500 Miles
Shadows
By Princess Alexandria
Christy's expression was grim as she held her mind in tight rein as she tumbled through her portal. Scythe's lights and shadows flickered wildly, until a dark black circle appeared before her. Christy took a deep breath and moved her arms out in front of her.
She was shot out of the portal at high speed, blasting out into the darkness and slamming into a hard metal surface with a groan of pain. The Christy in the train wore militaristic black clothes and Christy stared just a moment, but when the woman in the train started to turn to the window Christy quickly pushed herself away, the sound starting to register in her mind as the wind whipped passed her. Christy rolled carefully and then laid still on the tall grass, listening to the train passing by.
Christy moved to kneel and stared as the dark cars of the train faded and the entire thing moved passed her spot near the tracks. Christy stared at the familiar logo on the back of the train and moved a shaky hand through her hair as she watched it move away from her.
Christy stood up and pulled the backpack she wore tighter to her body while shifting her hair to short and black. Her body shifted and lengthened as she watched the last few cars disappear around the bend, her clothes became ragged jeans and a sweatshirt, her shoes hiking boots. Christy watched the train disappear and then started to walk after it, her steps slow and her jaw tense.
She could feel the weight of the gun in her backpack, and could hear the gentle swish of cash she'd need to get exchanged, because they didn't use American currency here.
One foot in front of the other at a steady and unhurried pace, Christy made her way into the next town. It might have been hours later that she stood at the top of a small hill and looked down at it. The night was almost completely faded into morning and the train was stopped at the station.
Christy swallowed hard and stared as she watched a woman in white wave at the small crowd that had gathered there. Her eyes traveled to the guards stationed subtly around and she stood still and stared as that woman in white turned. The blonde stared at her a moment, and Christy flinched a little before remembering her disguise was on. She just nodded a little and started to walk down the hill. She wanted to look harmless without seeming to be putting on an act. She knew what she'd go through if any of the security detail decided to check her backpack. A gun wasn't a sign of peace.
Christy took the path that was moving away from the train, but her heart ached, knowing that the blonde that was looking at her wasn't Emma. No, this Emma was in the train while her lover posed as her as a security precaution. The meeting later would have the real Emma.
Christy took a shaky breath as she considered that. She couldn't risk letting either Emma or her past self know that it really would be a bad night for Christy to take the night off. Emma was going to be shot tonight and Christy felt sick knowing that she wasn't able to stop it.
Knowing Emma would survive, knowing it would show them both how truly connected they were, knowing after the healer came that Emma would be healthy didn't stop it from hurting.
She'd found the right world, she could feel it. She also had known that appearing on the beach at the time of the attack would leave her at a disadvantage and she couldn't win. Christy had gone back further to prepare for a battle she couldn't afford to lose, and one that she couldn't enter until her past self had already lost.
The path down the hill to the town was not well worn, but Christy followed it with little thought, as her hands clenched. The assassin had gotten away mysteriously last time, no one had found the person that pulled the trigger, but Christy had read all the reports. She had seen the pieced together account of that night and tonight Christy would use that information to gain herself a little information.
Tonight she'd make that shooter pay. No one had found him or her, but tonight it was going to be Christy that hid the tracks so that she could interrogate the bastard and make plans. The next attack on the beach wasn't going to succeed. They all knew the same man lead both attacks and Christy was finally going to go after him.
It had tormented her that she hadn't been able to arrest anyone when it happened, but Christy gave a cold grin as she imagined how much harsher her justice would be this time. She had no government to answer to now, she was a free agent.
…………….
Christy considered that arriving earlier still might have been a good idea, but thinking of times that she'd been in a place too small for her portal to appear in the past and that were safe enough for Christy to appear in now hadn't given her a lot of options. Christy moved quickly to exchange some money, but not enough to be too suspicious. She'd made a few arrangements and she'd checked out the streets she'd be using later. She resisted the urge to call for help as she put the gun in her jacket and slipped out of the restroom and into the bar.
The television had too much footage of President Frost and it hurt to look. She was home, she was grateful for that, but she wasn't home. She had a month to go before she could really be home. She turned her back to it and glanced at the people talking and laughing with their friends. Work must have gotten out a little early in honor of President Frost's visit, because the place was rather busy for so early.
"Yo, the President may be Frost, but that babe is pure ice." One male voice spoke up and Christy looked up to see him staring at the television. Her eyes moved to it almost against her will to see herself standing outside of the limo looking around. Dark glasses kept her eyes from being visible. "Pure Ice." The man said a bit more slowly.
