That broke the ice… and everyone began to scatter. Rogue's first instinct was to run too, but suddenly she had nowhere to go. Without touching anyone she was practically helpless against so many police and she had a feeling that none of the groups would want to help her very much. Only Mystique would, and Rogue still wasn't really to face her. In any case, glancing around, the only she saw was chaos. She had no idea where Mystique was by now.
"Alright now ma'am, please cooperate, we don't want to hurt anyone." An officer said as three walked toward her. She crouched low, preparing to fight, and the men stopped. She watched as the one who had spoken moved his hand from the coaxing motion he had made toward her, to now support his gun. "Now now, don't be foolish. We don't want to hurt you."
"Are ya really gonna shoot an un'armed teen?" Rogue demanded, but her heart was pounding. This group she could easily take care of unarmed, but with guns, it was just silly to fight. None of them showed any signs of wavering though. In fact, most of them had that cold-eye look experienced cops have.
"We have orders." One said simply, as if that explained everything. "Now put your hands up, slowly, and turn around."
Rogue sighed and relaxed. She lifted her hands into the air. Glaring at the men, she slowly turned. She couldn't hear their approach for all the other sounds all around her, but even if she could have it would have been ridiculous to fight. Without looking, she didn't know if they'd relaxed their holds on their guns or not. Probably not.
A moment later, Rogue felt hands at her wrists and they were guided down behind her back. "You have the right to remain silent and refuse to answer questions, anything you do say may be used against you in a court of law," The man began saying in a very memorized fashion as he unhooked his handcuffs from his belt. "You have the right to consult an attorney before speaking to the police and to have an attorney present during questioning now or in the future." He snapped one cuff around a wrist, and then the other. Rogue kept her face hard though she wanted to cringe. She didn't like this one bit but there was nothing she could do.
Grabbing the bend of her arm, the man began to lead Rogue toward one of the cop cars. "If you cannot afford an attorney," Rogue looked up to see several men fall over by some invisible force. "one will be appointed-" The others saw it then too, at least, Rogue assumed that was why their heads turned, the one stopped reciting her rights, and the others began to swivel their guns around to face a red head not far off and not paying attention.
Their attention away from her, Rogue sprang into action. Her heel slammed down on foot of the cop holding her. Briefly she wished she'd been wearing heels— would have been so much more effective— then quickly turned her attention to the more pressing matter at hand. As soon as the cop released her, Rogue lept into the air and swung her arms down under her body, bringing her hands in front of her. She spun around. By this time, the other officers were just turning their attention back to her. She rammed her shoulder into the diaphragm of one. Her shoulder hit a bullet-proof vest but the officer was still sent back by the force.
The officer she'd first attacked recovered and was reaching for his gun again. Well, the others had their guns. She jerked her arms around at them and fists, held close together for obvious reasons, met the chin of the man nearest to her. She then angled her body and side-kicked the officer just getting his gun out.
Rogue turned to the last officer and froze. His gun was aimed and cocked and he looked ready to fire. Snorting with displeasure, Rogue lifted her cuffed hands back up into the air.
"Nice display, get in the cop car with your friend." The officer she'd shoulder growled as he grabbed that same shoulder and shoved her the rest of the way to the car. The red-head she'd just seen had also just been pushed inside. The doors slammed shut.
Bmff! Rogue jerked in surprise. "Thankss guys!" That blue critter said from the driver's seat, waving his three fingered hand in salute. He started the car with a squeal that made Rogue cringe then took off.
"Kurt! Just a second, Kitty's back there yet!" Jean called, putting a hand on the barrier that separates the front seats from the back."Right!" Kurt replied before jerking hard on the wheel. Rogue's eyes widened as her body jerked into the door beside her and Jean's shoulder rammed hard into hers. Rogue bit her tongue to keep from commenting and turned to look out the window on the other side of Jean just as Kitty came phasing in.
"Cramped a bit?" Kitty chuckled. "Thanks Kurt!"
"No problem. Let's get outta here!"
