Disclaimer: Oh, you guys know this stuff doesn't belong to me.
Chapter 52-The Power of Four
Death stared at Phoenix with a dark look on his face. His posture made it obvious that he was unimpressed by her words. "You are talking of an uprising that will only end in our deaths."
"Not if you side with me," said Phoenix coldly.
"How can we be sure of that? You and the Rogue threaten to kill each other on a daily basis," pointed out Famine. "Your words mean nothing when even you cannot do a thing about that mutant girl."
Phoenix's head shot around to glare at the thin mutant who had spoken. "She is not your concern. You leave her to me and I will deal with her. I didn't come here to be questioned by you; you are nothing but puppets of Apocalypse."
"And you are not?" questioned War with narrowed eyes.
"I am the Phoenix…I am not a puppet. All I ask is for you to side with me…work with me…do as I say. Apocalypse does not have much time left on this planet. He is destined to be destroyed—and I intend to make that happen. And you will either be with me or against me…and if you choose the latter I will personally see to it that your death is long and painful."
Pestilence stood up. "You don't leave us with a choice in the matter."
"No, I do not."
"Then what do you want us to do?"
Tilting her head to one side, Phoenix slowly smiled. "Nothing yet. Just be aware that your loyalties lie with no one but me. Apocalypse will be sending you out to turn the world upside down. I will give you your orders then."
"I don't like this," stated Death.
"Does it look like I care?" snarled the red head, her face darkening. Without another word she was stalking out of the small chamber, leaving the Four Horsemen alone.
"Can we trust her?" questioned Famine.
"She's right about one thing," said War, "We really don't have a choice. We'll end up dead no matter whose side we choose."
"Too true," sighed Pestilence. "The Rogue has control of Gambit, Sabertooth, Lady Deathstrike, and Juggernaut. Phoenix lives in her own world half the time. And Apocalypse seems to stay in his throne room. There's too much power in this hellhole, all three of them are plotting against the other, and this rift will only grow wider. There's nothing we can do but go along with the inevitable now."
The Four Horsemen looked up in surprise as Emma Frost walked into the chamber. Her face was set in a deep frown and she looked to be pissed as hell. Emma ignored the quartet and continued walking further into the base, her footsteps echoing across the cavern walls.
"I want to talk to you!" she stated in a loud voice causing Apocalypse to look up from the table he was peering over.
"How did you get here?" he growled.
"That's unimportant! I'm here to negotiate—"
"I do not negotiate with underlings—only equals!"
"I am your equal!" shrieked Emma.
"You are nothing more than a flea—one I will not have any problem squashing if you do not leave!"
"Not until you hear what I have to say!"
Apocalypse raised a hand into the air, a bright orb of light forming. He was about to let it fly in Emma's direction when Rogue came bursting into the room. "Wait!" she called out, giving Emma an icy look. "Let me handle this one."
"Just get her out of my sight."
Nodding, Rogue grabbed Emma in a steel grip around the arm and yanked the blonde woman out of the room. Emma protested the entire way, struggling to pull herself out of Rogue's grip before the southerner's powers kicked in. Rogue continued to pull Emma, not caring that the blonde was panicking in her grip. She finally let go of Emma as soon as they were outside the base.
"What the hell were you thinking trying to talk to Apocalypse as though you're just as powerful as he is? The asshole doesn't even like talking to me or Phoenix half the time. Are you completely insane?" demanded Rogue angrily.
Emma rubbed her wrist gingerly. "I'm tired of being over looked! One day the world will see what I'm made of—and then they'll be sorry!"
Rogue shook her head at Emma's words. She sounded completely off her rocker. "You've lost your mind, lady. Thinking like that's only going to get yourself killed. Is that what you want? You don't even understand the half of what's going on. Apocalypse, Phoenix, and I are probably going to end up dead after he gets through trying to take over the world or whatever shit he's got up his sleeve. I don't think that's what you had in mind for eternal glory, blondie."
"And you think I'm insane? You're the one going along with his plans."
