Avenging Justice 2:

Caught Between an Ultron and a Doomsday

Part XXVII

Earth, New York, West Chester, Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters

Charles Xavier met them, and quickly spirited the young woman in. Behind him, Scott and Logan followed the disguised Mystique, while Jean stayed with Rogue. Down the hidden elevator, they entered the inner sanctum, and where the X-Men gathered for missions. The medical bay was just a few doors down, and Beast already had their equipment ready.

As Mystique tried to enter, a very adamant Storm dissuaded her, with a well placed look. It didn't hurt that look included lightning bolts flashing on whitened eyes. Luckily the shapeshifting Mutant took the hint, much to the dismay of Cyclops, Scott Summers. Wolverine, just fell back into his bored stance, which belied the predator like focus. He was just waiting for her to cause any trouble.

Inside the medical bay, Beast monitored the young woman's physical health, as much as he could, while Charles delved into the mind. Jean Grey added her power to the Professor's, taking a lot of the mental turbulence, so he could focus. She didn't feel as powerful as him, despite his assurances she was well on her way. Deep inside, something bit back, yelling back at her, that she was the most powerful of them all.

Professor X entered the chaotic mindscape. A quaint southern town, with old homes in desperate need of attention, and off in the distance the vast wildlands. The noises were uncommon, because instead of the hum of life, there were the multiple percussive explosions resounding all around.

From a nearby home, the teen girl laying on the medical table burst from one home. A look of pain is evident on her, and she lets out a grunt that is pulled out as she flies over him. From inside the ruined home, came a very angry Captain Marvel rocketed out. Behind her a very unpleased Supergirl followed suit, both aiming for the teen girl.

Professor X held up a hand, stopping both the girl and immobilizing the two women. One snarled out some threat, while the other attempted to break out. Both were powerful, but this wasn't the physical world. This world was his domain, the weird and whimsical, the mindscape of the psyche.

"I believe that is quite enough," Professor X gently said. "Now how did this happen?"

Rogue gazed in horror as the two heroes nearly broke through three times, each time declaring they were going stop her. Images erupted from her, as if they were her own words come to life. Her explanation a series of moving images with sounds, emotions and feelings intermixed together. What shocked her, was the bald man walked over and collected them like pages in the wind.

"My little Rogue," Mystique's voice, warm emotions, a need to be loved, accepted. "The cause needs you. I'm so proud of how strong you've become, but it is time to become stronger. We must show Humanity that we can strike, that we are dangerous. Humans only respect what they can fear. If we take out one of their champions, they'll give us what we want."

"Ta be free Mama," Rogue said in her southern drawl. "Free ta live our lives."

Mystique leaned in and gave her a hug, careful not to touch any exposed skin, "You're special, and I love you very much. Now do you remember the plan?"

"Yes, Mama, I'll attack Captain Marvel, take her power and leave a message for the other 'heroes.' She'll be okay, right Mama?" Rogue asked.

Mystique smiled, one that hid the lie she was about to spout, "Oh yes, little one. She'll be out for a few days, but when she wakes, you'll be her equal and even others like her will respect you."

Professor X interjected, "Except it didn't work like that." Looking at the two struggling heroes above, he continued, "You took more than their power, you took a piece of them. With a little more training, you might have been able to keep these phantoms at bay."

"Who are you?" Rogue asked. "Mama said you were a friend."

Professor X smiled, "My name is, Charles, and you go by Rogue. Now, Rogue, take my hand and we're going to banish these ghosts."

"Will that kill them?" Rogue sounded very sacred, and Charles intuited, not a feeling she liked to have.

He shook his head, "No, these are mere echoes of the actual people. In time you will learn how to control your powers more."

Together, they moved towards the angry heroes, and he had Rogue touch them again. This time the two phantoms screamed as they quickly were drawn into the palms of the teen. She too shouted, as memories, images, and more flooded her. However, Professor X was with her this time, and with his aid, they went from chaotic fluctuations to a more orderly show. She could see parts of the two women she had taken powers from.

She saw a blonde girl, constantly being told she couldn't do something, and then doing it. She saw a planet explode, and the knowledge that she was going to be the caretaker of her baby cousin. Green shapeshifting aliens, and a massive battle over New York City. A woman like her, fighting to take over the planet. A sadness at seeing her old life gone, a feeling of being out of time. She felt the inability to articulate that loneliness, but bonding with a survivor from a dead planet.

Rogue took it all and even as tears streamed down, she felt the power flood into her, and a calm took over. She could still hear them, but now their voices had changed. Instead of fear, anger and attacking, the voices prodded her to make a difference. They also allowed her to see something that hurt her even more, she refused to accept it though. How could she accept that the woman who took her in, was using her?

Beast felt relieved as the teen's vitals stabilized and her body relaxed. Professor X was back as well, and Hank McCoy knew everything was going to work out. Jean Grey leaned back, looking very tired suddenly. From what Beast understood of her powers, she had every reason to be. Playing shield to the Professor, so he could focus, was bound to take a lot out of someone. What he didn't know, was most of her focus has been keeping a very powerful voice from gaining control. The more she had used her power, the worse it had gotten.