"Yes please!" Rogue murmured to herself. When was this day going to end?? "Ah!" Kurt had jerked on the wheel again and this time Rogue got sent into Jean. She pressed her hands on the barrier to try and steady herself but it was difficult with the handcuffs.
The front door of the car opened then slammed shut. Rogue looked forward to see the kid that had literally frozen earlier. Then, with another jerk that hurt Rogue's neck, they were racing forward again. The siren's were so loud behind them it hurt Rogue's ears. Everyone else was looking back, but what was in front of them caught Rogue's attention.
"Umm, guys, problem." Rogue warned. They looked forward and their was a nice gasp in unison as everyone saw what that 'problem' was. A ring of tanks and men with guns blockaded their way. The closer they got though, the more Rogue relaxed. She was in the vehicle with a woman who could phase through objects and a critter that could 'bamf' around the place. To her surprise, however, it was neither of them that solved the problem. The red-head, Jean, lifted her hands to her head and with another irritating jolt, they were airborne, flying up and over the gate. There was a brief sound of gunshot, and then they were out of range.
There was a moment of silent, then Kurt let out a sound of triumph and Kitty laughed. "We got away!""Yea," Jean said soberly. "I hope the others did too."
Rogue didn't really want to bring attention to herself, but her wrists were staring to hurt. After all the jolting and trying to use her hands to balance herself, her wrists were really beginning to hurt. "Ah know Ah'm not anywun's favorite, but can anybody git meh outta these?" She asked, lifting her wrists.
"Oh! Sure thing!" Kitty said, leaning a bit over Jean. She took the chain in her hand and pulled. Without any sensation whatsoever, they came free.
"Thanks." Rogue said, fighting the urge to rub her wrists. She almost found herself saying she appreciated them coming to get her, but Kurt had only taken over this car because Jean had been in it. If she'd have been in a different one, so would have Kurt.
"Look," Jean said, addressing Rogue. "no, you're not our favorite person, but you don't have to be an enemy. Right now you aren't. We're here to help each other out."
Rogue blinked, looking at the girl. Jean looked awkward for a moment, then looked forward again. "Well, Scott wants us to meet at Look-out point tonight." Jean told the car with a sigh.
"Zen that's vhere ve'll be!"
"Hey! Hey, chill. It's just us." Cyclops… Scott, said, as he emerged from the bushes that had been rustling and making every jump, especially Iceman, who'd let out a jet of ice at them.
Rogue got up from where she was sitting and Kurt and Kitty stood as well as Bobby apologized. Rogue knew why he was being jumpy. They'd been listening to the radio in the cop-car. They'd been sending out dispatching left and right searching out the Mutants. It had sounded quite damning, the way they spoke over the radios.
"Most are unarmed but still lethal.'
"One exposed on West Rosemary street, on the run toward Hollback!"
"Man down! Man down! Seems uninjured but still as a board!"
"Suspect down. Moving in for the arrest."
"Streets are quiet tonight. People are keeping inside."
"No sign of anything unusual."
"All clear."
"Get used to it." They jumped again, but it was just Mystique. Just Mystique… that simply didn't sound right thinking. It was never just Mystique.
Scott seemed to agree. He immediately moved in and pointed a nice, accusing finger at the blue woman. "Mystique! We want answers!""When I'm ready!" Mystique growled, her tone leaving no room for debate. She then relaxed, her tone loosening. "Look, I want you all to know I had nothing to do with Magneto's plans to expose our little secret to the world-" She was probably going to continue, but at those words, heads turned to stare at her.
Rogue crossed her arms, not liking the attention. That was also when Mystique finally noticed her, having followed everyone's gaze.
"Rogue…" She said, a bit surprised. "But you knew, being his acolyte." She didn't say that with any pleasure and Rogue felt stung… but she didn't show it.
"Yes, as you trained me to be." She replied curtly. Mystique clearly didn't like this answer and Rogue found herself growing angry. After all, Mystique had trained her saying she would work for Magneto one day as well. Irene had even prompted her to go. Mystique never before showed any problem with it so why did she say that with such accusation… even if the others didn't perhaps notice it. They did notice the tension though, and kept quiet.
