CHAPTER 11:

What's to Come

Raven Darkholme, my love,

After the executions on national television at Bayville High School, the FOH haven't made a peep. No bombs, no protests, and no press releases. As if they vanished. Robert Kelly was elected to the mayoral election at the beginning of November. His first act, implement a curfew for mutants, 0800-2000. Any mutant or suspected mutant seen on the streets are to get a warning: subsequent offense, jail. The third time, he hasn't said. You know the following steps, Raven, my love; protests will start, and death will be everywhere. As a warning, our children's lives will never be the same after this weekend. I love you always.

DESTINY IRENE

Summoned by Xavier, once again, Rogue sat on her favorite couch in his office. Her leg bounced while she gnawed on her fingers. Frustration ran her life for the past three weeks and two days, thanks to the inability to locate Cameron. She didn't care too much about the FOH and their plans. That's what the heroes, the X-Men, are for. Cameron overstepped the Inner Circle and their money. One thing you don't do is take the money out of their pockets. Never ends well.

Storm walked in from a side door Rogue hadn't seen before. Her guess, it connects to a weird hallway and or his room.

"No, Xavier?" Rogue wasn't in the mood for games. Thanksgiving is in a few days. It's her and Wanda at the boarding house. Not only is she short-staffed she isn't sure what she's doing for the holiday, if at all.

Storm shook her head. She took the chair behind the desk and proceeded to open a file.

"He's in Scotland taking care of family."

Huh, Rogue wasn't aware he had kids.

"We need your help," Storm glanced up to Rogue, "Vance Astrovick is being transferred to the courthouse this weekend for his hearing."

"Guy who murdered his father?"

A trippy story. Vance's father was abusive toward him and his mother. Unaware of his mutant abilities, he accidentally killed him while protecting his mom. It shouldn't be more than a slap on the wrist since it was self-defense. The detectives who investigated the case, along with the attorney's agreed. He pled guilty, which would get him probation. With Kelly in office and supporting the FOH, anything could happen.

"What does that have to do with me?"

"Like you, we're short-staffed."

Oh no.

"Which leaves a few New Mutants with nowhere to go for the holiday or don't recognize it," Ororo continued.

Rogue's mouth hung open, "Come on 'Ro, anythin' but that."

Amused, Ororo smirked, "They're ready for training. I need them ready by the weekend."

"Ah can call Lyla. Easy in and out."

"Come along, Rogue; we don't have time to waste." Ororo's smirk grew into a smile as she walked with Rogue toward the Danger Room.

From now on, she will stop coming over here. Ever. It always leads to something she doesn't wish to do.

Arguments filled the Danger Room.

For new readers, the Danger Room is a space that helps the X-Men train individually, as a team, or for upcoming missions. Rogue, the moment she heard of the technology within, wanted to give it a run. This, training people who barely understand their powers, isn't what she had in mind.

Damn Wanda for leaving for Genosha for Thanksgiving.

In the room's far back, the New Mutants boys argued. It seemed like a dick-swinging contest while the girls were to the side, annoyed.

One of them, Amara, the girl at the school during the shooting, cleared her throat. She tapped a tall blonde on the shoulder.

"Ray," Her eyes were on Rogue and Ororo.

He waved her off, "In a minute 'Mara. I'm winning."

Amara came over, not in the mood to get yelled at or in trouble, "Storm! Hi."

Ray, hearing Storm's name, glanced over his shoulder and winced.

With her hand on her hips, Storm breathed, "As acting headmistress, I asked you all to step up."

Rogue paid attention to each student's body language as they gathered around. Amara is timid but eager to please; she could be a reporter waiting for Vance at the courthouse. Her eyes slid behind the broad shoulders to X-23. There are no issues since they already fought together, and she's excellent at following directions. The problem is where to put the three egos and Jamie.

"You are going on a mission this Friday."

"And the Brotherhood chic is here because?" One of the egos asked Ororo. His hungry, horny eyes roamed Rogue's body. She scoffed.

"She is in charge of you for the next week."

Ororo turned to Rogue and whispered, "good luck."

