Disclaimer: The X-Men are © Marvel.
Claims: Julianna, William, Andria (Electra), Chris (Cyber), and other miscellaneous characters that you do not recognize are © me, do not use them without asking or dire consequences will follow.
A/N: I use a combination of comic and movie in my story
My choice of pairings (whether you like them or not) are: Kitor (they're married) Romy (they're not) and Kuroro (this is a minor one)
X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X
Chapter 3– "It's me, Tischge"
When Kurt came to his head was throbbing. He opened his eyes and immediately closed them against the blinding light. When he tried to open them again all hope that he was simply in the med-lab, although why he would have been there was beyond him, vanished. The room he was in was bare. It had no windows and only one door.
Nightcrawler reached up to rub the back of his neck and his hand came in contact with a piece of metal. He followed it all the way around his neck. This is just great. A genosha collar.
The X-man looked up as someone entered the room. "Margali? Was ist denn geschehen? Wo bin ich?"
"I can't tell you where we are," the older woman responded, with a German accent. "I can tell you what happened, though."
"Well?" Kurt prompted when she wasn't more forthcoming.
"From what I heard, Mystique somehow tricked your Professor Xavier into sending you and your friend to investigate a convention having to do with mutants. She and the brotherhood were waiting, but you know all that..."
"Ja. I have a couple of questions, Margali."
"Hmmmm?"
"Why are you here?"
"I believe she said something about leverage."
There was something wrong with that picture but Kurt's brain was still addled from the drug. "This doesn't make sense, why would she go to so much trouble? You were in Germany two days ago...maybe three..." Margali shrugged in reply and Kurt extended a hand to her, "Would you do me a favor and help me up?"
When she did he found that he had to lean on the wall for support. "Kurt, mien sohn, are you alright?"
"It's just a slight dizzy spell, mach dich keine Sorgen." He put his hand to his face and appeared to be thinking, "I'm curious, do you know why Mystique captured Cyclops any me?"
"I don't know why she took Cyclops. I believe she caught you because you are very observant. She knows that you know the name, and power of nearly every student at that school."
"Somehow I doubt that's the reason. I'm the wrong person to ask, I'm simply a teacher of history and geography. They don't use their powers in my class. Anyway, this is mystique we're talking about. If she wants that information there is no reason that she cannot get it by other means." Margali nodded and Kurt switched subjects, something he was becoming adept at. "Margali, I know this sounds strange at a time like this but, I have a lady friend who would love your hand lotion. What is it?"
The woman looked at him oddly, "Citrus breeze."
"Answer me one more question. Why are you wearing it? I thought you hated citrus scents."
"I–er–I–"
"I think you should research your characters better, Mystique."
The blue shapeshifter suddenly stood before him, "I'd be careful if I were you, you–"
"Language, Mystique, language," Nightcrawler smiled as he interrupted. She slapped him. "Oho so you do more than bark," his smile had vanished.
"You'll find out just how poisonous my bite is, Kurt Wagner."
"I want the truth, Mystique, what do you want with me?"
"Exactly what I told you, information." She turned to go, "After I get that you wi–"
"You will not get that from me."
Mystique came back and Kurt stiffened as she ran her hand down the side of his face. "I'm sorry you feel that way. I will get that information, in fact when we're done with you you'll be begging to give it." She walked over to the door, "When I get those facts you will have two choices, join us or die!" The door slammed behind her.
Kurt slid down into a sitting position. The room was too bright, the only shadow in it being his own. He didn't know how much time had passed when the door opened again and Pyro entered.
"Ah, Mr. Wagner, Mystique has requested your presence in the 'grand ballroom,'milord."
Kurt looked up, he didn't like any of the Brotherhood members but Pyro was the one that he came closest to hating. "You can tell Mystique that I am sincerely sorry but I shall be unable to come."
"Well, that is a pity. You see my instructions were to bring you, willing or not."
"Go ahead and try, Mein Herr," Nightcrawler hissed and bared his fangs.
"Did I mention that we might be in contact with a certain African weather goddess?"
Kurt's eyes narrowed, "What do you mean, Pyro?"
"It's not polite to answer a question with a question. I meant that you need to contact your mansion to let them know that you are alright. You never know, Storm might be the one who you get through to. How is she these days?"
"Fine. Why do you want to know?" The teleporter glanced askance at Allerdyce.
"Just curious. I remember her as very beautiful and well-shaped."
"Keep your slimy hands off of her!" Kurt growled.
"Or what? You'll continue with these open-ended threats? I'm terrified X-Man," Pyro sneered.
Nightcrawler lunged at the other man, landing a heavy blow to his jaw. Pyro stumbled backwards and then trapped the German in a ring of fire.
"Oho! So the cur does do more than bark!"
Kurt tried to teleport but cried out in pain as the collar, which he had forgotten about, zapped him. The flames around him drew closer and then suddenly dissipated. The teleporter glared at Pyro as he walked forward.
"For some odd reason Mystique insisted that you be kept alive and unharmed. You're lucky, I would love to see how long it takes for all your fur to burn. Come now, we've kept her waiting long enough." Before Nightcrawler could react the other mutant leaped forward and snapped a pair of cuffs on his wrists.
Kurt allowed himself to be led to the main room. When Pyro opened the door Mystique looked up.
"Ah, there you are, gentlemen. We've been waiting for you.'
