Chapter 20: Home

After the destruction of Creed's base everyone climbed into their assigned vehicle. Wanda graciously hexed the two tied up men, Creed and Wiser throwing the two into the X-Jet on cots. She nodded to Rogue who gave a quick nod back before Wanda climbed into her sphere and took off with Magneto back to the institute.

Once on the X-Jet they turned to Rogue, "Where to?" Logan asked. 'He knew damn well but Rogue was still in charge of the mission until they reached home.'

Rogue looked at him and said, "Let's go home, Ah'm sure the proffessor has some idea what he wants done with these two." She motioned to Graton and Jake.

"Sounds like a good plan Stripes." Logan turned on the engines and the jet roared to life. They took off high into the clouds until Hawaii and all the islands were nothing but specks next to the water.

After they were level and flying smoothly Storm fetched the medical kit from under one of the cots. She sat beside Rogue attempting to clean the girls injured head and cuts on her wrists where the handcuffs had been. Rogue was not cooperating. "Ow, that stings!" She pulled away.

"I am sorry Rogue, you took quite the beating."

They glared at Mystique. "Oh no, I am only responsible for the head, wrists and stomach. Everything else was either from the first set of guards, Creed or our final battle with the guards. We should consider ourselves all lucky that none of us were shot."

They looked at Rogue. "She's tellin' the truth. Ow, Storm!"

Storm sighed. "Rogue, it is going to sting because they are cuts. There is nothing I can do about that."

"She could," mumbled Rogue.

No one but Logan heard. "Hey Storm, why don't you and Mystique trade places for a bit. I need a better navigator anyway."

Both women understood. Storm went upfront and Mystique took over the care of Rogue. Mystique looked at Bobby, "Bobby, I need some ice." She then looked at Kitty, "Kitty, find me a thin bag to put the ice in."

Both Bobby and Kitty did what she asked and said, "Here," and thrust her a plastic bag filled with ice.

Mystique proceeded to numb the cut areas on Rogue and then applied the antiseptic.

Storm watched. "Why didn't I think of that?"

Logan tried to comfort her. "Don't beat yourself up 'Ro. Think of it as learning something new, even if it is from her." Storm sighed and nodded. As she glanced back she saw Mystique rub away the dried blood and saw Rogue wince.

"That hurts! Can't ya be a bit more gentle!

Mystique looked at her and shook her head. "Tough it out Rogue." Rogue's eyes bugged out of her head and then she gave her glare of death. Mystique just ignored it and proceeded rubbing the area. "You need stitches and I can't give them to you while the area is covered up with dry blood. Now stay still."

Rogue sucked in a deep breath. "Fine, but it's ya fault," she mumbled.

After Rogue was stitched up she said, "Hey Logan, can Ah pilot again?"

Logan looked at her. "Kid, you're pretty beat, why don't you just relax. 'Ro and I have this." He looked at his Stripes. She wasn't happy. "Look Stripes, why don't you check in with the mansion and tell the professor that we will need the officers who deal with the FOH ready to take some scum away."

"Fine." She took the radio that Storm handed her.

"Professor are ya there?"

"Yes Rogue, how can I help you?"

"Well, we are not only bringin' back the drug t' be destroyed, but also Graton Creed and Jake Wiser, the creator of Kicking the X. We are hopin' that you might be able t' have the cops that deal with the FOH ready outside o' the mansion t' pick these scum up."

"Well Rogue, I would like to, but I don't have any proof, unless you do."

"Oh Ah got proof professor! They were jus' stupid enough t' put their inicals on the boxes of the drugs. Have a look in the lab if ya don't believe meh. Plus the billboards they were advertising on, it is all there." She paused and looked behind her before continuing. "Ah also don't think Jake Wiser wants anythin' t' do with this company anymore, do ya Jake?" Jake shook his head. "He says no professor."

"Are you talking blackmail Rogue?"

"Not necessarily, more o' a reduced sentence. He was kind 'enough t' tell us 'ow t' get rid o' the drug. Can ya run that by the authorities?"

"I will do my best. What is your ETA back here?"

"Um, one sec." She looked at Logan, "Logan, when will we be back home?"

"Three hours tops, why?"

"Prof. wants t' know." She then turned her attention back to the radio. "We should be back in three hours at the most professor."

"Thank you Rogue. I will do my best to arrange for a pick-up."

"Thanks professor!"

When they arrived back at the mansion there were twenty cop cars. Rogue looked at the other teams, "Why so many cars? Ah told the professor we had two people."

"Oh, they are for all the guards we managed to take back," Lance said.

Her eyes sparkled and the left side of her mouth turned up in a semi smile. "Well Ah'll be damned. How'd that happen?"

"Magneto took them in a large sphere made out of the base. Scared the shit out of them. You could actually hear them screaming."

Rogue didn't believe that. Sure you could hear the spheres whizzing by at a fast pace, but you couldn't hear the people inside the metal, could you? "Naw, there's got t' be more. No one screams in those orbs without a reason. What happened?"

Toad hopped over, "Ha, Wanda hexed it!"

Rogue shook her head. "Ah knew there was more."

Just then Logan and Mystique dragged Graton Creed and Jake Wiser off of the jet and over to the authorities. Captain Jay Russell spoke to Creed, "We've been looking for you a long time Mr. Creed. It will be my pleasure to put you behind bars."

Creed looked ready to attack. "MUTANT LOVER!" he screamed.

Capt. Russell shook her head, "No, I am a peace keeper like Professor Xavier. She motioned for two of her officers to cuff the two men.

They did so but right before they were put in the car Rogue called out, "Ah hope they make y' suffer behind bars the way y' made the mutants at your base suffer." With that the two men were shoved into the back seat of the cop car and the doors were slammed shut.

Capt. Jay then turned to Charles. "Charles, who was in charge of this mission?" Charles motioned to Rogue. Jay looked at her, "You did a great job. We have been looking all over for Graton Creed. We checked all his abandoned bases, and had his face on the most wanted list throughout all of the United States and Canada. We had no idea that he had traveled so far beyond those boundaries. Now that he is behind bars our hope is that the FOH will wither away, slowly, but eventually disappear. Thank you."

Rogue wasn't sure what to say. She looked around. Everyone was smiling, even The Brotherhood. Finally she said, "Ah couldn't o' done it without mah teams." Jay extended her hand. Rogue looked at her own hands. Her wrists were bandaged but she was wearing her gloves. She extended her own and shook Jay's hand.

Before Jay left she said, "Charles made a wise choice placing you as a leader." She then turned and got in her car taking Creed and Wiser into custody.

Rogue could feel all eyes on her so she spun around, "What!" she demanded.

"Nothing," was the only answer she got.