"Yeah, I heard she can freeze a man's cojones right off." Another voice spoke with an amused voice. "My brother knows someone that delivered to the President's mansion and he said that the Ice Princess can stare a hole right through a man. He'd just asked her out and the woman looked at him like he was muy loco, before she checked his id and walked away."
"Hey, What's the big deal about her anyhow?" A more American sounding voice asked and Christy sat back quietly and listened in on this conversation.
"Well that's el Presidente's personal head of the guard." The Hispanic man grinned and looked up at the tv again.
"Once you've been in Genosha longer you'll understand." Another voice spoke up, this one female. Christy did her best to not appear to be staring, but she couldn't help but find the topic compelling to listen to. "Some people think our President isn't as single as she lets the world believe." Christy felt a little stunned. She'd never heard these rumors, and she worried about how Emma would take it.
Wouldn't it be nice if Emma took it well? Christy doubted it though, because while Emma did love her, Emma also didn't want to make her term as president about her sexuality. Admitting to loving a woman, and her security guard on top of that, well it would put her on the front of a lot of papers for the wrong reasons, or at least that's what Christy had heard.
"You think the Ice Maiden and our President?" The male voices laughed and Christy turned away from them with a sigh. "Frost and Ice." Someone spoke up and Christy felt like leaving.
Finally she did, she put her money on the table and walked away.
………….
Her mind went over her plan as she waited. She was seated in a park across from the building that was across from the street Emma had been shot on. Emma was going to be shot just on the other side of that building. She wasn't going to be at the site of the shooting, she couldn't and not do something drastic. No, she'd capture her prey here.
Her heart felt like it was burning as she waited for the love of her life to mentally scream out for help. Her shield was down enough to feel it so she'd know when she needed to act, but her hands shook and her eyes were shiny with tears as she waited.
The pained and scared mental scream was louder this close and Christy gasped as it hit her. She closed her shields, and stood up, she'd taken three steps before she stopped herself. Every instinct told her to go to Emma, that Emma was calling her and needed her. This was her Emma and Christy fought the tears by focusing on the bastard that put that fear in her lover. She moved toward the building that the assassin had shot Emma from and saw the hurried man leaving the place well ahead of the guards that had to be on the way to check the building for him.
Christy moved as calmly as she could as she approached the car he seemed to be moving toward. He was focused and she looked rather innocent as a teenager, the form she'd picked for this. People always underestimate young people, and she was counting on that.
She shot him in the back with a dart when she'd prefer to cut him in half with an uzi. She didn't give a damn about honorable. He hadn't. Emma was unarmed and just walking into a building when this bastard shot her. Christy's jaw was clenched and she used the keys his fall had left in the car door to open it. She tossed him into the backseat with force, hearing the crack of his head against the opposite door with no empathy.
Her form became an older woman as she sat in his car and started it. Once they were far enough away she'd secure him better, but her people were better trained than to take too long to figure out where he'd run, they'd be on the streets soon.
She pulled out onto the main road and started for the place she'd picked for this, a nice secluded place.
…………
She felt a twinge of pain when she pulled the inhibitor out of the bag, but she just took a deep breath and wrapped it around his neck, ignoring her history with things like this. After she'd gotten a good look at him she knew who he was and that leaving him with his powers wasn't a good idea. Hell, leaving him an inch of room to move would be a bad idea.
This wasn't the man she'd read about in the comics, but she didn't risk it. She tied him tight and she made sure his hands couldn't move at all. A dark part of her told her that cutting them off would make sure he didn't pull anything, but she saved that thought for later.
She'd taken the precaution of stripping him as well. She stared at the man she'd trussed up naked on a chair, and at the vulnerability he had with his ass hanging down awkwardly past the bottom of the chair she'd cut out for this. Torture, not a road she'd thought she'd go down again, and she had more creative ideas now.
Christy sat watching him, waiting for him to wake up. His long brown hair fell into his face as he leaned forward a little, but the ropes kept him seated. His strong jaw and muscular build probably brought a lot of women his way. Christy watched as he moved just a little, the breathing changing a bit. She knew he was faking it now, that he was awake. Christy stayed silent. She watched stonily as he finally opened his eyes.
"Hello Remy." Christy spoke, her voice deeper and colder than ever. She'd never met him, but with eyes like that she knew it was him. "I bet Remy didn't expect to be caught." She taunted him, saying his name often. "I'd even say Remy thought he'd get away with trying to kill Emma and manage to get a suntan on the beaches of Emma's country. I'd even say Remy expects to walk away now." Christy leaned forward and watched his jaw tense. "But you won't. No, you're gonna spill your secrets. I know a bit about torture, and let me tell you, it's better to just give in quickly, because it only gets worse."