Once the doors slid shut after Storm, the arguments started up again. Rogue plopped on the ground playing on her phone.

Innocent Jamie meekly came over, "Are we going to get started."

"Soon. Promise." She winked up at him.

A few moments passed, and the lights went out. Amara screamed while the boys started asking what the hell was going on.

"Forget the lights," Ray said, "where is the Brotherhood girl?"

"Behind y'all."

SOUNDTRACK: Street Games by Ryan Taubert

"You want me to do what?"

On the ledge of an abandoned warehouse, Lyla leaned back on her palms, kicking her feet over the side.

The search for Graydon was tedious and uneventful. He refuses to show his face, and Lyla doesn't have the time, patience, or care to chase after him. When he slips, she'll be there. Emma and the Black Queen Selene told her to come and train Malakai for what's to come. Besides, the poor girl hasn't mastered her abilities.

A big fat, no-no.

Malakai looked to the ground, gulping.

"We are playin' tag."

"Okay, then, why are we on a rooftop?" Malakai gulped.

"Yah are refrained from touchin' the ground. Yah have to use yah powers."

Malakai shook her head. Frantic. "You know my powers are random, right? I can't change its randomness."

Powers are unpredictable. They adapt, mutate, and change constantly. They tend to evolve as well as the host. With an ability like Malakai's, it is hard to pinpoint a starting spot due to the characterization. she has limits, what they are, who knows, and why they're testing them now.

Is it dangerous to throw her off a building? Sure. At least it's not a bridge, right?

"Ah do, don't react." She said, a smile caressing the corner of her lips, "Just adapt and have fun."

Malakai went to say something, but it was cut off when Lyla took a giant leap to the ground and dashed down the street. She won't use her shapeshifting abilities. It gives Malakai a fighting chance. The basics will suffice.

SOUNDTRACK: Darkest Hour by Subzero

She couldn't believe Lyla would do this to her.

Not only did she leave her on the top of the got damned building. she wanted her to play a stupid and childish game of tag using her powers. Is she out of her mind? What if she uses the wrong power to get her from building to building? What if she slips and falls, and power doesn't want to manifest? What if—

Lyla said not to react. Just go.

Deep breath through her nostrils, Mali prayed to whoever would listen and took a leap of faith.

Eyes glued shut, she screamed, anticipating herself flailing to her death. She wasn't. Instead, air waved past her, hurrying her to a solid rooftop. No longer screaming her head off, Mali looked to her feet. She smiled. And then laughed. Alive.

Okay.

Okay.

Focus, she reminded herself. Think about catching Lyla and not her unpredictable powers.

"Are yah gonna stand there and stare, or are yah gonna come get me?" Lyla asked from the next rooftop over.

Mali smirked.

Let the games begin.

Little Jamie, Jubes, and Amara were on the ground, groaning and begging for the pain to disappear. They'd been in the Danger Room for the last two hours, getting their ass whooped by Rogue, but they didn't seem to give up. Good for them.

With her impeccable speed, Rogue dodged an icy fist from Bobby Drake. The momentum of his weighted hand rammed itself into Roberto's soft cheek. Because of the force of the swing and heft, he flew into Ray. Instead of getting back up and fighting back, they crawled near the others who gave up.

Smart.

"Look like it's just me and yah Popsicle," she shoved him in the shoulder.

He stumbled forward. His arm de-iced, allowing him to catch his balance once more.

"Yah can throw in the towel. Ain' no shame in it."

He went to backhand her, but she grabbed hold of his wrist.

"Lights."

Bobby shut his eyes.

She didn't let go. Rogue wanted him to see what defeat looked like.

"Yah lose."

Pathetic.

What are the X-Men teaching their students?

How on earth did they lose a simple fight against her? It was in their favor. Okay, yes, she turned the lights off. They were supposed to rally together. They did not.

"y'all need to learn how to work together." She glanced down at Bobby, "Prepare for the true trainin' to begin tomorrow. See y'all then."

No point in waiting for a response. They were too tired to say a word.

Once the door to the Danger Room slid shut behind her, Rogue ignored the smug smile on Ororo's face.

