Disclaimer: I do not own X-men in any way shape or form.
Well I hope this gets reviews. Not to be the whiny guy who wants reviews all the time. Which I am. I just love feedback I would like to hear more about story content and whatnot. Little spelling errors and such are natural since I don't have a beta. I am trying to work on my run-on sentences but usually I start typing these late at night when I am bored or when I feel inspiration strikes me most.
Don't worry I have the story loosely mapped out in my head way in advance.
Chapter 5: Finding What Was Lost
"So I have pinpointed the location of Iceman, I am not sure how much we will get out of him," said Betsy.
"Why is that?" Rogue asked.
"Umm...I uh...don't know how to put this," she stated, "But he's mental."
The other three young mutants just looked plain shocked. Then Peter spoke up, "So, what are we talking here? Does he have multiple personality disorder or something?"
"I have no clue what you would classify it as," she said, "He is super sensitive about the subject of what happened to his teammates, and he usually doesn't talk to people."
"Well we will have to get it out of him then," said Rogue, "How come the Brotherhood haven't done anything about this if it is common knowledge he is still around?"
"He is no threat," said Psylocke, "He doesn't use his powers anymore and he hasn't helped the authorities at all in perpetrating them he just snapped."
The four of them were sitting on a balcony at her house behind them were large wooden doors made of very beautiful wood and involving great carpentry. In front of them was a view of a large expansive property that was the Braddock's. The fine doors opened and Amahl stepped out, "Are you ready to go? It is a one way trip until you find what you need."
"We will do what we have to, I'm ready is everyone else," said Betsy, and with that being stated everyone found themselves nodding nobody was looking back now.
"Come with me," said Amahl as he ripped open another portal with which everyone was accustomed to now.
All four of the people assigned to this mission followed and they were aboard the cross-dimensional transport fending off the Shadow creatures again. The trip ended and Amahl ripped open another portal, "I will see you when you find what you need."
They stepped out of the portal, and Amahl travelled back but he only went to the other side of town. He called his higher authority. The phone rang twice before being answered, "Magneto what shall I do now? They are trying to find more about the Brotherhood."
"They have left to America so you will kill as many of the ones in the Mansion as you can without being discovered, until they find out some information about you then you will take care of the leader. As a group without a leader fails." Magneto replied, "That is all Shadow King."
He hung up and disappeared in a rift yet again.
Rain drops came down upon the streets in a quick pattering style. Psylocke used telekinesis to keep the crew from getting wet, Nightcrawler had his hood on and tried to hide his appearance. The sun was starting to fall so visiting hours were only so much longer.
They had to be discreet as Sentinels still roamed the US and killed mutants or detained them.
"Are we nearly there?" asked Kurt.
"Another block," said Psylocke.
They were in New York the streets around this part of town seemed less lively though, and it was more run down. In the alleys lied vagabonds trying to create cover for themselves. It was truly a dark age in America.
"We got to watch out for Sentinels," said Rogue, "I'm not sure if they have me in their databases."
They managed to get to the Asylum before closing time with 30 minutes of time to get across to Iceman. Betsy turned to Nightcrawler and said, "Maybe you should stay outside and keep watch in case a Sentinel comes."
"Eh sure," said Kurt.
So the other three stepped inside and the person at the front counter looked at them, "Visiting hours are nearly over."
"Yes we know we need to see Bobby Drake," said Betsy.
"Ahh, what relation are you?" the front desk man inquired.
Betsy looked at him and just put a thought in his head, 'It is none of your business and you will not worry about it.'
He then forgot about it, "Right down this hallway he is most likely in the dining hall since it is dinner time."
"Thank you sir," replied Betsy she had a smug grin on her face.
Peter and Rogue followed her. They then ended up in the dining hall, though this was an asylum most of them weren't too harmful to society just they couldn't take care of themselves. She scanned the room to find Bobby. She passed over several people and then located his mind.
They approached him, and he immediately turned around. He looked much older than he was he looked year-worn and tired. He had blonde hair that was very unkempt and shaggy, it didn't look like he cared for it much. He had a scruffy yellowish beard that had grey mixed in. His eyes alone told a tale of how much the incident had traumatized him they looked empty almost even lifeless. He wore a robe over his pajamas which were blue and plaid. He wore slippers as well that showed how little he cared about his well-being now with the wear and tear as well as stains. He however wore a baseball cap that seemed to be what little of what Bobby's personality used to be.
"Hello Bobby Drake?" asked Betsy.
He turned to her with a that same stare but something lit up a little in his eyes. He said nothing however.
"You don't have to say anything yet we just need information from you ok?" she said.
He simply gained back that stare.
