Hey guys! So, this is my longest chapter yet! *Pumps fist* This is definitely an action chapter. I want to thank my new followers and favoriters (yes, I just made up a word). You guys rock! A few things to start off with, this is the only chapter I plan on doing a segment from Alex's P.O.V. (Unless you guys really like it). Secondly, I sincerely hope you guys aren't totally in love with Riptide (the mutant that makes tornados in the movie) cause if you are, terribly sorry but uh, this story isn't very nice to him. :( But it's totally necessary! The other thing is that the reader experiences symptoms of a panic attack. It's nothing really explicit, but if you're really sensitive to that kind of thing, you may not want to read. Okie dokie, hope you guys enjoy! :)
Disclaimer: Don't own Marvel, X-Men, X-Men: First Class, or any of the characters.
Reader-insert Key: Y/N= Your first name.
After the "incident," no one felt like going by their code names. Most of us sat on the couches after the room had been repaired and a new window brought in. The only exceptions were Alex and Darwin; they were using the arcade machine.
"Man, you are killing me!" Darwin exclaims.
"Ah, don't beat yourself up. I've had a lot of spare time." Alex replied.
On the side of the room with the couches, two CIA agents walk up to the large window. "Aw, I didn't know the circus was in town!" One of the agents said. "C'mon honey, give us a little-" he moved his hands in a flapping motion.
Angel rolled her eyes.
"No?" The agent asks. He turns to Hank. "C'mon, let's see the foot!"
Hank stands and walks towards the window.
"There it is! C'mon Big Foot! Let's go. C'mon! Hey!" The agent cheered.
Hank hit a button on the wall next to the window. He waved to the agents as curtains closed, blocking their view of us.
"They're just guys being stupid." Raven tried to assure us.
"Guys being stupid, I can handle. Okay?" Angel says. "I've handled that my whole life. But I'd rather a bunch of guys staring at me with my clothes off, then the way these ones stare at me."
"At us." Raven corrects quietly.
Suddenly, there was a loud thump coming from outside. It was soon followed by another. Something ominous was in the air. A lump forms in my stomach.
"What was that?" Darwin asks. "I don't know.. Something doesn't feel right."
He feels it too.
He moves towards the window. Hesitantly, the rest of us follow. Darwin hits the button to open the curtains. At first, we didn't see anything; the agents were gone and it was quiet. The whole courtyard outside was deserted. We looked up at the night sky. Suddenly, a puff of red smoke appears, revealing two dark figures.
As soon as the words left his mouth, one of the figures drops. We watch as it hurtles towards the ground. With a sickening crunch, it lands in front of the window. It was the head agent of the facility. Screams tore from our throats. We all stumble back from the window. Soon, multiple bodies are falling from the sky. Each time one hits, another scream of horror escapes one of our mouths.
Out of nowhere, agents swarm the courtyard. One of them bangs their fist on the window to get our attention. "Get back! Get back! Do not leave that room! We are under attack!"
A puff of red smoke appears where the statue once stood, revealing a man with red skin. His black hair was slicked back and he was dressed in a suit. He also had a red tail with an odd diamond shape on the end. He raised his arms almost tauntingly.
"There! Look!" We screamed, pointing frantically. Terror coursed through my veins.
"Shoot! Shoot!" The agent ordered. As the other agents started firing, the red-skinned man vanished the way he appeared. I felt a strong arm wrap around my waist, pulling me behind the couch. I couldn't see who it was. The others were behind the couch as well. As soon as we ducked, bullets ricocheted into the window, shattering it. Raven screamed in fear.
The sound of thunder crashing made me jump. We all snapped our heads to look out the other window. A massive tornado was whipping across the grounds.
"No.. Anything but that!" I tremble. One of my biggest fears is tornados. I didn't have a traumatic experience to explain it, I just feared them. How easily entire buildings can be destroyed by them. What they could do to a person who was so unfortunate as to be sucked into one. The devastation and terror they could induce... Outside the window, the red-skinned man continued to slaughter agents.
"Stay here my butt!" Darwin hollers. He bolts for the door, the rest of us hot on his heels. Soldiers were at the end of the hall. They saw us coming.
"Stay back! Stay back!" They shouted at us.
"We can help!" Darwin yells back.
The soldiers hold us back as we desperately try to run past them. Suddenly, explosions wrack the building, knocking us off balence. I couldn't help the scream that tore from my throat as I stumble, nearly falling. Alex grabs my arms, steadying me. We quickly run back to the room-
Just in time to see the giant tornado coming straight for us. Through the other window, the red-skinned man was still brutally murdering agents. Our gazes were torn between the two windows.
An agent gets sucked into the tornado, then thrown through the window-
The red-skinned man slaughters the last agent-
The tornado is revealed to be a mutant-
And they're both headed right for us.
"No. No, no, no, no, no!" I mumble, horror-filled eyes fixed on the mutant that can control tornados.