"It's not like I've got anything better to do," retorted Rogue glibly. "Look, why don't you just go back to trying to be the White Queen of la-la land and leave the world domination and destruction to the real psychos, huh? 'Cause I'm not going to rescue your sorry ass the next time you come around looking for trouble. I might just kill you myself."
Emma snorted. "You wish, brat. You are nothing without Apocalypse. Before him you were just another angst driven teenager with a penchant for trouble. You didn't have control of powers before he came along…and after he's gone you'll go down to the furthest reaches of hell where you belong!"
"I'll be sure to save you a spot then, sugar. I'm sure there'll be more than enough room for the two of us."
"Fuck you."
"Go home, Frost. This isn't your calling. You aren't meant to be a minion and you know it. You're a leader…so go lead your little robot army back at the club. I'm sure they'd like to be able to do something rather than just sit around and bitch about you and the rest of the old fucks you've got running that place."
Grinding her teeth in anger Emma flipped a strand of blonde hair over her shoulder. She was tempted to lash out at Rogue with her psychic powers but had a feeling that Rogue would only lash back at her with one of many borrowed powers of her own. Instead she turned her attention to Remy who was now joining them. "I see you've still got your lapdog."
Remy grinned. "Aw chère, why didn't you tell me we were going to be having the crazy lady over today? I would've dressed up."
"She was just leaving," replied Rogue smoothly, "Weren't you, Emma?"
"Not until I talk to Apocalypse," said Emma crossing her arms in front of her chest. Rogue and Remy exchanged glances and then both grabbed a hold of Emma by the arms. A second later they were standing in front of the Hellfire Club.
"Care to reconsider?" asked Rogue.
"How dare you. One day I'll get you back for this…I'm going to kill you."
"Then you might want to get in line," pointed out Remy. "I think Apocalypse, Phoenix, and Danvers are ahead of you."
"Oh who asked you for your opinion?" snapped Emma.
Remy shrugged as he turned to look at Rogue. "I don't think she likes my sense of humor, chère."
"That's a shame…and here I thought maybe she'd take you off my hands," murmured Rogue with a roll of her eyes. Emma was seething by now. She opened her mouth to yell at the southern girl but quickly closed it again with a grunt. Turning on her heels Emma stalked towards the front door, opening it and slamming it shut once she had stepped inside.
"Want me to see what she does?" questioned Remy pulling out his bo-staff.
"Naturally."
"Then don't leave without me." Remy sent Rogue a grin and disappeared around the side of the mansion, leaving Rogue standing outside.
"I know you're in there, Jeanie," murmured Rogue to herself as she studied the large mansion. "What are you up to now?"
Inside the mansion Emma's fury was only heightening to impossible levels. She had barely entered the front door when Phoenix and Sinister had appeared to greet her. "What the hell is going on here?" demanded the blonde psychic to Sinister.
"The Phoenix has come to make a deal with us," answered Sinister simply.
"What kind of deal?"
The Phoenix smirked. "I offer you my services for the chance to become the Black Queen."
"And how the hell do you propose we do that? Selene's the Black Queen—unless she's deemed unworthy by the club or killed off, she's not leaving that position any time soon," stated Emma.
"It can easily be arranged."
"You're just as fucking crazy as that other brat."
"You mean the Rogue? She's got so many voices in her head she probably doesn't even know who she is."
"I think she has a pretty damn good idea who she is and what she's doing."
"This only proves why you were deemed unworthy two years ago," snorted Phoenix.
Emma blinked in surprise. "Screw you. I'm starting to wonder who I want to kill more, you or the girl!"
Sinister wisely stepped in between the two women with a stern look on his face. "Enough. If we are going to make an alliance let us do so without killing each other first!"
"What the hell are we going to gain by teaming up with her?" questioned Emma shortly. "What's to stop her from killing us in our sleep?"
Phoenix shrugged. "You just have to trust me. I haven't even begun to unleash the full extent of my powers upon the world. You need me if you are to survive Apocalypse. Without me you will all perish."
Emma took a deep breath and then nodded slowly. "Alright, so what do you want of us?"