Christy got up and walked away, turning her back to him as she put another log on the fire in the fireplace of the old house. She stood and stared into the fire in silence and let him digest who exactly had him. She was in her own form, because she'd gained a reputation in this one. Her reputation, whether earned or not, made people fear her. Her time in the bar earlier also showed it gave her another type of reputation, but that didn't matter now. She then reached down to pick up the poker and turned back to him with an expressionless face. The tip of the poker was bright from sitting in the fire. "I should ask questions first, but we both know you won't answer them yet so I won't bother." She stared into his eyes and thought of Emma laying on the ground, thought of Emma dying, and she pressed the poker against his thigh.
His scream didn't sound Cajun, it just sounded like a wounded animal. The gag didn't seem to muffle it much. She pulled the poker away and put it back in the fire. "I hear Remy is a ladies man. I know Remy has his pride and doesn't want to give in quickly, so I'll give Remy the courtesy of not burning his manhood off for another three hours." Her head tilted just a little and her voice was mocking. "But Remy will really need his charm power for any lady to want to touch him after I'm done if he doesn't talk very soon."
After saying that Christy moved to stare right into his eyes, to let him see she meant it. Christy then moved to leave the room, she opened the door and then stopped her breathing, before closing it. She stood behind him leaning against the wall and she watched him struggle to free himself. He didn't know she was still there. Christy saw him listen for breathing, for movement, but she was uniquely able to not give herself away.
She watched as his shoulders shook, and she waited longer still to let that panic fester. She remembered how painful waiting was, how what seemed like hours was truly just minutes.
She opened the door again and started breathing. He tensed up and the defeated set to his shoulders became defiant in front of her. She smiled coldly at the act and moved into his vision again. "I found more pokers." She smiled as she held up three more that had been in the corner of the room, before putting them into the fire. "Now we can get started."
She turned to him and finally said what she wanted. "You work for someone, and that's the person I really want. I want to know how he's getting his information, how he knows where she is. I want to know who he has in his pocket and I want to know who he is." Someone had to have told about the vacation she took with her lover so that they could be ambushed on that beach. Someone had to mention Emma had that meeting she'd missed because she was shot.
Christy already knew who was behind it all, but once this man told her the real name she'd be more confident whatever else he told her might be true.
She placed the poker on his other thigh. "I'm not an artist, but I always liked symmetry." She told him as she pulled the poker away.
She felt the twinge of guilt, but she ignored it as she continued with her interrogation. She took the gag off after the third burn. She really didn't think he'd spill even lies until the tenth, but he needed to be able to talk.
……………..
"You really should have joined the Thieves Guild Remy." Christy said over his panting and shaking form as she stared down at her work. His thighs were red around the burns and the smell of burnt flesh filled the room. She'd also burned his chest, and his ass. That was the point of that chair, to make more of him available for torture. His back had the letter K on it, and other letters would follow.
She hated that he'd been strong enough to hold out for this long, because she'd begun to pity the man that tried to kill her lover. She preferred to hate him completely. If she had the luxury of time she might have even been gentler with him, but she had one month to stop what was clearly an internal leak and a determined man with the power to arrange for the death of Emma Frost. "You aren't that great as an assassin. She lived."
That got a response, he looked up with widening eyes, clearly afraid. Not the response she'd expected given he had more to fear from her than Emma right now. He started to speak and the first words were the name she already knew was behind it. Christy stood back a little and listened as Remy stared at the poker she'd told him was for the cheek on is face watching it cool as he spoke half truths.
Tessa would have known if even half the things he said were the truth, but Christy assumed that some of what she heard and thought might be true may not be. She didn't have Tessa's abilities.
As she took in the information carefully, trying hard to remember it all, she couldn't help but again think that this world's Tessa was really more qualified for her position, but it was Emma that gave it to Christy instead. This month Christy was going to earn it and make up for all the mistakes she'd made.
After Remy talked himself out Christy stood still and then turned to put the poker back in the fire. She sighed and turned to him, staring into his eyes. "Not many people know that I'm Emma Frost's lover." She told him quietly, pulling the gun out from her jacket. "Or that she still has nightmares that you're out there waiting to try again. I'll finally be able to tell her you aren't." She aimed at his head and even his violent attempt to jerk away didn't ruin her aim.
She stared at his body, still bound to the chair and laying on the ground, blood pooling under it. "You're master would have sent you again and we both know it."
She'd never been under the delusion that killing this man would make the pain she remembered suffering this night any better. She'd had more than enough experience in this to know that, but she did find a tightness in her chest loosen just a little. She finally realized that it wasn't just Emma that lived in fear of another attack, and that this one success gave her hope that she could stop it.
