Chapter Eight
Raven led us to a waiting truck, while I sang a bit to keep everyone else interested in their own business. "I'd forgotten just how useful you could be, Bianca," she quipped, eyebrow cocked mockingly.
"I'm quite useful to the people I love," I shot back, smiling sweetly, while holding Lotta back from attacking her.
Raven scowled. "Get in," she ordered us all. "Stryker won't sleep forever, and we've got to get to the site before he does."
Charles and Moira got in the cab with her, while the rest of us piled in the back. My heart pinched as Hank handed me in, causing me to remember another ride in the back of a truck. I pushed aside the feeling, reminding myself that I didn't have time to wallow in my sadness, not if I wanted to save Alex. But Hank's sad eyes told me he was remembering the same thing, so, with a bright smile for him, I squeezed his hand, trying to push all the love I had for him into that one gesture.
We were all barely in before Raven started driving, and definitely not settled. I made sure to sit Lotta between me and Hank, with Logan on my other side. I still wanted Erik far away from me, while simultaneously wanting to plaster myself against him and never let go. "So, boys, why don't you tell us your names, and we'll introduce ourselves?" I instructed the three soldiers after we were all situated, only partly to distract myself.
"Daniels, ma'am, Evan Daniels," Spike told me, quite respectfully. He seemed sweet, and very unsure of himself. I had to tamp down the maternal swelling that made me immediately want to claim him. You've already got three boys, I told myself sternly, denying for just a moment that Sean was gone. You can't claim another one.
"Eric Glitter," Ink replied, huddling somewhat into himself. And another one, I mentally sighed.
"Toynbee, Mortimer," the one with the goggles said, still clearly in military mode.
"You keep that tongue to yourself, Toad," Logan growled, from the other side of me.
"Tongue?" came from several of us, terribly surprised, while Toynbee, or Toad, as Logan called him, paled.
"How did you know? Who are you?" he asked, nervously looking around the enclosed space.
"I'm Bianca Serena," I began, but I didn't have a chance to continue before Toad lightened considerably.
"Summers told us about you, too," he said, leaning towards me seemingly unconsciously. "He said you can make anybody do anything you want, just by your voice."
Lotta scoffed, but I ignored her. "I can persuade people using music, yes, but I-"
"Summers also said you were basically his mom," Ink interjected. "You don't look old enough to be anyone's mom."
I laughed, a bit flattered despite myself. "Thank you for the compliment. And Alex was exaggerating. I'm not-"
"B, you're his mom," Hank cut me off, giving me a stern look over Lotta's head. "You've been his mom, and mine, and Sean's, for five years. And you mother everyone you can at the school, even if you try to pretend like you don't. You can't deny it."
"Even I know that," Logan piped up. "And I'd never met you before three days ago."
"Fine, I'm the mom," I caved, "but I don't put up with idiots. Now, this is Lotta, my niece, Hank, Logan. And that's Erik."
We all explained a little of what we could do, though most of us held back a bit. For example, I didn't say anything about my ability to absorb energy. Hank didn't say anything about his blue form, just muttered something about being extremely strong. And I was sure Logan wasn't telling the whole truth when he slipped out his claws again, making a bit of a rude gesture that made Lotta laugh. Evan, or Spike, simply gestured to the spiky protrusions on his head bashfully, though I got the feeling, from his companions' sideways looks, that it wasn't his only mutation. But Mortimer, the one Logan had referred to as Toad, happily supplied the fact that he had a strong, and grotesquely long, tongue, and Eric told us that he used the tattoos he's got to affect others, like either to heal or make them sick. He didn't offer any more details, and I wasn't entirely sure I wanted more.
We travelled along the rutted road for more than an hour before Raven apparently took us off it. "Sorry about this," Charles broadcasted to those of us bouncing around in the back. "Raven felt it wasn't the best idea to approach from the front gates."
I hung onto Lotta, absorbing some of the energy bouncing us around to try and keep our teeth from rattling out of our heads. "Raven doesn't have to ride back here, either," I grumbled, pulling a little smile from Hank. And surprisingly, Logan, as well.
"She's not my favorite person," he told me softly in response to my questioning look. "She's tried to seduce me by looking like the woman I love. Or will, I guess. This time travel thing really messes with you."
I couldn't help the tiny thrill of satisfaction that ran through me when I noticed Erik glaring at Logan. It was petty of me, I knew that, but it was still rather satisfying to see him even the tiniest bit jealous. But I didn't have long to contemplate it, as the truck jerked to a stop. "Raven needs driving lessons," Erik grumbled, jumping out first.
Hank helped Lotta down, but Erik reached me before I could react. And, as I didn't want to create a scene in front of four relative strangers, I allowed him to help me. Instantly, I regretted it as his fingers wrapped around my waist, sending heat flooding through me. Our eyes met, like something from the films Lotta loved to watch, and I wanted nothing so much as I wanted his kiss. It didn't help that I knew what his kiss did to me; I'd spent five years trying to forget it. His eyes darkened gratifyingly, and he opened his mouth.
"B, are you all set?" Hank asked loudly, breaking the moment.
"Yes, I'm fine, thanks," I said, jerking myself out of Erik's hands. "Let's get Alex, shall we?"
We joined Charles, Moira, and Raven at the front of the truck. "Trask must be in contact with the Russians," Charles said sardonically, "because I can't get a thought from a person inside that compound. I can hear the guards along the outside loud and clear, but I can't get a thing from anyone inside."
"Are you sure there's even anyone there?" Ink asked. I decided then and there that he was going by Ink, because having more than one Erik around was far too confusing.
Charles smiled kindly. "I am. The guards all keep thinking about those inside, as did Stryker." I noticed Logan flinched badly at the name, but it wasn't the right time to ask him about it. "I can get us past the guards, but I don't know how my power will work once inside."
"Then we go now. Element of surprise on our side," I said, itching to get to my boy. I didn't want to leave him there for one more minute. Who knew what psychotic scientists might do to him?
"I couldn't have said it better myself," Erik grinned, both at me and at the thought of a fight. I hated that I knew him so well.
"Go big or go home," Logan added, a feral smile curling his lips. It halted when he noticed us all staring at him. "Sorry, future phrase. The kids all say it, and sadly, it's bled into my vocabulary."
The four newcomers stared more, but I simply moved ahead. "Lotta, stick by me and take this," I told my niece, handing her one of the pistols from Stryker's guards Charles has put to sleep back at the base. I wasn't about to let her walk into this without protection, more than just her training from Nonno. "Don't shoot any of us."
"Unless it's Raven," Erik murmured, only loud enough for Lotta and me to hear.
I couldn't help the smile that peaked out at that. It was funny, and the thrill of an upcoming fight was singing in my veins. Trask was about to regret that he'd taken my boys.
AN: And we have another chapter! I'm trying to work on this more, along with my other WIPs, so hopefully every other week or so we'll be able to see a new chapter. I'm not promising that, though, just in case something comes up. But thanks for reading, and a big thanks to brigid1318 for your lovely, and dedicated, reviewing! Also, if you're looking for something else to read, she's got some pretty amazing X-Men stories, too, featuring our favorite blue mutant!
