I woke up in my room. It felt strange to be thinking that, since I had only been here for a few days. Suddenly, the events of the previous night drifted to the front of my mind… I had had sex with Toad! What had come over me? I thought I would never do that… I hope he doesn't think me a slut…
These thoughts flew through my mind at the speed of light, until I realized that I was still entangled in Toad's arms. I turned my head a bit, trying to see what time it was, but found myself pulled even closer. I frowned, annoyed, but relaxed against him. I lay there for perhaps another half hour, thinking my own deep thoughts, until he awoke. I feigned sleep, allowing myself to be slowly awoken. "Suzan, love," Toad said. "It's time to get up. Magneto wants us to go see about a facility for holding mutant children captive for study."
"Sounds terrible," I said. "Where is it?" "Some place in Texas." Was the answer. I looked worriedly at Toad. I used to live in Texas. I think I'd heard of that place… "Hey, it's okay," he said, mistaking my expression. "I have no regrets." I smiled at him, pretending to be reassured, and realized exactly how close he had gotten to seeing the real me. I pasted on the face I show the world, and went to my room to take my shower.
I admit, I cried a little in the shower, as I washed away all remnants of my tryst. I wished there was some way to keep him with me. I never realized how terrible it was to form an attachment in a war. As I got dressed, I tried to figure out a way to distance myself, and came up blank. I shook my head. I had to get myself away from the situation before it was too late. I would not fall in love! I would leave him before he left me.
This proved more difficult than planned. As I walked out of the bathroom, a pair of strong arms enfolded me, and I looked up into the yellow eyes of someone who I was starting to love. He kissed me, and said "Are you ready to go, then?" I nodded. I had put on black jeans and a dark blue t-shirt without a pattern. I looked very simple, but with the cut and make of the clothes Magneto had provided me, I had to admit I looked good. I looked him over. He was dressed in his customary all-black, and he looked damn good as well. I sighed, smiled, and followed him to the door.
We went to the office type room I had first met Mr. Lensherr in. He and Mystique were there waiting for us. We waited a few more minutes for Pyro to come in. Once he did, Magneto extensively explained his plan, which was essentially, kill humans and get the children back to safety. I listened patiently, and nodded whenever he told me something I should do.
We left that night, flying high above the clouds in our helicopters. Mystique was flying the one with Magneto, and Pyro was crammed in next to me in the helicopter Toad was flying. I dozed a little on the way, only to wake up to a hand on my leg. Pyro was looking at me with a frighteningly intense gaze, but all he said was "We're here."
I nodded, and got out of the helicopter. We sneaked up to where M&M (as I had started thinking of them) were hiding. Eric pointed at a large, prison-looking building. "This is the West Texas Boarding School for gifted children. In reality, they hold mutants there for testing, some of them as young as 7. Does everyone remember their job?" We all nodded. "Let's go then."
We started quietly to the side door, Magneto using his power to quietly unlock it. When I heard his plan I was surprised, never thinking subtlety was his style, but I was also very impressed. We tiptoed in, me wishing I dared take off my sunglasses. We had studies the map of the building intensely that morning, so we knew exactly where to go, and we made it to the testing room quickly and efficiently, meeting no one along the way. Mystique walked in, in the guise of an ordinary looking man in ordinary looking lab clothes. We barely heard any noise, but only moments later a familiar blue face with red hair peered out, motioning us into the room.
The scene before me was worse than anything I could have imagined. Little kids, all over in the room, naked in cages like monkeys. Everything in the room was pristine except the insides of the cages. Looks like no one provided them with a bathroom, or even a chamber pot. There were needle bruises all over their bodies, and larger bruises on some of the older children .Some of the children were sleeping fitfully, moaning and whimpering in their dreams. Others sat still, staring into space, too broken to cry. A few looked new, sobbing openly and looking at us with a mixture of fear and hope. My heart broke looking around the room, and I felt a great happiness at the bodies on the floor.
We hurriedly walked around the room, opening cages with force and powers, depending on our abilities. I hurriedly transformed many blankets out of various lab equipments, passing them around to the children. Doing a hurried count, I discovered 17 children in total, a full 12 of them girls. We took them in trips of four to the nearest hospital, leaving them in the entrance to the emergency room and leaving them to give their own explanation. After that we went back to our little fortress to watch the news and smirk at our story.
That night I took Toad to my bed again. We didn't have sex, just cuddled all night. It was all I could do not to cry at the sudden emotions flooding through me as I looked at the beautiful man in my arms. I felt the strangest feeling inside as I watched him sleep, but I dismissed it and went to sleep eventually.
