Hello, everyone! Here's another one for you! Enjoy!
Chapter 15 Reliving the past PT 3
Everyone meets upstairs after finding out that Sonia, Clarice and the Strucker kids had been taken by Sentinel Services.
"Okay, well, I say we go now, since everyone's still in holding. I mean, Reed and I were locked up in there together. We know the whole layout." Lorna starts once everyone is there.
"You want to hit Sentinel Services? Are you crazy?" Reed says.
Lorna puts a hand out. "Don't, call me crazy."
"Okay, everyone take it easy." Marcos says trying to calm everyone down.
"She wants to launch an attack on the heels of what we just went through, with no way in. Which part of that doesn't sound crazy to you?" Reed asks.
"Hey." Marcos says
"Okay, do I have to remind you that it's not just our people that are in there? They have your kids, too." Lorna says.
"We saw men with guns cart away our kids while they cried for our help, so, no, you sure as hell don't." Caitlin says.
"I'm not agreeing on a plan that puts them in more danger." Reed says. They all start shouting at once and they aren't getting anywhere.
John who has been quiet this whole time has had it. He smashes his fist on part of the table breaking a good piece off it. "That's enough! There is no more "yours" or "ours." Andy and Lauren Sonia and Clarice. They're all our people now." He says.
"Turning their jail cells into a shooting gallery hurts everyone." Reed says. "Maybe. But it's just a matter of time before Campbell gets his hands on them and turns them into Hounds. If that happens, this place is finished. It might already be finished." Lorna says doubtfully looking at the ground. "There are people we can talk to." Reed insists. "What, we write our congressman and hope for the best? If we have to shed blood sooner or later, I vote for sooner." Lorna says.
"That's our blood you're talking about. Some of us almost died the last time we tried something like this." Caitlin says. And John looks over at Harry who stands with a cane among them.
"I know people in the courts, the government, even Sentinel Services." Reed tries again.
"Last time you tried that, we almost got killed." Lorna says.
"Okay, it was your "low risk" assault that got us into this situation." Caitlin says
"Look, guys! The enemy is not in this room. We're all in this together. And we should set up some scouts at Sentinel Services and Trask. Maybe they can get eyes on our people." Marcos suggests.
"Marcos is right We can send out Sage and Shatter. And also check in with our police contacts. We are gonna fight to get everyone home. But we need to remember, we're on the same side." John says.
Everyone agrees with that though they are not happy that they have to wait. They dismiss and find something to do until they have more information. John heads downstairs and towards the doors, but stops he sees Zingo heading in the direction of Clarice's space. He follows and once he's in the space Zingo is sitting on Clarice's bed her head down she whimpers.
John goes to sit next to her and starts rubbing her back. "We will get her back. All of them." He then pulls the ring out of his pocket and looks at it. The plain sliver band. The promise ring that he had given her four years ago. He closed his eyes and let out a sigh. Zingo moves her head over to his lap feeling his need to be comforted. John stays in the room for a while before going to do what he had plan to do and take out some of his frustration on some old trees.
Meanwhile in the Sentinel Services interrogation room...
"You expect us to believe you were looking for a bathroom?" Weeks asks. "Hey, when you got to go, you got to go." Clarice says with a shrug. "You think you're going to escape, like last time? You got lucky once, won't happen again." Weeks says, "Actually, luck had nothing to do with it. I made you guys look like idiots. It's a pretty good skill." Clarice simply says. "I'm glad to see your self-esteem is still healthy after all this. Look, you want to make a deal, now is the moment. You won't like the next stop on this train." Weeks tries to get something out of her. "As long as it's not here with you, it's starting to sound pretty damn good." Clarice says not taking the bait. "I can promise you it won't be here with me. We know why you were at the power station. We know why you were going to the lab. We just want to know what you were looking for." Weeks says. Clarice shakes her head not giving up anything.
Not long after that the four of them are being loaded into a van. After a long ride it stops right in front of Trask Industries. Lauren and Andy are taken in the opposite direction of Clarice and Sonia. There clothes are removed and placed in gray prison uniforms. Not long after Sonia and Clarice are placed in their holding cells.
"What do you think they did to Lauren and Andy?" Sonia asks from her corner spot on the floor. "I don't know, I just I just hope they're okay." Clarice says as she leans her head on the bars. "A long time ago, before. Anyone knew I was a mutant, I used to volunteer at this place, a shelter for battered women. They'd been through such. Terrible things. Sometimes I'd secretly use my powers on them. Pull their worst memories from their minds. I wish I could make all of us forget this." Sonia says her eyes closed.