She buried him carefully and then cleaned up the gore left from their night together. Christy's eyes stayed cold and her movements almost mechanical as she turned her emotions off yet again. Part of her was horrified at what she could do but she was used to this. She always surprised herself by what depths she could sink.
She'd liked Remy, the Remy of the books she'd read. This man wasn't that Remy, but still she held some regret.
Once her tracks were covered well enough Christy got back into Remy's car and started to drive. She drove away from the town and the hospital that her double most likely was pacing in right at that moment. Christy drove for the beach, miles away. She needed time to absorb what she'd learned tonight.
…………..
The news was filled with talk about the shooting of President Frost. Christy hadn't heard any of it last time and this time she rocked back and forth a little while she listened to the account in a beachfront hotel room. She'd dumped Remy's car as soon as she'd found a bus that went to the coast, and she'd traveled all night to get there, but now she could finally relax, only she couldn't.
Her mind filled with the images that went with these stories, as reporters talked about the mysterious stranger brought in to treat the President. She found herself listening as Emma's PR team spun this as less life threatening than it really was for the public that was worried that their leader was going to die.
These people cried on a night when Christy remembered she couldn't let herself cry because she had too much to do. Christy wrapped her arms around her own body and let those tears fall now, finally.
She could have been sleeping or working, but Christy just sat still and listened as history played back, as the news of the President's recovery hit the air.
No one knew that Emma's heart had stopped three times that night. No one knew that the woman they seemed to think was ice had been mere moments from panic as she made phone call after phone call to try and get help. None of these people on the news knew that Christy's entire world was dying before the healer gave them a miracle.
………………
Christy felt like she'd been run over by a few buses when she sat up and took a deep breath. It could have been hours later. She also felt a desperate need to see Emma, the need she'd carried with her for a year and a half now and she couldn't give in to it. She was finally home, and her lover needed her, but she couldn't go.
She had to comfort herself with memories of the fact that she had in fact been there at the hospital.
Christy took a deep breath and pulled out a notebook to start making plans. Her hand moved over the paper writing down the things Remy told her that needed double checking. Her handwriting became shaky in anger as she wrote down the names of people that had been trusted and were now very suspect.
One month to tie this all up so it never happened again seemed like a very tall order now, especially since she couldn't use any of her contacts, couldn't use her position, because no one could know she was here.
Well, maybe almost no one, Christy thought while sitting back. She bit her lower lip just a little as she considered asking for help. She'd need someone who could keep a secret and who telepaths couldn't take that secret from. She'd need someone that hadn't been around for her the first time, so she didn't risk changing anything, but also someone she trusted completely.
Christy swallowed hard as she considered that it was time to actually contact someone, to talk about what happened. Her heart ached in a good way at the thought of not being alone in this. Besides she needed a spy, and while she had the tools she couldn't really say she was one.
……………..
Christy wore the form of an average woman, average in every way possible in her attempt to blend in. She was used to standing out a bit, her own form and the clothes she wore were recognizable everyone in Genosha.
People walked past her as she sat at outside of the Starbucks at the third table from the door. That wouldn't be important normally, but that's where she'd said she'd be.
It took a week to get this appointment, and Christy did her best to sip at her drink, one she was too nervous to taste, as she waited. She'd gotten as far as she could on her own and she now had two and a half weeks to make this work. Alone she knew she couldn't do this, and even if she managed to save Emma, she couldn't end the threat alone. She couldn't even find the leak.
This mission was starting to look much larger than she'd originally anticipated. It went far beyond the skills of a glorified security guard.
She frowned into her drink as she considered her suspects, unhappy with the size of the list and unhappy with some of the people she suspected. People she had originally trusted now she wasn't so sure.
"Did it do something to upset you?" A male voice spoke and Christy looked up to see a man just as unremarkable as her current female form. Christy shook her head just a little in the negative and then glanced at the other seat at her table.
"So I gather you decided to make the time." Christy spoke with a voice as different as she could manage, but Mystique's current male face looked slightly puzzled as she started to piece it together.
"Well your email did say you were positive that once I heard the details I'd work for you for free. It was intriguing. I'm not known to be a generous woman." Mystique's eyes flashed yellow just for a moment as she as he sat down.
Christy couldn't risk telling Mystique who needed her, not until she could convince her of the truth. If Mystique contacted Christy's past self it could ruin everything.
Christy watched as Mystique subtly looked around, looking for danger or a trap. Christy waited patiently for the woman to feel confident it was safe, and she watched as the unfamiliar and unremarkable face held expressions she knew so well.