"Yes, as I did." She said, as if she wasn't really thinking about that at all, as if she were somewhere else. Then, her stature changed and she dismissed Rogue, just like that. Rogue felt herself clenching her fists as Mystique went on."It's a new world out there and we're going to need new leadership. If nothing else, this public reaction proofs that Professor Xavier was wrong." She said, stepping forward to emphasize her point. "Humans and mutants cannot live together in peace."
Jean moved forward then, probably unhappy about Mystiques comment about Xavier. "Why are you here Mystique?! She demanded. "What is it that you want from us?""I want the same thing you want." Mystique said, dismissing Jean's hostile tone and still speaking to everyone there. Well, besides perhaps Rogue. "The military has taken a member of my team, I want him back!" She looked to the ground as if in thought, then back up. "The problem is, I don't know where to start looking."
For the third time that night, an unannounced voice spoke from the shadows, making everyone turn.
"Maybe I do." And an older, rough looking man with an eye-patch and greyd hair stepped out of the bushes and shadows.
"Man! Is there anyone who didn't know about zis secret meeting?" Kurt demanded, throwing his hands up in exasperation. Rogue couldn't help but share his feelings. She was already regretting meeting back up with Mystique.
Naturally, Mystique got hostile. She swung around to fully face the man and stuck an accusing finger out at him. "Who are you?! What do you want?!"
"Nick Furey, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D." The man replied, pulling a tooth-pick from between his teeth that Rogue hadn't noticed before. For some reason, the gesture made her want to laugh. She decided to just let herself quietly. A tooth-pick. "Give up smokin'?" She muttered to herself. For some reason, it just helped to make light of this tense situation.
"…Super C.I.A." Rogue focused back into the conversation at hand.
"I strongly suggest," Mystique began in a low tone as she stepped back. "that you forget where you found us." Avalanche, Toad, and a woman Rogue didn't know, stepped forward in a manner that was clearly meant to be threatening.
The S.H.I.E.L.D. agent put the tooth-pick back in his mouth, but this time Rogue didn't feel the urge to laugh. His hand moved from his mouth to out beside him where he snapped, once, distinctly. All around them there came rustling noises and the sounds of harder materials scraping gently against each other, then the settling of metal as the men who'd come out of the shadows settled into position, guns aimed.
"Heh, great." Rogue muttered as everyone around her tensed, preparing for the worse. With another snap though, the lackey's let their guns go slack. This had nearly been the flexing of a powerful muscle.
"That's just to prove a point." Nick said as he pulled the tooth-pick back out of his mouth and examined it. 'Prolly wishin' it was a cig.' "If I'd wanted to capture you, you'd be captured." And he flicked the tooth-pick. Again, Rogue let herself laugh quietly. Bobby gave her an odd look, then smiled himself and chuckled quietly as well.
"…give you this. It contains maps and schematics of the military base where they're holding your friends." The agent said, walking up to Storm and handing her an electronic device the size of a scientific calculator. "I think you'll find it useful.""And just why are you being so helpful?" Mystique asked, walking forward to address the man. Rogue guessed the show of guns won the contest of power… at least through force. There was a new bout of political power now apparently.
"Let's just say… I've… got my reasons. Look, I can't get involved officially," He said, addressing the two women before him. "but I can at least point you in the right direction. Good luck." And he left.
"Thanks." Bobby said quietly. "We may just need it."
Yes yes, I know, you all want to kill me. I can't believe you guys are still waiting for more of this! But I've been periodically getting favorites and comments so I finally made myself sit down and write the next chapter… just for all of you who have been begging me too! This chapter is dedicated to all of you!
And yes, I know I desperately need to get on my Crossover fic. It's much harder to work with and therefore harder to get motivated enough for. I don't promise anything but it's been on my mind more lately with the continued comments so mayhap I'll get on it.
So anyway, here you have it. Perhaps next I should go show what the boys are up to. That's probably in order. In any case… here ya have it!