The sound of gunshots ring out from behind the closed door in front of us. "Wait! If you want the mutants, they're right through that door. Just let us normal people go. We're no threat." Someone says. It's followed my a sickening crack and a thump. The door opens to reveal a man in a metal helmet.
"Where's the telepath?" He asks.
"Not here." The red-skinned man replies.
"Too bad." There man with the helmet hums. "Well, at least I can take this silly thing off." He removed his helmet and runs a hand through his hair. "Good evening. My name is Sebastian Shaw. And I'm not. Here. To hurt you." He emphasized that last part.
"Freeze!" An agent shouts from the courtyard, his gun trained on Sebastian.
"Azazel!" Shaw calls.
The red-skinned man vanishes, then reappears behind the agent, stabbing him. Then he reappears back in the room.
Azazel.. So that's his name.
"My friends, there's a revolution coming." Sebastian says, handing his helmet to the tornado mutant. "When mankind discovers who we are. What we can do. Each of us will face a choice: be enslaved, or rise up to rule. Choose freely. But know that if you are not with us, then by definition you are against us."
The tornado mutant looks right at me. "Tornados aren't the only thing you should fear." His eyes scan my body, a dark smile on his face. "There are worse things I could do to you. Please, don't find out. Join us."
My breath hitches in fear. Alex stood on my right. He shifted his weight, partially blocking the tornado mutant's view of me. His arm moved almost imperceptibly, his hand twitching, so it was slightly in front of me.
Sebastian looked at each one of us in turn as he continued to speak. "So, you can stay. Fight for the people who hate you, and fear you. Or you can join me, and live like kings.." He looked directly at Angel. "And queens." He held out his hand.
Angel took it, letting Sebastian lead her towards the window.
"Angel.." Raven says.
"Are you kidding me?" Sean asks, incredulously.
Angel turns back to look at us, her eyes watery. "C'mon. We don't belong here.. And that's nothing to be ashamed of."
Dawin held his hand out towards her, but Angel turns her back on him, climbing out the window with Sebastian.
"We have to do something." Raven says.
Darwin sighs, shoulders slumping for a moment. Then he pulls his shoulders back and stands determinedly. He turns to face Alex and tries to tug him towards the window. Alex angrily shoves him off. I resist the urge to hold Alex back, worried that a fight would break out between the two guys. But as Alex and Darwin stare each other down, an understanding passes between them. Sebastian, Angel, Azazel, and the tornado mutant hold hands, getting ready to teleport.
"Wait." Darwin calls, making his way towards Sebastian. "I'm coming with you."
Sebastian smiles. "Good choice. So tell me about your mutation."
"Well, I adapt to survive," Dawin starts.
Alex slowly makes his way to the middle of the room and the rest of us follow. We all had a pretty good idea of what was about to go down.
"So I guess I'm coming with you." Darwin finishes.
"I like that." Sebastian says. He gestures for Darwin to join Angel, patting him on the back.
Darwin takes Angel's hand. "Alex." He calls.
"Get down!" Alex shouts.
"Do it!" Darwin yells, shielding Angel's body with his own and turning to stone.
We all five to the side as Alex summons his energy rings. He lets three of them loose. But his look of triumph suddenly turns to one of astonishment. I quickly use my powers to make a puddle on the ground. The reflective surface acted as a mirror. We all watched in horror as Shaw absorbed Alex's energy rings into his body.
Shouldn't he be dead?
"Protecting your fellow mutants.. It's a noble gesture." Sebastian says. He rolls his shoulders and stretching his neck, as if absorbing energy rings was a mild workout. "Feels good."
Darwin tries to strike Sebastian, but Sebastian quickly blocks it. He roughly grabbed Darwin's chin. He whispered something to Darwin, before shoving a ball of Alex's energy down Darwin's throat. Then he grabs hands with Angel and Azazel, before disappearing in a cloud of red smoke. Everyone freezes in horror as we watch Darwin's glowing body. He turns to metal, and then to to stone. Slowly, the glow fades to solid rock. He looks towards Alex, extending a hand to him. His face morphs to flesh briefly, his gaze meets Alex's. Then his body started to glow again. The glow grew brighter and brighter. Then Darwin is nothing more than ash in the wind.
Alex's legs buckle and he falls to his knees, shoulders slumping in defeat. The look of anguish and shock on his face mirrors everyone else's. Slowly, I climb to my feet and tentatively walk towards Alex. I gently lay my hand on his should. He tenses, before roughly shaking me off. I step back quickly as Alex turns to us in rage.
"Why didn't any of you do anything?!" He demands, glaring at all of us. His eyes land on me. "What about you? Huh? You control water! Why didn't you put him out? You just let him be killed! What good were you?! What good are you?!" He shouts.
