Magneto and Mystique continued to lead the way down the numerous corridors, with the swift footfalls of Jean Grey close behind them. True, they were heading towards Cerebro, but they needed to somehow shake Jean off. With his face stern, Magneto glanced across to Mystique, who returned the look. It was becoming increasingly difficult. Magneto let out a low sigh as he looked back ahead, continuing to walk on. Mystique followed his example, meanwhile cursing the woman behind them in her head. Then, all of a sudden, an invisible force threw her forward, just missing a beam of red light, which struck the walls behind them. Dust and debris quickly clouded the air, only adding to Mystique's confusion. That attack was strangely similar to Scott's.
"Go!" cried Jean as she pushed herself from the floor. "I'll take care of him!"
Mystique glanced over to Magneto who was reaching for his helmet. "This is one lovers' quarrel we cannot get involved in, my dear," he said as he pushed himself upright. Mystique hurriedly did the same, and the pair sharply began walking away, leaving Jean as she ran towards her controlled fiancé. Magneto and Mystique strode down their designated corridor, but were not alone. For soldiers quickly burst into view with their weapon ready. Magneto dismissed their attack with a wave of his hand, destroying their guns and throwing the humans against the walls with such a force that they fell unconscious almost immediately. He continued walking calmly ahead, undeterred by the minor disruption. Mystique smiled to herself as she stepped over a fallen body. Just as they reached the corner, Magneto raised his hand, requesting that they stop. Mystique obediently halted, glancing up at him in question.
"We're almost there," he said softly. He raised his hand, and around the corner the distinct sound of grenades being triggered filled the air amongst shocked gasps. Explosions rocketed the corridor, and only as it fell silent did Magneto stride around the corner, idly dropping the many rings to the floor. Without a word, he made his way towards the closed doors of Stryker's Cerebro, upon reaching it, he placed his helmet on his head, being watched by Mystique who then stared at the Cerebro doors. She felt something beginning to ache in her head.. something was wrong. Magneto began walking to the Cerebro doors, and she tried to warn him, but his name never left her lips as an agonising pain took over her head, screeching and tearing in every cavity.
She let out a pained cry, collapsing upon her knees as her hands flew to her head. Magneto spun round in alarm, staring down at her. She closed her eyes tightly, gasping as she tried to think straight, but she couldn't, she couldn't think, she couldn't do anything. She was losing control, her powers flipping into overdrive as she suddenly began shifting forms hurriedly, changing without any pause. "Erik!" she gasped, "Hurry!" Magneto turned back to the Cerebro doors, raising his hands as he began working his powers to close Cerebro from the outside. Mystique closed her eyes once more, fighting to regain her concentration to stop her powers from losing control.
Then all of a sudden, it stopped, and the doors to Cerebro were parted. Mystique let out a soft gasp as she stood to her feet, basking in the relief as the pain left her head. Magneto walked into Cerebro whilst Mystique positioned herself in the doorway. He strode past a hunched figure in a wheelchair, who was the one controlling Charles. Magneto gave a small smile as he looked down, tapping his helmet knowingly. Up ahead was Charles, unresponsive to the presence of Magneto. Magneto strode forth as he spoke, "How does it look from there, Charles? Still fighting the good fight? From here it doesn't look like they're playing by your rules." His voice took on a sinister tone as he continued, "Maybe it's time to play by theirs." Mystique watched as Magneto levitated himself using the abundance of metal around him he began pulling out panels of the walls of Cerebro, editing it, fixing Stryker's blunders to make it much more powerful. As he lowered back down to the platform, he looked over to Mystique, nodding his head.
With a knowing smile, Mystique stepped forth, making her way into Cerebro. As she travelled, her form disappeared to imitate the form of Stryker once more. She came upon the wheelchair, leaning down to wards the mutant's ear as she spoke using Stryker's low tones. "There's been a change of plan," she said, then glancing to Magneto with a discreet smirk. "Find all the humans," she whispered softly, "Find them, and kill them all. Every last one." She pulled back, quickly transforming into her original state. Magneto had turned to Charles, resting his hand against the man's wheelchair.
"Goodbye Charles," he said, his words cold and indifferent, but the gesture of his hand betraying it all. With that, Mystique turned, leading Magneto back out into the corridor. The doors to Cerebro were closed, blocking the Professor from view. "Let's leave, my dear," said Magneto softly as he turned his back on the door, quickly moving ahead to take them back through the corridors to their nearest exit. Mystique walked alongside him in silence, but with a satisfied smile sat on her blue lips. After numerous corners in many corridors, they reached a door set deeply into the wall. Magneto flung it open as he raised a hand, and the pair swiftly slipped through to step out into the cold snow.
Mystique slowly walked up the small slope, her eyes scanning the blindingly white surroundings of Alkali Lake, behind her; she heard Magneto shut the door closed. But she stopped, noticing a helicopter a short distance away, with Stryker chained up to it. "Erik," she said to gain his attention, and Magneto followed her up the slope, stopping as he too saw Stryker. A grim smile flitted across his face before he continued on across the snow, Mystique following on behind him with gentle footsteps.
"Mr Stryker," he called as he came upon the man. Stryker appeared to notice him, but he was going through the agony the mutants had been subjected to not too long ago. "Funny we keep running into each other," said Magneto as he bent to glare into the human's face. There was no laughter in his words. "Mark my worlds, it'll never happen again." His hand burst forth, and the chains that bound Stryker abruptly tightened, causing the human to gasp for breath. Magneto stepped back, keeping the chains tight as he levitated Stryker off the snow, then turning and flinging him towards the wall of the dam they had just exited. Stryker hit the stone with a cry, but the chains were abruptly flung about the wall, holding him tight. Magneto gave a disgusted sneer before he turned away, striding towards the helicopter. He opened the doors with a tilt of his hand, and paused to allow Mystique to get in first.
Mystique quickly settled herself in the pilot's seat, setting up the controls for flight as she readied the helicopter. She glanced outside, something catching her eye. Pyro, the young mutant she had words with at the campsite, and the one Magneto had been attempting to convert was stood watching them in the helicopter. Mystique glanced across to Magneto for his reaction.
"Let him in," said Magneto in indication that Mystique should pause their flight. The helicopter doors were opened as Magneto raised his hand. Seeing the door open, Pyro quickly ran forward across the snow, holding his coat tightly about him as the rotating blades threw snow up into his face. He scrambled inside, Magneto abruptly slamming the doors shut afterwards. Pyro stood to his feet, staring at the two Brotherhood members in the cockpit. But neither paid him attention as the aircraft began to lift from the snow and ascend into the sky.
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