"This is important for our kind," she said.
He started to turn away before she said this but that brought his attention back he started to utter a soft spoken word, "No."
It became more persistent and louder. He kept saying it. He wouldn't stop until he was yelling. Betsy was trying to calm him down when she remembered something from biology. Maybe she would be able to do it considering it related to the brain.
She commanded his brain to mess with the levels of endorphins before the guards came over to escort her out. He slowly stopped saying that word.
"Okay you probably won't give us any information, but I can try to retrieve it from your mind," she turned to Rogue, "If I can't get anything you try."
The stare was back almost challenging the telepath to try all she wanted. She wandered through his mind for several minutes to travel all the way back. It seemed as though he blocked what had happened to his teammates.
She came back from his mind and turned to the other two, "He has mentally blocked it but he seems to react to anything relating to it, its very odd, maybe its because he is insane now but I can't seem to find any memories. It is almost like a maze, nothing is in order anymore and everything is warped."
"I'm not trying it then, I don't need his memories," said Rogue, "Taking a persons memory has a powerful grip on me I don't like it if I don't need to."
Peter looked to them both, "We cannot give up comrades, we should check his room maybe he has belongings."
"Good idea," said Betsy.
She managed to get a subliminal message into Iceman's mind to go back to his room. So they followed him.
He stepped in and sat in a chair in the corner, it was an arm chair a rather worn one but a comfy looking one and he just looked out the window. There were bars on it, but that didn't stop them from seeing the rain. It was still pouring very hard.
So the three of them immediately got to looking through his things. But after looking through his cupboards and stacks of paper on his end table they found nothing.
The three of them sat on his bed looking defeated. Betsy sat there looking dejected and said, "This...was pointless. We are at a dead end what can we do?"
"Could you find any of the other ones? I mean you said Cyclops may be alive," said Peter.
After he said this Bobby started searching through his robe pockets and he pulled out an envelope. He looked at Peter and said, "Scott."
They all turned Peter then said, "What? Scott who the hell is that?"
Betsy lit up and immediately had a wide grin she jumped up and practically yelled, "Its Cyclops!"
"What now?" said Rogue she had zoned out after they gave up on the search. Then a loud crash was heard out side.
They all ran to the window and inside that muffled teleporting noise could be heard. Nightcrawler arrived in the room, "Its a Sentinel."
He was breathing heavily as he had to teleport several times to find them.
"Ah shit!" said Rogue.
A large robotic hand crashed through the wall and then a face lowered itself to their view. This Sentinel looked like an updated version of the Murderworld one they fought and it was well put together.
It then said, "Scanning."
"Mutant Targets Detected."
"Terminate."
Its eyes started to charge up and it had noticed Iceman too. Betsy turned to him and Rogue, "Rogue take his power, and you guys get us the hell out of this room!"
Rogue hesitated for a moment and then touched Iceman, a memory zoomed into her head and all had seemed to slow down for her. It was a log cabin in the middle of a forest, everything was blurred but she immediately knew this was where Cyclops lived now or at some point lived.
She flashed back and screamed. This was unlike anything she had absorbed there was a lot of power within him. Rogue then fell to her knees and the floor beneath her started to coat in ice.
"We better move!" said Colossus.
He grabbed both Iceman and Psylock and leaped from the room into the streets, the muffled teleport sound followed and Nightcrawler was there too.
The Sentinel then targeted Rogue specifically, a meter in its vision raised after she tapped into Iceman's abilities. It stated, "Omega Level power being displayed, show no restraint."
Then its chest plates opened up and missiles started to fly from it. The ice around Rogue kept going and then ice spikes came from the ground stopping the missiles. Rogue then seemed to gain some control and got up. She turned to ice and then raised a hand to the Sentinel. It immediately started to spark. Shortly after the sparking water flowed from every crevice of the Sentinel and she solidified it.
The Sentinel could no longer work. The Sentinel's primary objective which was now Rogue snapped her fingers. Machinery spread everywhere the Sentinel was now shards, it no longer resembled anything close to one.
All who were watching stood in awe, even Iceman. Rogue then slid from the building down a pillar of ice. She smiled and then said, "I love this power!"
"I heard the Sentinel say she was an Omega level...what is that?" asked Nightcrawler.
"Its a mutant that has no end to its potential no doubt they will be sending more Sentinels," said Psylocke, "So we had better get a move on."
"So he lives in the woods somewhere on the east coast," Rogue said, "I know what it looks like I can get us there."
"But how?" asked Nightcrawler, "Four people is a lot for me to teleport especially a mile at a time."
"I have a better idea," Rogue said.