"Yah stood there the entire session?"

Ororo shrugged off the wall, "Not the whole time, no." In time with Rogue, she asked, "How did it go?"

"Ah'd have a better chance to do this alone than with them."

"It's all we have, Rogue."

She knows. Rogue knows.

She will do everything to protect the rights of mutants around the world. She'll have to suck it up and train these students the best way she can.

"You can stay—"

"Ah can manage to come here without havin' to spend the night." She made her way to the elevator, "Thank though."

"Tell Remy I say hi."

The elevator doors slid closed, cutting off her answer. Thank God.

Since the club a few weeks ago, she and he aren't on the same page or on good terms. And she has good reason. If only he'd come to his—

Now isn't the time to think about him and or Bella. It's about Friday, making sure the FOH doesn't do anything stupid.

Since the bombings around the country, Selene and Emma devised a plan to move their workers to an offshore site. It's right outside of the Big Apple. It is close enough for them to get to school and work on time but far enough that no one dares to come after them. Besides, Shaw and Selene live in Connecticut during the holiday season, and Emma, with Sebastian, is headed to Madrid for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Mali wouldn't have to lean on Lyla the entire way home if they were in the city. She told the princess to head upstairs for a shower and proceed to the open-concept living space.

Some of the Mansion's (hellfire) workers came sometime during the day to clean. Lyla reminded herself to get them a tip for a job well done. She nearly slipped and hit her face on the polished, ebony wood floors.

. The White Queen looked at her phone. She didn't bother looking at Lyla.

"I specifically said to train Malakai. Not kill her."

After her quick recovery, she saw Emma on the couch. She plopped down on a tweed gray reclining chair. Not only claimed the chair but her. It's comfy and reminds her of home. Speaking off, she kicked off her boots. If Irene were here, she would reprimand her for tracking dirt onto the newly polished floors.

"Ah should be yah Rook." Lyla smirked, "Ah, seem to take orders from yah than my court."

Emma glared over her phone, "Don't be so dramatic." she moved her focus back to her phone. "You'll hear from my counterparts soon enough."

Lyla raised an amused brow, "This about Mali?"

Emma set her phone inside her all-white Jimmy Choo purse, "You call her by her nickname. I thought you were mortal enemies."

"We—"

Pushing off the couch, she slid her matching Jimmy Choo sunglasses over the bridge of her nose. Emma didn't believe in mixing brands. One day Lyla asked why, boredom or intrigue; she wasn't sure. Emma said, 'I was taught better than that. If my mother found out I mixed brand name, she would rise from her grave and kill me.'

"I don't care. Don't kill her."

"Ain' there 'posed to be a threat after that?"

Emma smirked, "Where's the fun in that?"

Lyla leaned back in her chair. Her ears picked up Emma's departure as well as the getaway car. Eyes closed.

Her mind couldn't help but jump for joy. About damn time the Black Court took her off the wild goose chase of finding her brother and put her talents elsewhere. Peter wanted to piss Rogue off. He succeeded by using Lyla. Finally, he's pulling her off the assignment. Plus, Malakai can train herself.

The White Court chose her for a reason. It's not like she has no clue what she's doing.

"Yah take the shortest showers," Lyla said, eyes still closed.

Malakai's faint footsteps crossed the living room. The carpet made a subtle crunch under the weight of her feet.

"Thought you'd wanna shower too," Malakai took the blanket draped from the back of the couch over her bare feet.

Lyla popped open her eyes, "Find a movie we can watch. Let me shower, and Ah will be back in a jiffy."

Malakai's face lit up.

As if Lyla were to change her mind, Malakai scrambled to grab the remote, "No, Uriel?"

"Don't be too excited 'bout that."

She giggled, "He just talks too much."

Fair, "Enough."

Brooklyn, New York, is one of the busiest towns in the city. On a Friday, no less. Today, no one littered the streets.

No press. No crowds. No passer-Byers. And no FOH. Huh, she assumed they'd be here, stalking the prisoner.

It's fine.