Christy's heart was tight, and her throat was competing with it as Christy stared now openly at her best friend, the only person she could call for help. "Mystique," Christy's voice cracked just a little and she took a deep breath to stop her emotions. She'd been holding on for days now, she couldn't break down at the first sight of a friend, she scolded herself. "We can't talk here." She let her own voice through and Mystique's eyes widened a little. "I know you don't go anywhere with unfamiliar people, but you know me and I need your help. My hotel room is just three blocks away."
"Why all the cloak and dagger?" Mystique's voice softened a little, making no motion to move just yet. "You could have just called me, you know I'd always help you out. I almost didn't come today."
Christy's fist clenched under the table as she fought the urge to be emotional, "There is a lot going on and I can't," Her words trailed off and she spoke in a whisper. "Please, let's just go to my hotel room."
"I sometimes dream of you asking me that." Mystique smirked at her and Christy looked down at her drink again. "Okay, let's go." The voice became more business and Christy stood up, and turned to toss her latte in the garbage can as she waited for Mystique to stand up.
They walked quietly for a half a block. "I assume we keep these forms for now?" Mystique asked quietly in her own voice.
"No one can see me, and well, it would be best if no one knew you were in Genosha right now." Christy glanced over at her friend and gave into the impulse, reaching out to take Mystique's hand. Her own hand squeezed it firmly, careful to not squeeze with the strength she had. Christy didn't let go, she held on as they continued to walk and she ignored the concerned look she received for her obvious need.
"I thought you were in the capital today with her highness." Mystique spoke as they waited for a truck to move out of their way so they could cross the street. Mystique often teased about the White Queen becoming President, it was a joke that Christy extended to her lover as well.
"It's complicated." Christy answered, instead of the truth, which was that she was in both places. If they ran across a news report tonight, well, it would become obvious to Mystique that Christy was in two places. Christy had purposely picked a time right before an interview that Emma granted, one that had Christy caught on film. At the time it had seemed an accident, but perhaps the media was feeding the rumors that Emma and her security guard were close.
Her lack of answer was all it took to shove Mystique back into character, which consisted of her playing Christy's lover apparently, because Mystique wrapped one arm around her and held her as they walked. Christy just leaned into Mystique and let the woman in man's clothing lead her down the road, only interrupting the flow enough to point when it was time to turn into the parking lot of her hotel.
"Room 324." Christy spoke as they started toward the building, moving this time by Christy's lead as Mystique had let her go so her smaller form could lead. "I managed to get a view of the ocean." Her hotel room was a nice one, and Christy was glad that getting the money she brought with her exchanged didn't cause any alarms to go off. Christy had visited over five banks to do it so that no one really knew how much money she'd exchanged into Genoshan currency.
Without that money, money a different world Mystique had thought of, well Christy would have had to risk discovery by using her own account here or committed crimes. She probably would have committed crimes, Christy thought to herself as she started up the stairs to the third floor. She'd picked this place over her other choices because of the lack of an inside entrance, these hotel rooms opened up right into the outside. It left less places for people to hide, and if someone went after Christy she'd have a better chance of seeing them coming. There were also fewer neighbors, no awkward elevator rides with excited tourists, and an easier trip outside to stare at the stars at night.
Christy let her mind wander to unimportant things as she made her way up the stairs, as she still wasn't sure she knew what to say once they were in the privacy of that room. How could she explain that while Mystique had talked with her just a few days ago, it had been a year and a half since they'd had that conversation for Christy.
So many fine details of their conversation were gone now, as old memories tended to fade. If Christy had Tessa's powers she could perhaps pick up her life just as she'd left it, but Christy didn't. She was sure that her faded memories of daily things would expose her sooner or later if she didn't admit it.
She'd have to tell Emma as well, Christy thought with more than some nervousness. It would be so nice to pretend it had only been moments, to skim over the things that were sure to cause problems in their relationship. But even if Christy could do that, well, she'd have to open her mind to her lover eventually and it was all in there.
Christy pulled out the key cards and held one out for Mystique who took it slowly. It was the first hint that the help Christy needed would take some time. Christy wanted Mystique to stay with her. The key was accepted, so words unsaid Mystique was once again confirming she was there for her.
Christy loved this woman. No questions asked, just acceptance that she was needed. That was her Mystique, and Christy took a shaky breath as she turned to the door and used the key card in her hand to unlock the hotel room.
They stepped inside and Mystique stepped further from the door to and grabbed the curtains, closing them, before shifting to her own form. Christy let her own form change back as well. "So now do you want to tell me what's happened? Was there another attempt on Emma's life? Is she okay?"
Christy opened her mouth for a moment, before closing it without speaking. She just stared at Mystique and saw the compassion in her eyes. "Oh god, you won't believe what's happened." Christy ran a hand roughly through her hair as she struggled for words. "I would have told you over the phone, but I couldn't risk you not believing. I need you." Christy didn't like the hint of a whine to her own voice that showed far too much desperation.