Outside the room, Mystique instinctively knew something had changed. Even before Charles came wheeling out, she knew her daughter had been lost. She didn't need his telepathy to know this, the look from Rogue's eyes, a mixture of unbelief and accusatory told her enough. Even Charles' posture told her that he knew.

"She'll need to stay here," Charles explained. "The personality shadows that she took in, are still there, but she is learning how to integrate them into herself. Raven, what were you thinking? This isn't the way to gain peace."

Mystique growled, "You and your dream, Charles. While you dream in your big fancy mansion, our people are dying. There is a vote going to the congress about making us register, again! How many times are you going to let this happen?"

He shook his head, "Making enemies from those on the fence will only hasten our way to war. We have to show them that we are the same, another part of the family of Humanity. It will be our connections, and our Humanity that will bring us peace."

"You were always the idealist," Mystique shot back as she began to leave. She only stopped briefly at the doorway, "Take care of her, Charles. She is special."

That brought a smile to the bald telepath mutant, "I know, you should say goodbye at least."

She sighed, "No, it is better this way. There are questions that she is going to ask now, and I'm not sure if I can answer those."

"You're always welcome to come back, she really does deserve to know that you did love her," Charles Xavier gently told her. "In your own way."

Mystique didn't look back, and left her adopted daughter. The pain she felt unseen, especially by one that was used to changing shape and form, hiding her true self. They were there, and it wasn't just the loss of a powerful ally, but deep down, the loss of someone she cared about very much. A very Human trait, but one that she couldn't face, because than that would make her just like those determined to destroy her kind.

Earth, Missouri, Barton Homestead

Nick Fury met with the Avengers in the Barton's dining room. The news wasn't good, and delivered by a source that he didn't doubt. As much as it was a break, it was also something that made him fear that they might be too late. Ultron was going after Helen Cho, with her new technology, there were a multitude of reasons why, and none of them were good for Earth's inhabitants.

"I can get through to him," Hank Pym was nearly shouting. "He's just overwhelmed, but he's not bad."

Natasha Romanov quickly shot back, "Dr. Pym, he's killed already, all his motives thus far don't show him as peaceful or even able to be reasoned with. No, he's a threat that needs to be stopped."

"Of course you'd say that, you're a weapon," Hank growled. "People like you are why we need Ultron, always looking to kill instead of create."

Steve Rogers saw the flash of hurt, and just as quickly Natasha wiped it from her face. She'd probably be hurt if he let on, but something in Hank's words had wounded her. With the working friendship they had developed, he knew she had other interests than fighting and killing. She was molded to be a weapon, but the woman who she was, was more. She was an Avenger, and hotheads like Pym seemed to miss the part where she fought to make up for her past.

"Dr. Pym," Steve interjected, "despite everything, if we can stop him without destroying him, we will. However, we must treat him as the threat he has shown himself to be. If you come with us, you must be willing to fight him, otherwise we'll need you to stay back."

Hank marched up to the super soldier, winding up for a punch, "You are not leaving me behind! He is my creation and I can reach him."

Luckily, he was stopped by Janet, his wife, "Hank, they're right. I know you created Ultron, but he's not you. You're a good man, but Ultron is dangerous. Don't let your ego cloud your reason."

"You've joined them too, Janet? You're supposed to be on my side! How can you side with Stark and his bumbling buffoons?" Hank was furious, and pushed her aside to go outside.

He didn't see her slam against the wall, or her pained yelp. Steve was after him, only stopped by Janet's hand grabbing at his leg. He helped her up, and she winced as she climbed back to a full standing. She thanked him, even as her eyes hid an embarrassment.

"I'll take it from here, Captain," Natasha came and took Janet away, leaving Steve furious at Hank.

Fury wasn't happy. Bringing Hank Pym into the Avengers had been a bad idea. Janet was great, and he could see her in a leadership position. Where Hank was temperamental, she was calm. Where he took offense easily, she listened before responding. Fury would take Wasp over this version of Ant-Man any day of the week and twice on Sunday. From the look of the others, that thought was crossing their minds as well.

"I hate to rush you all, but Ultron is headed to South Korea," Fury explained. "If you're to intercept and stop him, you'll be needing to leave soon."

"It is time to go then," Steve said. "Avengers, it's time to go to work."

Later as they were blasting through the atmosphere in the Quinjet, Steve went over to the quiet Natasha. She hadn't said much, after returning with Janet. He couldn't help but notice Janet and Hank were on opposite sides of the jet. However, the former spy, seemed to be even further distanced than normal.

"You okay, Nat?" he asked gently.

She looked up, "Yeah, fine. We have a job to do, all's good." As if noticing he wasn't going to leave it like that, she continued, "Later, not right now. We're on the job now."

"Later," Steve promised.