The group then vanished in a spray of water. They reappeared in a dark wooded area. Colossus then exclaimed, "What the hell! That hurt I have a massive headache now!"
"I think I understand how that worked," Rogue said, "I broke everyone up into water molecules and reassembled them, another trick I learned from touching Bobby here."
"Great," said Psylocke, "I just wouldn't touch him too much more if I were you."
Back at the Braddock mansion Gambit, Toad, Pyro and Jubilee were standing in the kitchen. Toad licked a fly from the air and said, "So how come they didn't take us huh? I can kick some serious ass."
He motioned some mock punches and kicks. Then Pyro said, "Its obvious she likes 'ol St. John Allerdyce she just doesn't want you guys to see how much she favors me."
"Right..." said Jubilee whilst rolling her eyes, "I'm sure that's why she didn't take you."
"I could have definitely benefited the team in an operation such as what they are doing," said Gambit slyly as he tossed a card into the table.
"Why don't we do some super heroing of our own while she is gone?" said Toad, "We could get the job done."
"This is where I take my leave," said Jubilee.
She grabbed a random magazine and started to open it as she plopped onto the couch.
"Okay I am listening," said Gambit.
"Right simply said we go find some people in trouble and help them out," explained Toad, "You see we go around town helping people out, take care of their problems. Thus making the world a better place."
"Whatever I will follow you two around," replied Gambit.
"Where's that Bishop bloke?" said Pyro, "He would probably eat this shit up."
"I believe he went to town for some reason maybe we will see him," said Gambit.
The three then left leaving Jubilee by herself. She thumbed through the magazine and from behind her popped up Amahl. He then said, "How come you didn't go with them?"
"I don't take much to the super heroics business," she muttered, "Where were you any way?"
"Eavesdropping," he smiled.
"Uh, okay you don't need to eavesdrop you can always join in," she said.
"Well you see I needed to manipulate the conversation so one of you would stay behind," he said, "So I convinced you that you didn't want to go even though you are friends with Toad."
"Why would you do that?" she said, "You aren't planning on doing things to me are you?"
At this point she was on her feet sparks at the ready. Amahl laughed heartily, "Eh, no. I want to kill you."
He enveloped her in shadow. She was now in the astral plane where Amahl thrived, he was now the Shadow King. Jubilee was truly frightened she started firing bolts of energy at Amahl though none had much effect.
"A fighter huh? Xorn didn't do much when I killed him," he laughed a laugh that didn't even sound human.
A clawed hand sliced open Jubilee, then he dropped her into the darkness below. Amahl watched her fall, "Two down."
In the woods of which the faction of X-men now were residing. Psylocke looked at Iceman he was now leaning against a tree falling asleep. She then said, "We better just leave him here we can get him when we enter the cabin."
Rogue then moved ahead while she just talked then she tripped over a wire. A pit opened up and she fell in with the wire tied around her foot. She then cried out in pain, the wire cut into her foot a little. The cabin door burst open and out stepped Cyclops, "You better not be the Brotherhood!"
Colossus then covered himself in the organic metal. Cyclops saw this and said, "Oh you must be if you are mutants."
He lifted his sunglasses revealing some scars on his face for a minute and then a red flash shot from his eyes knocking Psylocke into a tree.
"Thats not even full blast you better leave!" he threatened.
Colossus looked towards Psylocke and noticed she was unconscious. Nightcrawler teleported into the pit freeing Rogue from the trap and teleporting her back. Cyclops fired another blast separating the two X-men, as Colossus ran forward. The concussion blasts from his eyes found Colossus' mass a great target. Colossus pressed forward as the blast suppressed his movements.
Nightcrawler teleported back to Rogue and they both appeared behind Cyclops. Just then Cyclops increased the blast knocking down Colossus and he turned to both Rogue and Nightcrawler drawing a sword. He swung it just as Nightcrawler withdrew his knife blocking it.
"You plan to fight me with that?" said Cyclops, "I took down your big guy and your leader, you think this will do me in."
"No," Nightcrawler strained, "But maybe she will."
Rogue had taken Nightcrawler's power at some point while she was rescued by him and she was behind Cyclops and reached for his face knocking him out.
"We got lucky..." said Rogue.
Hours later Cyclops was tied to a chair in his cabin Psylocke looked him in the eyes as he awoke, "Instead of assuming we are the Brotherhood check next time. We are carrying on Charles Xavier's legacy, we brought Iceman with us you see."
He was sitting in the corner looking off in the distance.
"I am impressed, you managed to take me down," said Cyclops, "None of the Brotherhood's assassins have managed to."
"Well I'm not going to let you loose yet," said Betsy, "Because we need answers."
Next Chapter: Finding What Was Lost Part 2