Mystique reached out and fixed whatever mess Christy made of her hair gently. "And I'm here, so just tell me."
"We were attacked at the beach house." Christy started slowly. "They were organized and Emma and I hadn't brought any guards with us."
"Right after an assassination attempt?" Mystique said the words, and Christy felt them like an accusation she couldn't defend herself from.
"It was stupid, I know. It was our anniversary and Emma made the plans, I didn't want to ruin her surprise. I didn't even ask about guards." Christy saw Mystique's expression changing to confused. The woman knew when her anniversary was, and it wasn't yet here. "I was tossed into Scythe." Christy's voice was rough as she stared into yellow eyes. "I landed on another world, and I struggled to get home for a year and a half. I'm from the future, and I have to let the past play out before I save Emma." Mystique looked stunned. "But I can't do it alone."
…………….
After a rather difficult session of interrogation, to verify Christy's identity, Mystique sat back in her chair looking a little limp. "So do you believe me?" Christy asked quietly after a long moment of silence. She really didn't know what she'd do if Mystique didn't.
"How do you get yourself into these messes Christy?" Mystique spoke softly, not sounded very condemning, just a bit shocked. "It isn't enough to travel dimensions? Now you time travel as well?"
"Well you know me, I work best desperately scared." Christy's voice was a little harsh in response.
"Oh, dear." Mystique moved to sit up and Christy was the one slumping forward a little looking and feeling defeated. "I wasn't…"
"I know." Christy sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm a bit tight strung lately."
"Yeah." Mystique did something a little out of character for her, she moved to sit on the couch with Christy and pulled Christy into a gentle hug. Christy didn't even think of fighting it, she just curled into Mystique's body and held on. Christy felt Mystique's hand gently petting her hair and Christy sighed.
"I missed you." Christy whispered and rested her head on Mystique's shoulder. Christy slowly let her tense body relax and her throat hurt a bit. Her back started to shake and Christy took a few shaky breaths, her eyes stinging.
Christy started to cry quietly and Mystique just quietly murmured reassuringly to her and held her. "I'm home." Christy managed to say, tearfully and hard to understand, but she said it.
Christy knew the blue woman had to be uncomfortable, as time passed and Christy couldn't bring herself to move. She felt safe here in Mystique's arms, she always had. Even other Mystique's gave her this feeling. Normally guilt kept her from enjoying it, milking it, but Christy wasn't going to deny herself today. Emma would have to understand this as well, Christy needed someone to hold her.
She'd been strong for so long, and while she knew she had to stay strong a little longer, she needed this. Mystique's breathing was soft and brushed through Christy's hair. The woman gently caressed Christy's back, none of the usual sexual teasing, just pure comfort.
"God it was so hard." Christy's voice was rough as she spoke, but she moved to hug her body tighter to Mystique as she did speak. "I'd almost given up on seeing home again. And the worlds I've seen," Christy shook her head just a little, which made her realize she was resting her head on Mystique's bosom now, but she didn't move. It wasn't like it was sexual. "It was horrible." She whispered. "I've done things, had things done to me," Her words cut off and she felt a bit of tension in the body partly under her now at her words. "I missed you." She whispered rather than elaborate on that time away.
"I missed you too." Mystique spoke, a sweet lie, because Mystique had no time to miss her. Hadn't even known she was gone.
"We have so much to do, I don't have time for this." Christy said, in a semi angry voice, mostly to herself.
"We can take the time." Mystique gently pushed Christy off of her. "But you, my friendly water woman, weigh a bit too much to lay all over me like this." Mystique scooted back against the back of the couch and the arm of it then stared at her. "I always imagined something a little more interesting if you were all over me."
"So did I." Christy whispered and watched Mystique's eyes widen just a little. "Just because I couldn't didn't mean I didn't want to sometimes." Christy took a deep breath. "You and I we could have been good, but I love her. Even as messed up as I feel about it all now, I love her."
"Oh dear, you really know how to fuel and kill fantasies all at once." Mystique sighed and hugged her. There was more that Mystique clearly wanted to say and didn't. Christy felt a wave of regret, wishing partly that she'd brought a Christy home for Mystique, but she didn't want to share this one with a double. It was selfish of her, but Christy just accepted it.
Taylor hadn't really liked living in a world with a double even though she liked her double. Taylor had been a bit threatened by Christy's relationship with that Mystique. Too many Christy's could be a bad thing, but then Raven would have been nice to keep. Christy still missed her. Maybe for Raven Christy could have learned to share, but Raven wasn't in any shape to start anything. Raven had been too destroyed.
Christy ached as she considered that, wondering if that double was okay. How were any of them?