"You can't think like that. Do you know how scared I was when I was in the mutant detention center? I was shaking so hard that when I had a chance to escape, I almost portaled myself into the middle of a ten-lane freeway. But I got out." Clarice tries to encourage her as she gets down to her level. "But this feels. Impossible." Sonia says softly as a single tear slides down her face. "It's not. It's not impossible. It's only impossible if you give up. John he lov-" Clarice is cut off. "No, he doesn't. He never did. Not like that anyway." Sonia says shaking her head.
"I find that hard to believe." Clarice says. "I did what I did to you, to him." Sonia says. "How could you do that?" Clarice asks her jade eyes fuming. "I wanted to be with him. But no matter how hard I pushed. His love for you and getting you back kept winning. So, I gave up, but that didn't stop me from wanting to be near him. He's an amazingly nice guy." Sonia says. "He is. But if I'm being honest I thought he would forget about me." Clarice says looking at the ground. "He never did. Clarice, he loves you. He may not show it at times, but he does." Sonia says. Clarice gives a small sad smile. "I guess so."
"How did you get to Georgia anyway?" Sonia asks. Clarice faces away from her and leans her back against the bars. "That's a long story." Sonia shrugs. "Well, we have some time."
Flashback three years ago...
"So where to now?" Gambit asks. Once they get in the car.
"Umm, how about Phoenix, Arizona?" Clarice asks.
"Dats almost a 12-hour drive." Gambit says.
"So, what? Auntie C made sure that Auntie O and I got to safety. We owe this to her." Evan says.
"He's right." Storm says. "Now, Remy if you don't want to come we can drop you off at the airport."
"Non, I'll stay. Be'ides ya may need ol' Gambit's help." Remy says.
Clarice rolls her eyes "Great."
"Ya know ya love me petite." Gambit says with a wink.
"Then it is settled. We leave now." Ororo says as she starts the car. They head out on route to Phoenix.
Half-way through the drive they stop at low-end hotel to rest up. The next morning, they are back on route with Gambit behind the wheel. When they arrive in Phoenix just after nightfall Clarice takes the wheel turning down the familiar old road. To the abandoned apartment that they once lived in. Clarice cuts the engine as soon as they pull up in the back. They all get out as Clarice opens the backdoor. What she saw she should have expected.
The bullet holes from that night still in the walls, one of the walls dented knowing that either John or someone else had been thrown against it. She also saw a mutant family now taking residency there. Her jade eyes widen as she noticed the little girl with a huge gash on her arm. Immediately she rushed over with her bag and pulled out a wrap and some alcohol wipes. The mother wanting to protect her child raised her hand up lifting a heavy piece of concrete and hurtled it at Clarice. Storm used the winds to catch it and gently place it on the ground.
"We don't want to hurt you, we just want to help." Storm says her blue eyes still frosted white. When the family understands they go back to normal. Clarice starts working the little girl winces at the pain.
"It needs to be stitched up, but I can't do it." Clarice says. Storm walks over and places her hand on her shoulder.
"It's alright, I can. Rest for a moment Clarice, you have done enough." Ororo says and gets to work stitching up the wound. Clarice walks over towards Gambit and takes a seat next to him on the old couch.
"Why, did ya really want to come h're chere?" Remy asks as he shuffles a deck of cards. "I just wanted to know if my boyfriend would be here." Clarice says. "Don't ya mean fiancé?" He gestures to the ring on her left hand. "He did ask that yet. We weren't even a year into our relationship. It's more of a promise ring." Clarice says as she fiddles with it. "Well, since he's not h're, w'ere do you dink he would go?" Gambit asks. "East coast. Either New York or Georgia. He always did have a backup plan." Clarice says with a small smile. "Why don't ya give 'em a call? Just tah be sure." Gambit suggests. "No, I've been gone way to long, he would have ditched his burner a long time ago and got another one." Clarice says.
"Well den its settled." He gets up just as Storm and Evan come over. "Stormy w're going to New York." He says.
"New York? What for?" Ororo asks.
"Need dare be a reason? Long story short, petite needs to find her man and she dinks he's dare." Remy says as he puts his deck of card back in his trench coat pocket.
"Ro, you don't have too. You've already done enough for me." Clarice says.
"After all we've been through you think you're going to get rid of me that easily?" Storm says with a smirk.
"Yeah, your right it would be pretty boring without having you zap me in your sleep." Clarice says with a wink.
Gambit chuckles. "Allons!" As they start to move towards the door Storm stops and walks over to the mom. She hands her the keys to her car.
"Here, you need this more than we do." She says then looks at Gambit. He comes over and pulls out two fistfuls of $20's and places them on the table.
"You don't have to do this." The mother says.
"Your right, but we want to." Clarice says.
"Thank you so much." The mother says.