She's here to help the rest of the group protect Vance from all threats. Dressed in police gear, Amara and Roberto ushered the accused toward the van. She helped him in the back while Roberto started the vehicle.

"Come in, Eagle 1," Amara said through her radio, "The cockatoo is leaving the coop. I repeat the cock—"

Rogue rolled her eyes a few blocks back as she started up her borrowed Police car. Ororo asked where she got one. Not only does Rogue have friends in all places, but she tends to have some thief experience.

"Don't repeat yah self. Please."

"Agreed," Laura, X-23, said on the passenger side. Rogue learned over the past few days, X had a name. The others haven't opened up to her to ask. Rude of them. She even prefers Laura Alexis Kinney. Lexi, or Lex for short. Who is Rogue to deny her, a girl who hasn't had a childhood, such a simple thing in life?

Your name means something when you are born and when you die. It's an identity. Mama and Irene taught her that when she was a young girl.

She pulled the car out of the park and followed the van toward the courthouse. Surprise, surprise, the damned crowd was formed at the steps of the Roman Temple, aka court. Press caught sight of the van and began to shout their questions.

The poor guy wasn't even out of the van yet.

Rogue stepped out of the car, Lex right behind her, and together they pushed people out of the way. The court's security, in disguise, Ray and Bobby, ran down to help form a permitter for Mr. Vance. Amara glanced at the signs that read hate against their people.

Words such as

'abomination!'

'Muties!'

'Monsters!' and much more were shouted at him. Some guy spits on Rogue's jacket, meant for the accused. She took a deep breath and kept it pushing.

"Keep yah head up." She whispered to Vance.

"They already made up their minds. I am guilty, Ms. Rogue." His dark brown hair dangled from his face, hiding the tears.

Right when they hit the door, screams erupted behind them. FOH protesters were dropping to the ground. Bullet's pressed between their foreheads. A judge flew out of the building, ready to demand what was going on when an accurate bullet lodged between his brows.

Well shit.

She wasn't expecting this.

"X, take Bobby and Ray with yah to find the shooter." Rogue turned to Amara, "Put him inside. Then grab Jubes and help me with crowd control."

Amara gave a firm nod and rushed Vance inside.

This isn't the work of the FOH. Or maybe it is to make mutants look bad.

Speculate another day. She huffed, then took a deep breath—time to play hero again.

Mali looked away from the scope of the sniper rifle toward her left. Lyla's back pressed against the cool brick wall, arms crossed, eyes closed, with double hearing protection. Sensitive hearing and all.

She admits Lyla Creed's handsome. Chiseled solid jaw, strong hands, and body. Before the readers jump down her throat for any information they missed. Mali's seen her without a baggy sweatshirt. Her shirts tend to cling to her muscles now if she buys them a size too small on purpose…oh, who cares.

A woman like Lyla comes with more red flags than green.

Mali shook her head, took a fist full of Lyla's khaki jogger material, and shook her.

Her, Lyla's, haunting gold eyes fluttered open. She glanced down at her g-shock watch and then whistled.

"Yah ain' as worthless as Ah thought."

And then, Lyla tends to ruin it.

Mali frowned, "Your sister is here."

All color drained from Lyla's face, "Ah'm callin' an audible."

"A what?" Mali understood enough to know it was a sports reference. She wasn't sure which sport.

Lyla shook her head, shoving her toward the door, "go to the meet spot."

"I am not leaving until you tell me what's happening."

"the X-Men to travel in packs, so fuckin' go when Ah tell yah."

"too late."

She and Lyla turned to see a few of Xavier's students she's studied standing before her. Ready for a fight.

"Surrender peacefully or else…."

Lyla snorted at the tall boy. His hair is platinum blonde with orange tips. His eyes were a sparkling blue.

"Ah'd walk away."

Mali turned to her right.

Lyla went from handsome to drop-dead gorgeous. With tattoos and dark blonde curly hair. Though, her haunting eyes stayed the same. She shifted into a muscle daddy. He was drawing her in.

Damn. A lot about the Creed family she doesn't know. But Mali is at the point, fuck the red flags.