There were so many things they could talk about, but Christy took a deep breath and chose to talk about the mission. "The attack came in by boat. I heard the splash of them hitting the water before walking to shore, but it was so dark that I couldn't see them. Still they had to be close to shore for me to hear them, and it took no time for them to get to shore.
Christy sat up and moved to look more in control, but wiping her cheeks free of tears ruined it a little. Still Mystique's expression changed from the soft and caring woman to the tactical planner.
"How many?" Mystique asked.
"I saw four, killed one, but there could be more." Christy shook her head a bit, wishing she'd observed longer so she'd know, but it hadn't taken too long to lose that battle.
"You recognize any of them?" Mystique asked and Christy stared into the woman's eyes. This wasn't good news she had to deliver.
"I recognized all of them." Christy spoke flatly, her mind flashing back to the people she'd seen attack them. "Even if only those three are left this isn't going to be easy."
Christy gave all the details she remembered of that fight, all she remembered seeing as she was tossed into Scythe, and she wasn't holding back on the stupidity she'd exhibited. Her gun left in the house, no other guards, how she hesitated to kill a moment when outnumbered like that she should have been killing as fast as she could.
This time she was going to rain death down on them, because she was putting yet another person at risk to fight these people and she wasn't going to lose anyone she cared about.
It was way past dinner time when they stopped listing all the things they needed to do and how they might do them.
Mystique ordered pizza while Christy sat on the couch and glared quietly at the table. Christy wasn't thrilled that Mystique was going to have to go off for a few days, she would have preferred to keep her company, but they needed to know who the leak was, who they could trust. Mystique was going to the capital tomorrow as Remy, because no one knew the man was dead. Seeing Remy might flush out someone. Christy had also given away every security code she remembered to the woman so that Mystique could do more if the opportunity arose.
…………….
The waves caressed the shore as Christy, in yet another random tourist form walked out of the water near the hotel, and no one noticed she hadn't been on the tourist laden beach in a very long time. She could have drown out there and no one noticed, she thought with a head shake as she walked barefoot up the beach toward the beachside bar.
To anyone else visiting the beaches of Genosha she was a woman wanting to swim in the ocean. A woman that had laughed with the people at the bar and did all the regular tourist sunning on the beach as well. There was no telling how long someone had been watching this beach and Emma's beach house was just two miles from this hotel.
It took a while to swim there from here and Christy had done it all underwater. She'd spent hours in the water and only set foot on ground here so that anyone looking at Emma's beach house wouldn't see her.
In the past week Christy had taken the parachute ride behind a speed boat to see the place from the air, she jogged along the beach to see if from the ground. She swam often and made a mental map of the depth of the water. Her ability to not need breathe and her water body gave her more control while swimming underwater than she'd expected. She could compete with a mermaid, and perhaps Mystique would be back in time to teach Christy how to create a mermaid tail to improve her abilities for underwater surveillance.
Christy knew this area better than her own bedroom now, better than the house she grew up in as well. It was a matter of survival and no one could claim any fault in her recon.
Christy packed up her belongings again, things she bought to make her look more normal. Clothes and various toiletries that an average mutant might need filled her bags, but there were also weapons and maps and recently purchased communications gear. There was also a generous pile of money in both American and Genoshan currencies. In the past week and a half Christy had switched hotel rooms and her own body three times so that she didn't appear to stay longer than an average vacation trip, and so that she didn't stay long enough for anyone to consider her more than just a vacationer.
After this she needed a real vacation, Christy thought with a sigh as she moved to lay on the beach again. While she sunned herself she opened her shield and built up her powers. While she played in the water she took mental notes. When she went shopping or to a restaurant she looked for any faces that she didn't think belonged, because there was a chance the bad guys were casing the area as well. Christy didn't know when Emma made the plans to come to the beach house or who knew before Christy did so she had no idea how much planning the enemy had been able to do. She couldn't really relax for even a moment.
……………….
"You were hard to hunt down." Mystique's voice was in the hotel room as Christy opened the door.
Christy felt a wave of relief that Mystique was back with a few days to spare and grinned a little at the compliment to her cover. "You're back." She closed the door and stepped inside, closer to Mystique while shifting back to herself. "I've got recon done and I can fill you in, but how did you do?"
"Take a moment to breath." Mystique told her and Christy started to smell the scent of Chinese food. "I brought dinner." It was hard to not press for details and Christy found herself pacing just a little as Mystique turned and pulled the bag up onto the table. Christy had a one bedroom suite right now. Had she known when Mystique was coming back she'd have gotten a two bedroom.