As they stepped fully into the room Kurt saw that Scott was already there. His attention was diverted to Mystique when she picked up one of the com links and came over.
"Nightcrawler, you need to contact your school and make sure they know how the convention is going."
"Why?"
"Because it's been nearly two days since you two left and they'll be expecting you to contact them."
"Let me rephrase that, why me?"
"Three reasons; one, there's no one on the Brotherhood who's voice comes close to sounding like yours. Two, Unus and Blob over there have some grudges against Cyclops that they would love to repay. Three, if you don't I will seriously consider letting Pyro carry out his threat to you."
Kurt's shoulders sagged, in apparent defeat, "Give me the communicator." When he received it he looked at his wrists and commented, "I need these cuffs removed."
"Why on earth do you need that?" Mystique asked suspiciously.
Nightcrawler looked at her while he demonstrated what would happen. When he put the com link to his ear there was a sharp clang as the cuffs collided with the inhibitor collar that ringed his neck.
Mystique nodded and glanced at Pyro who sighed and took Kurt's bonds off.
The teleporter began trying to establish contact. "This is Nightcrawler calling the mansion, can you hear me?" After a couple of minutes someone answered.
"Hello? Kurt?"
The German jumped as he heard the voice come from a speaker on the other side of the room. He shook his head and replied, "Ja, Ororo, it's me."
There was a relieved smile in her voice when she spoke, "Are you two alright? What's happening there?"
Kurt's mind was working quickly, "We're alright, however, my image inducer is acting odd."
"What do you mean?"
"It hasn't done anything severe but it does keep changing my eye color slightly. I don't know how much longer it'll hold out."
"If you'll come up here today we can get you a different one."
She doesn't get it. "Nein, it should be alright until the convention's over."
Ororo looked up when Julianna opened the door. "Kurt will you hold for one minute...thank you."
"Is that Mr. Wagner?"
Storm nodded, "Yes. Would you do something for me, Julianna?"
"What do you need?"
"I need you to change your voice so that it sounds a lot like mine but still has part of your voice, that Kurt would recognize, in it."
Julie looked at her oddly then shrugged. "Kurt, what's happening at the convention?"
Nightcrawler looked at Scott, Who's head had come up when the question was asked. "The sort of thing you would expect, speeches and such." His mind was still working out a way to show them the danger he and Cyclops were in.
"What is the basic opinion?"
He had it! "Anti- mutant, as we expected, Ororo."
There was silence on the other end.
"Ororo? Are you there?"
The response was shaky, "Y-yes, Kurt, I'm here. Where are you?"
What do you mean, Ororo? Im in New York, Manhattan if you want to be specific.'
"I mean where is Nightcrawler? You aren't him."
"Was?" On the outside Kurt appeared shocked, on the inside he was jumping fo rjoy.
"You aren't him. You just aren't. Where is he?"
Nightcrawler saw that Mystique was growing suspicious. He responded quickly, "It's me, Tischge." 1.
Julianna's eyes widened at Kurt's name for her. She stumbled backward, away from the communicator, with her hand over her mouth.
Ororo looked at the young shapeshifter questioningly.
The girl nodded slightly then left quickly.
The com crackled to life, "Ororo?"
"I'm here, Kurt."
"What just happened?"
"The com link's signal failed for a moment, that's all."
"Ah. Well we need to get going. Oh, tell Anya that I've been thinking and she was right about the question we discussed."
"Which question?"
"She'll know what I mean."
"Alright, goodbye, Kurt."
"Auf Wiedersein."
Kurt turned off the com and returned it to Mystique. She took it and gestured to Pyro and Unus.
Nightcrawler and Cyclops found themselves shoved along the a corridor. They were thrown into the room at the end.
Scott picked himself up and looked at Kurt, who was getting to his feet, "What question were you talking about?"
"The one that neither of us agreed with her on. The question her dream raised..."
"Oh," Cyclops looked around, "Any idea how long we've been here?"
"Nein, any idea how we'll get out of here?"
"Not yet..." Scott attention was focused on a small aperture set high in the wall. "Kurt, could you get up there and see where we are?"
"Ja. No sooner said than done." Nightcrawler began scaling the wall. He reached the hole and climbed onto the ledge.
"What do you see?"
"It looks like we're in an upper story of the warehouse the 'convention' was being held in."
"How do you know?"
"Well, it's the same view as when I was standing out front," Kurt carefully climbed down.
"Hmmmm."
"What are you thinking?" The teleporter queried as he approached the other man.
"I'm not sure yet. Let me sleep on it."
"Alright, sweet dreams," Nightcrawler said, sarcastically.
"Same to you," Cyke's reply held equal sarcasm.
German key
Was ist denn geschehen? - What just happened?
Wo bin ich? - Where am I?
Mach dich keine Sorgen. - Don't worry
(Thanks to hedi for correcting my German usage)
1. Tischge is an abbreviation of Tischgebet which is the German word for "grace." The name Anya means grace, hence Kurt's name for her is "Tischge."
MeadowLark4491: Thank you to all my reviewers. I'm sorry this has taken so long, but I haven't had much time to write and I write as I go, and well...writer's block stinks. Please review, I do my best to read and review my reviewer's stories, so if you have a story you would like me to review please let me know and I'll look at that one first. Thank you again.