"If you plan on going out of town stick to the back roads. And either drive at dawn or at night. It's much safer for you and your family." Clarice says.
The mother nods, after they grab their stuff out of the car, Gambit pulls out his phone and makes a call.
"Our ride will be h're shortly." He says. He was right after 10 minutes a black Jeep pulls up and they piled in. Gambit in the front, Clarice and Ororo on the sides with Evan in the middle.
"I've never been to New York." Evan says.
"I'm glad you're going to see it homme." Gambit says and ruffles his blond hair.
They ride to the airport, but take a detour as the jeep takes them to a private jet, or rather Gambit's private jet. Once they are all buckled in the plane takes off and it's a few hours before they are in landing in JFK. Grabbing their few bags they exit the plane and a stretch limo waits for them. Ironically with all of their names on it, or rather the drivers sign.
Ororo gets in first then everyone else. They relax a little as the limo starts to move.
"So, where are we going to stay?" Clarice asks.
"I know a place in Westchester." Storm says. Clarice simply nods.
"Stormy do day know qui are?" Remy asks.
"I haven't told them yet, but now is a good time before Charles does it for me." Storm looks at Clarice and Evan. "Clarice, Evan. Gambit and I are part of a special team that's main focus is helping mutants and people live together peacefully." She pauses for a moment. "We are X-Men."
Clarice's jade eyes widen. "So, it's true? All the stories I've heard, are real?"
"All of them." Storm says as they arrive at a huge mansion. "Come on, I'll show you where you will be staying." They all get out with their stuff and head inside. They are greeted by a bald man in a wheelchair, a redhead, and a short man with grey eyes.
"Ororo, it's good to see you." The man in the wheelchair says.
"I wish I could say the same, Charles." The wind rider says.
"Ororo." The redhead says a bright smile on her face.
"Jean." She nods then begins to walk off.
"Not even a hel'o for me?" The shorts man asks.
"I was trying not to, but hi Logan. Happy?" Storm asks.
He grunts and places he arm around Jean. Clarice notices the pained look on Ororo's face but it's not the time. Evan hides behind Clarice.
"It is alright, child we mean you know harm." Charles says. Evan's eyes widen.
"Charles, Jean get out of their heads. Come on I'll show you where you will be staying." Storm says as she leads them up the stairs to the second floor. Storm opens the door to a bedroom with a walk-in closet and bathroom. It has a single bed, with a TV and nightstand. "Do you like it Clarice?" Ororo asks.
"I'm happy as long as I have some sort of bed." Clarice says as she drops her bag on the floor.
"Where am I gonna sleep?" Evan asks.
"With me. Gambit you know where your room is?" Storm asks looking at her long-time friend.
"Qui, I dink I'll go check on a certain southern belle." Gambit says with a wink. Then he leaves them alone.
"Come with us, Clarice. I'll show you my room and then give you a tour." Leaving her room, they go up two flights of stairs to the attic and go in. Storm's room is way bigger than the Clarice had originally thought. After Evan puts he stuff down they begin the tour. Storm shows them the classrooms, the kitchen, the garage, the backyard, the danger room, with the last stop being her own greenhouse.
"They didn't even try to take care of them." She murmers as she then makes a rain cloud and waters her plants. Evan stays closes to the green house as he plays giving Ororo and Clarice some time to talk.
"So, I take it you're the only one with a green thumb around here?" Clarice asks as she examines an almost dead flower. "I suppose so." Ororo says as she moves to another flower. "So, what's the deal with you, Jean, and Logan?" Clarice asks as she takes a seat in an empty stool. "I fell in love him, but Jean has always had his eye. Even when she was with Scott, she would always try and pull him in." She sighs.
"We used to be friends, sisters even, but once I told her how I felt about Logan. She made it her mission to distract him away from me." The rain cloud dissolves. "Logan and I had a connection, but she got in his head, literally and he never far from her side."
"Got in his head how?" Clarice asks. "Jean is a telepath." Storms says. "And he has know idea about it?" Clarice asks. "I guess not, since I had been taken, it seems like nothing has changed." Storm makes another cloud and continues to water her plants. "Well he's an ass if he doesn't realize how amazing you are." Clarice says. "It wouldn't make much of a difference. I was married once. And thought I would like to be again, I don't think that's what Logan wants." Storm says.
"Well, he's stupid. I mean look at us we are exotic beauties. Rare, unique, he's missing out." Clarice says a wink when Ororo looks at her. "He is indeed. I just hope you don't find yourself in a similar situation with John." Ororo says. "Ro, he gave me a promise ring. He won't forget about me that easily." Clarice says. "I guess you're right. Come on let's go eat." They leave the greenhouse grab Evan and head to the kitchen to eat.