She was checking out tomorrow, for another identity, so they could get a two bedroom then, Christy thought as Mystique pulled a plastic fork out of the bag with a grin. "I thought I'd rather you actually managed to eat so I didn't get you chopsticks."
"Good." Christy spoke, her voice a little flat and Mystique looked up from the bag she'd started to explore again, some concern in her eyes.
"You never did learn how to relax during a mission did you? I saw you sunbathing and I'd hoped you were unwinding. You can't be hair trigger right now." Mystique's words were soft and still scolding.
"How did you even know it was me?" Christy asked, rather than deal with the words.
"You have tells. Little things you do that are 100 percent Christy." Mystique grinned a little. "Since I was the only one that knew you had them I didn't bother telling you about them. I like being able to find you."
"What?" Christy's voice went quiet and angry. "You were supposed to train me and you let me walk around with an obvious tell?"
"Not obvious." Mystique put the bag down and Christy swore the woman was battle ready, it forced Christy to exam how she was acting and she noticed her clenched fists and threatening stance. Christy took a deep breath and forced herself to relax. There were traitors out there, but Mystique wasn't one of them. "Just small things that I'd notice. I'm not even sure you're lover would, she's not a shape shifter. Other people won't see it, not when you cover it with Emma's tells. You're little swap the President game is safe." Mystique's voice softened. "If we'd gone further with your training, if you had planned to be more than a body double for someone you knew well, I would have brought it up. You do an excellent Emma and that's really the main goal you had."
"Okay." Christy sighed and moved to sit down. "But I want to know those tells, I might need to be able to do more now." It had been an argument they'd had before, when Christy refused more advanced training because she needed to be at work. Mystique had been right and it was obvious now. Just because she had only intended to use her powers one way didn't mean emergencies wouldn't come up that demanded more of her. Mystique's lips moved just a little and the woman didn't even need to say 'I told you so,' Christy heard it.
During dinner Mystique didn't want to talk about business, and after the second attempt to turn the conversation that way Christy stopped and just stared at her friend. Her mind flashed back on meeting one of her doubles and how she'd been told that Destiny didn't let them talk about work over meals. This wasn't Mystique teasing her by not telling, or being cold by not realizing Christy needed to know what had happened. This was Mystique still living by Destiny's household rules. Christy stopped asking, and she took a deep breath as she let that suspicion grow.
"I met Irene in one of those worlds." Christy spoke quietly. She hadn't said too much about her travels, not yet anyway, but this could be said. Irene probably would have wanted her to say it. "She and that Mystique helped me." Mystique stopped eating and stared at her. Christy stared back. "She asked about you, if you were okay. If you were seeing anyone. She seemed sad that you hadn't moved on." Mystique looked like she was thinking of what to say. Christy spoke faster. "I was pretty impressed with her. She's a good woman."
"Irene always was impressive." Mystique finally spoke, her voice quiet.
"I finally figured out that you were spoiled and that's why you treated me like a fifties housewife when I stayed with you." Christy teased quietly. "I can't see the future, so I couldn't possibly have dinner ready for you. You never kept normal hours."
"That's okay, after I got a taste of your cooking I realized it was much better that you couldn't have dinner ready. It made it easier to come back." Mystique teased just a little, but her eyes were a little too wide for it to be too comfortable. She'd shocked Mystique.
"How did they help you?" Mystique asked and Christy flinched. When yellow eyes became more concerned Christy damned herself for not seeing that question coming. She'd expected questions about Irene, or maybe Mystique's double.
Christy swallowed and stared down at her container of Chinese. Mystique's voice was soft, caring. "Are you ready to tell me yet?" Christy's jaw tightened as she got the feeling Mystique knew, but she couldn't.
Mystique's double had known, not details, but she said she could see it, Christy remembered and her heart felt tight. She knew at times she was a little off, but she didn't really think people could tell by looking at her. That wasn't a comforting thought.
"You said you'd done things and things were done to you Christy. You can't think I wouldn't notice you saying something like that." Mystique spoke quietly. "I've been thinking about it ever since I left, and I really don't like the conclusions I'm coming to."
"Yeah," Christy looked up, a sick fake attempt at a smile on her face. "Well, you're probably right."
Mystique's jaw clenched, and her fist. "I'll kill them, every last one." Mystique hissed out and Christy just played with her fork. That was what she thought Mystique would say if she knew, but the people Mystique wanted vengeance on didn't live here. "Those bastards sent you to hell and we aren't taking prisoners."
Christy looked up to see Mystique's narrowed eyes, making Christy think she was seeing some villain in her mind. It took a moment for her to see that Mystique was going to blame the assassins. That made some sense, it might give Mystique some closure, make her feel like she could do something.
It might make her too careless, Christy thought with some concern.
…………….