I flinch back as if he had burned me, tears filling my eyes. I could feel everyone's eyes on me. All the fear and terror from the attack, the grief from Angel's betrayal and Darwin's death, all the rage radiating from Alex, hit me at once. My breath came out in short gasps. I couldn't breathe. I needed out. I needed to get out. I bolted for the door, not caring if any mutants were left. Not caring if I was killed. I just needed out. I ran down the hallway, around the corner, down another hallway, before coming to the destroyed remains of the the main lobby. I sat on the crumbling staircase and buried my face in my hands, letting the sobs overtake me.
Alex's P.O.V:
Dang it. He cursed himself, watching you flee the room. Why did he have to take your emotions out on you? Maybe because you were the first to comfort him? He always portrayed himself as a "tough guy." One who could handle anything the world threw at him. Maybe he lashed out at you, because you were the first one to see through the act. Inside, he's terrified. What he just saw scared the daylights out of him. What that tornado freak threatened to do to you... But what was eating at him the most was guilt. It was his energy that killed Darwin. His powers. His mutation. So, he lashed out at the closest person. That's what I do, right? He thinks bitterly. Take out whatever is nearest to me.
"What is wrong with you?" Hank's voice breaks the tense silence.
Alex glares at him.
"Do you know what happens to hot metal or molten rock when you apply cold water? It turns solid! So unless you wanted a statue to replace the one you destroyed, or some sick monument for Darwin, there's nothing Y/N could have done! So if you have any decency, or care about Darwin's memory at all, you'll go apologize to Y/N right now!" By the time Hank finished, he was breathing heavily and everyone was looking at him in shock.
Alex continues to glare at Hank, but Hank holds his gaze. Slowly, Alex stands and heads out the door. But now before roughly knocking his shoulder against Hank's on the way out. After walking down the hall a ways, he hears sniffling. As he he gets closer, he hears the sound of someone crying softly.
Aw crap. Good going, Alex. You made her cry. She comforts you ,and you make her cry.
Y/N, or Ocea, whichever she preferred, was huddled at the bottom of a crumbling staircase. Her face was buried in her hands, and her shoulders shook from crying. Alex sighs softly. The staircase was wide enough for him to sit next to her without crowding her. She felt a presence sit next to her and she tensed, but didn't look up.
"Hey." Alex says, softly.
Your P.O.V:
I sigh, before quickly wiping the tears from my face. "Look," I say, my voice shaking. "I'm beating myself up enough as it is. I should have done something to help Darwin.. Or stop the tornado mutant.. Something. I get it. You don't have to make it any worse." I look down t my hands. They trembled.
"I came to apologize." Alex says. I froze, surprised that he would do that. "I.. shouldn't have taken my anger out on you... It wasn't your fault, and there's nothing you could have done.." His voice is soft and soothing.
I sniffle. "I really cared about him too, you know."
Alex sighs. "I know you did."
I angrily wipe away the tears that tried to form in my eyes. It's bad enough Alex caught me blubbering like a baby once. "It's not you fault either." I say, quietly.
Alex stiffens.
"You did everything you could to save him and Angel. I mean, it was Darwin's plan in the first place. We all knew there would be consequences. Take your own medicine; it's not your fault."
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Alex hang his head and rake a hand through his hair. He sighs again. "Still doesn't change the fact he's gone." Alex mutters.
I nod. "He's gone." My eyes started to water again. I needed comfort. I didn't realize how desperately I needed it, until I realized I had laid my head on Alex's shoulder. I panicked, thinking he would shove me off again. But to my utter surprise and relief, Alex didn't. Instead, he wrapped an arm around me. That's when I let the tears fall again. I buried my face in his shoulder and cried.
And Alex let me.
After I had calmed down, Alex suggested we head back to the room. I agreed. Who knows how the others are dealing with Darwin's death. Alex stood and extended a hand towards me, helping me up. Again to my surprise, he didn't let go. Instead, he continued holding my hand, leading me back towards the room. I was grateful. After everything that happened that night, I felt lost. But Alex kept me grounded. I don't know what it is about him, but he makes me feel safe and secure.
As we approached the door, he let go of my hand. I instantly missed the warmth. And how his hand fit perfectly around mine. He held the door open for me. I was slightly startled to see his eyes rimmed with red. I nodded my thanks before entering. As we entered the room, everyone's attention turned to us. I wrapped my arms around myself protectively, both from the attention and from the cold seeping in the room from the destroyed windows. As I looked at everyone, I noticed their eyes were red-rimmed as well. Raven was sitting on the couch, her eyes still wet from tears. I walk over and give her a hug. She squeezes me tightly. Alex and Hank exchange nods. I wasn't sure what that was about, but I shrugged it off.
About two hours later, sirens could be heard in the distance. We cautiously make our way to the front of the building, just in time to see reinforcement agents heading for us. Help had arrived, but it was too late.
A/N: So yeah, this was close to 3,000 words. Hope it was worth that many words, haha. Let me know! REVIEW!
~Kate