Over the next three weeks Clarice would borrow Storm's baby blue Porsche to go and find any clues that would lead her to John. She realized that he might be in Georgia somewhere. And that's where she would have to go next. Sighing she drives back to the mansion. Pulling into the garage she cuts the engine and grabs her bag.
"Trail gone cold?" She jumps then turns around to see Logan with a cigar in hand. "Yeah, I'm leaving first thing in the morning." Clarice says. "I'm sure Ro, and the kid will miss yuh." Logan says. "I know, but it's not like I'm leaving forever." Clarice says and walks away. Logan grunts.
"Why do you do it?" She asks. "Do what?" Logan asks. "Play with Ro's emotions. It's cruel. She has a heart of gold and all you've done is step on it repeatedly." Clarice says. "I ain't into 'er like that." Logan says then takes a long drag of his cigar. "Well then take your flirty business with Jean and save it for your room or whatever." Clarice says. "It really ain't none of your business." Logan says. "I really hope you realize what your losing, she's quite the catch, but I guess you'll never know till someone else comes thundering in." Clarice says then heads up to her room to pack her stuff.
She then proceeds upstairs to Storm's room and knocks.
"No, luck today?" Ororo asks opening the door wider so she can come in. "Yeah, I'm actually going to be leaving tomorrow." Storm nods as both women sit on her bed. "I see, and where are you headed?" Ororo asks. "I'm heading to Georgia, that would be the next place he would go. I just hope I get there in time." Clarice says. "You will, if this John Proudstar is as amazing as you say then he's probably waiting for you." Storm says as she rubs her friends' shoulder. "Your right. Where's Evan?" She asks. "He's out with Colossus practicing with his spikes."
"Nice, well I guess I'll have to say goodbye to him tomorrow." Clarice says. "I can ask Gambit of he'll let you take his jet, that way you don't have to deal with as much people." Storm says. "That would be great. Thanks." Clarice says the gets up.
"Come on, let's go eat." Storm says as they get up and leave her room to the kitchen. Ororo sees Gambit and pulls him to the side. Clarice grabs some leftovers out of the fridge and heats it up. Storm comes back after talking to Remy and they ate in comfortable silence then it was time for bed. Clarice was going to miss this place, but she knew that she needed to get back to John.
The following morning, Clarice grabs all her gear and heads out. She finds Ororo, Evan and Gambut waiting for her at the entrance.
"Hey everyone." Clarice says.
"Auntie C do you really have to go?" Evan asks.
"Yes, I have people that I need to find. I wish I could stay longer, but it wouldn't be fair to them." Clarice says.
"Come on we'll take you to the jet." Ororo says as they all pile in the limo. It's a quiet ride to the airport, the whole way Evan stays wrapped to her side. Once they arrive Gambit grabs her bags and loads them on his jet. Ororo gives her a big hug.
"Don't be a stranger, you know you can always come back if you need anything." Storm says.
"I know, and I won't. Thanks for everything Ro." Clarice says.
"You promise you'll come back someday?" Evan asks.
"I promise." She hugs Evan one more time.
"It's time for me to go. I promise once I settle in and everything I will give you a call." Clarice says.
"Or you could just portal back." Ororo says. Clarice shakes her head the boards the jet. It takes her a few minutes to realize that Gambit is on the jet with her.
"Did yah really think that Stormy would let yah make da trip alone?" Gambit says as he takes out a deck of cards and begins to shuffle them. "I was hoping so." Clarice said with a smirk. "Well, if you did den yah wouldn't have found dis." He hands her a small purse. "I can't take this." Clarice says as she hands it back. "Stormy would zap moi derrière if I didn't give yah dat." Remy says. "Fine, but this is it no more." Clarice says as she quickly puts the purse in her backpack making sure it's hidden from sight.
The ride was short once the jet landed Gambit once again grabbed her bags and before he headed out he told the piolet to keep the engine running he would be back. Clarice followed him to a 1998 yellow Volvo wagon. "Dis is from moi, yah don't want to walk everyw'ere in dis state with all dat stuff. Dis is it I promise." Gambit holds his hands up. Clarice sighs then gives him a hug.
"Take care of Ro, and Evan." Clarice says. Then she realises him and gets in the car. She waves then drives off her first stop to find a place to sleep in Athens. Starting the engine, she takes off.
End of flashback...
"So, that's it?" Sonia asks. "For now. Besides I get the fee-" She cut off as the guards open their cells.
"Get up. Dr. Campbell wants to see you." They come out not sure what is about to happen as the three guards lead them down the hall. Whatever it is it can't be good.
Hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I did writing it! So, it's almost time! I want to know who's side your fight for. Chapter 16 will be up late tomorrow evening, I'm trying to finish this before the premiere. Until next time...