Above ground on Alkali Lake, the x-men plus Rogan, Mystique and Magneto surveyed the surface.
"over there," Rogan said pointing at a dip in the ground. "just go down there. The entrance is right there. Its just a case of getting far enough in without being caught and killed. Simple as."
"Shouldn't be too hard." Mystique shrugged. They both ran headlong towards the entrance . As they ran Mystique turned into Wolverine and Rogan stopped looking so human. She didn't't seem to change her appearance but she just looked less human.
They slowed down as they got close. They walked in silence for a few minutes.
"wouldn't have expected to catch you running round with the x-men." Mystique said eventually.
"I wouldn't have either but I can't get out of it at the moment," Rogan found it incredibly weird saying such a thing to someone bearing Logan's form. Mainly because she knew he wouldn't be happy if he heard her say such a thing. "it wasn't voluntary either. I'm in too deep at the moment."
"you can't honestly tell me that you're not the tiniest bit happy that you're getting to see Jean again," Mystique looked over at Rogan. Out of the corner of her eye the smile she saw was a purely a smile she'd only seen on Logan. It took all her effort to remember it was Mystique she was talking to. "you're right I can't. but at least I'm not out to get her killed." that put an end to that conversation. They both became silent as they started walking down the tunnel.
"here we go." Mystique muttered as she spotted a security camera. She cleared her throat "Stryker!" she called in Logan's deep voice.
Rogan straightened her back and walked taller and furiously. bringing each foot down with a resounding shattering noise.
"It's me. Wolverine."
They walked further into the tunnel. The small security camera followed their movements.
Inside the base Stryker turned to a guard. "is he alone?" he asked. The guard shifted the camera angle.
"no. he has a woman with him."
Stryker hurried to the screen. "send a team, and bring them to me in the north corridor. Carefully."
In front of them a section of wall opened and three soldiers rushed out, rifles in their hands.
"Don't move! Hands in the air!" a soldier shouted.
Behind them another wall opened and three more soldiers rushed out. Mystique and Rogan found themselves surround. They had no choice but to obey. They put their hands in the air. They were lead down a corridor. Their arms and feet were shackled and they both had guns pointing at their heads. They were only slightly surprised to find that waiting for them at the end of the tunnel was Stryker. He stared closely at Rogan "well, well. I'm not surprised to find you here. After all you still owe me." Rogan grimaced. "no need to remind me."
He got to the cleverly disguised Mystique. "who do you think you're looking at?" Rogan felt a twinge of panic. She had said that it might not work if Stryker gets too close.
"you do such a good impression on video. But in real life…" he pulled out a gun and held it to Mystique's head. Before he had time to pull the trigger Mystique quickly changed back into herself. Her arms, legs and feet becoming thin enough to slip out of the shackles. She wrapped the shackles around Stryker's gun and was able to rip it from him. She knocked him against the wall. While this was going on Rogan balled her hands into fists and swung round, hitting the soldier behind her with a fist full of shackles. She then changed herself effortlessly so she too cold slip easily out of the shackles. Rogan jumped over a second soldier and sent him careering into the wall with a sharp side kick. After establishing there were no more soldiers left standing they both stopped.
Stryker stalked into the control room with a guard in tow. "seal the room. We have two metamorphs on the loose. They could be anybody."
"anybody?" the guard at the control said without looking round. Stryker hit the guard around the back of the head. The guard slumped forwards and fell to the floor, unconscious. Stryker and the guard became Mystique and Rogan. "sorted." Rogan muttered.
Breathing heavily they looked at each other and smiled. While Mystique set about opening the doors for the other, Rogan sat down. She felt…odd. Like someone had just picked her up and shaken her. She felt dizzy and sick. She crossed her arms across her stomach. Something wet caused her to look down. wow. she thought when did that happen. Then a sort of smothering blackness enveloped her vision and things started to look like she was lying on her side. She realised she was when Mystique pushed her onto her back "you better come back from this one or she will kill me." Mystique muttered to her.