinting in the dull light.

Behind her, she heard footsteps, and Sabretooth joined them. As she turned, he nodded silently in indication that Magneto was on his way. He remained stood in the circular doorway, dark eyes fastening with distaste upon the slumped Senator ahead of him. In fact, all the mutants were watching him like that, as though slowly mauling him with their eyes.

A sudden gasp of breath sounded, for the Senator had woken from his unconscious slumber delivered so easily by Mystique. Everyone's expression of hatred darkened. He was gasping quietly with each frosty breath, his eyes blinking slowly as he peered round. His couldn't budge any of his limbs. His eyes first met Mystiques, instantly recognising her as the attacker in the helicopter. She merely narrowed her eyes, though her posture still looked relaxed. He looked behind him, viewing his only exit, and noticed it was blocked by a fierce looking man.

Lastly he turned his head to the remaining mutant. Toad canted his head slowly, murky eyes blinking once. His eyes fastened upon a white bird sat in a nearby tree. The thin branches were gnarled as the weak tree grew out of the murky water below. Senator Kelly followed Toad's gaze, only to see a flash of a long green tongue that wrapped around the bird, pulling it in to the mutant's mouth where he promptly ate it. Mystique smirked to herself slowly as she watched Kelly's shocked face and disgusted sound.

"Toad has a wicked tongue, Senator. Just like you." Mystique looked up quickly, and saw the silhouette of Magneto come past Sabretooth and down the steps towards them. With a slow smile she started walking towards him. Mystique slinked by his side slowly as Magneto turned to face Kelly. With a teasing smile lying upon her lips she gently stretched her arm behind Magneto's back, comfortably resting her hands against his form.

"Who are you people?" asked Kelly in a soft tone, one that was fighting to hide his fear, "Where's Henry?"

"Mr. Guyrich has been dead for some time, Senator. But I've had Mystique here keep you company." Magneto slowly raised his hand to take Mystique's, "She takes so many shapes."

"Whatever you do to me, you'll make me right. Every word I've spoken will be confirmed."

Mystique glanced to Magneto, her wicked smile being shared by Magneto. He have her a subtle nod of his head in gesture, and she allowed her arms to slip gently from his form. She stepped across Magneto's front, giving Kelly a cruel smirk. He watched her in return as she walked by him, as if excepting a nasty strike as she passed.

"Are you a God-fearing man, Senator?" questioned Magneto in a idle manner, "It's such a strange phrase. I've always thought as God as a teacher. As a bringer of light, wisdom and understanding." Just as Senator Kelly looked like he was searching for a response, Magneto quickly continued, "You see, what I really think you're afraid of is me. Me and my kind, the Brotherhood of Mutants." Magneto smirked slowly as he turned, shaking his head, "Oh, it's not so surprising really - " Kelly started as his chair suddenly began following Magneto's walking form, "mankind has always feared what it doesn't understand." Magneto raised his hand, and the chair stopped. "Well don't fear God, Senator, and certainly don't fear me.. Not any more."

"What do you intend to do to me?" asked Kelly, a note of panic plainly obvious despite his desperation to control his tones.

Magneto was rising himself in the machine, stood upon a platform. "Let's just say God works too slowly."

Mystique has joined Sabretooth side at the doorway, and together they stood watching, "Do we know how this machine works yet?" whispered Mystique.

"No," Sabretooth straightened slowly as his eyes continued to watch the distant machine.

At the top of the machine, a metal ring was slowly picking up speed, controlled by Magneto. It moved faster and faster, blurring Magneto's body from view. A distorted light began to glow from the top of the machine, spreading over Magneto. Mystique quickly looked to Sabretooth again, a questioning look on her face. But he ignored her, eyes narrowing as he continued to watch the procedure. The strange light looked webbed, each strand glowing brightly. The light began to flow slowly across the water, in a form that was neither liquid or solid. It reached the cave ceiling, and began spreading down the waterfall. As it flowed upon Kelly, strangled groans cried from him wearily.

Mystique stared at the strange substance as it came closer, making move to step backward. But Sabretooth grabbed her by the wrist, "Don't move," he uttered lowly. And as he said it, the matter retreated, puling back in towards the machine. The contraption lowered slowly as Magneto slumped weakly onto his knees. Mystique, breaking Sabretooth's grip ran forward, passing Kelly. Her hands took Magneto's as she pulled them off the panels of the machine, his grip had been so tight that his palms had been cut.

"This could have killed you," she muttered quietly as she helped him to his feet. Her grip tightened upon him, leading him away from the machine and across the bridge. But as they passed Kelly, Magneto paused, holding onto the chair as he leant towards the Senator.

"Welcome to the future.. brother."

Mystique tugged gently on his form, and obediently, he allowed her to direct him away. As she reached the door, Toad had hopped over, looking concerned. "Get Kelly locked up," snapped Mystique as she supported Magneto against her side. His eyes were drooping closed and he was losing the ability to use his feet. Sabretooth stepped forth in a bid to assist. "Help Toad," said Mystique abruptly as she turned the corner, helping Magneto to his room.

Through the blackness, there was nothing but a pair of vibrant yellow eyes that glowed eerily. As Magneto lay in his bed, he slowly turned his head as he awakened from a lengthy sleep to find that Mystique was sat against the opposite wall. When she noticed that Magneto was awake, she straightened and made her way over slowly. "Are you alright?" she asked quietly, stood before him.

Magneto slowly looked up at her, his tired eyes blinking slowly before they suddenly sharpened, "Where is Kelly?"

"He's locked up across the bridge," murmured Mystique quietly, resting a hand upon his arm. "That machine was too dangerous," she quickly said, expressing her concerns before she lost the bottle, "it could have killed you."

Magneto sighed quietly, patted her scaled hand with his own. "Raven.." he whispered comfortingly, "It was only a test."

"Yes, and it proved how dangerous it was for you!"

"We can still try and get the girl. Just because the X-Men have her doesn't make it entirely impossible to retrieve her."

Mystique nodded her head slowly, "It'll be best if we use her. Somehow we need to get her out of the school."

"You can do that," Magneto gently tapped her hand with his palm again, "You need to chase her out of the school. Then I can get her."

"But won't Charles know? He'll just use Cerebro to find her."

Magneto frowned a little at this, laying his head back slowly as he thought. "Whilst you are at the school, you can modify Cerebro.. Don't forget, I built it with him. If the solution that powers it is poisoned, it should block all telepathic communications and rebound upon Charles."

"Could it kill him?"

"No. It may put him out of action for a few days, but that is to our advantage. Go tomorrow. Do not do anything until the day after. I want you to monitor the goings on to report back to me, and also find any information that may influence the girl's decision to leave. Only change Cerebro once she's out of the grounds. When you have changed Cerebro, come and find me." Magneto reached across his bed slowly, pulling keys from a metal table. He turned over the hand of Mystique's and dropped the keys into her open palm. "Use the Senator's helicopter."

"Will you be alright?"

"Just give me a few more hours. By then, I am going to see if there has been any advancements on the Senator. I hope his mutation will have developed."

"Just don't exert yourself, not yet," whispered Mystique quietly, "You've helped me so much.. I don't think I could still be who I am without you."

"My dear.. With or without me.. You will always be Mystique."

Mystique smiled slowly, clutching the helicopter keys in her hand as she leant down, kissing Magneto upon the forehead. As she straightened and turned, she left him with a surprised expression on his face, and a gentle smile.

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