Before she answered Phoenix raised a hand in the air, forming a red orb in her palm. She unleashed it at the nearest window, sending glass shattering. A foreign oath greeted the ears of the trio and they could see Gambit running away.
Rogue tore her glance away from the mansion as Remy came running as fast as he could from the other side of the yard. "You got caught," she accused as he stopped in front of her.
"The Red Bird tried to kill me, chère."
"Did you find anything out?"
Remy shrugged. "She wants to be the Black Queen of the Hellfire Club…whatever she's going to have them do is going to stay a secret. She knows we're here. We better get out of here before she decides to come out and play."
"She won't come out. She was just giving us a warning."
"What kind of warning? 'Cause I don't like her way of going about it."
Rogue was thoughtful for a moment and then she grinned. "I think we're going to need someone to do a little dirty work for us."
"You got someone in mind?" Remy broke out into a grin at the look on Rogue's face. "I like how your mind works, chère."
"Well it's nice to hear you like something other than my body, Swamp Rat."
"Chère, I worship your body…your mind's just a nice bonus that comes with it."
"Please tell me that wasn't some kind of twisted compliment," murmured Rogue with a raised eyebrow.
"Why not?"
"This is why I refuse to marry you, Cajun."
Remy pouted. "I thought it was because you didn't like the ring I bought."
"It was pink—but that's beside the point! You aren't going your sex a service by being dumb when it comes to talking to me. Some lady's man you turned out to be."
"You just haven't seen me in action yet. I know how to sweep women off their feet, chère, and one of these days I'm going to sweep you off of yours."
"And while I wait for that day in anticipation we're going to go get ourselves a spy."
Remy pulled Rogue into his arms with a smile, "Then we can at least have some fun on the way," he suggested playfully. Rogue chuckled as he leaned in for a kiss. When she broke away the pair were standing outside the gates leading to Xavier's mansion.
"You think he's going to know we're here?" asked Remy leaning against one side of the gate and pulling a cigarette out of his pocket.
Rogue shook her head. "No, but I have a good feeling he'll be coming our way fairly soon." She leaned against the other side of the gate and the two waited in silence.
It was an hour later when footsteps could be heard along the gravel driveway, a whistling indicating that whoever was coming towards the gate was in a jovial mood. Morph pushed open the gates and closed them behind him without missing a beat of the ditty he was whistling. His whistle faded however when he turned around and came face to face with Rogue and Remy.
"Not you two again," was all he said. Rogue and Remy exchanged sly smiles as they turned their undivided attention to the shape shifter.
"Have we got a deal for you, sugar," said Rogue softly.
Morph groaned. "I don't think I like the sound of that."
Remy tossed his cigarette butt to the ground. "You don't have to, mon ami."
Later That Day :
"…and humans will fear us like never before!" Apocalypse's voice echoed through out the chamber, resonating in the ears of his minions. "So I say to you, my Horsemen, go out and pillage the four corners of the earth! Do what you do best!"
The Four Horsemen stepped forward in a single row. Their black eyes glittered as they inclined their heads in homage to the Dark Lord. Apocalypse returned the favor with a bow of his own head. On either side of him stood Rogue and Phoenix, both watching the exchange with avid interest. It was then that Phoenix stepped forward.
"My Liege, I offer my services to your Horsemen. I will watch them to be sure that nothing stands in their way," said Phoenix, her voice low as she bowed to Apocalypse.
The evil mutant seemed to consider this for a moment and then gave a nod of his head. "Very well then, kill all who get in your way."
"I wouldn't have it any other way." Phoenix straightened up and smirked in Rogue's direction before following Death, Famine, Pestilence, and War out of the chamber.
Rogue pursed her lips as she watched the red head leave. Then she said, "I don't trust her."
"She doesn't trust you either. You're even, now get it over it." Apocalypse turned away from Rogue and strode out of the chamber as well. Rogue glared at his back as Remy came to stand by her side.
"Something tells me the big guy doesn't like you or the Red Bird anymore," murmured the Cajun.
"I'm not surprised, sugar. I think he's getting to the point where he isn't going to trust anyone but himself. Jeanie's starting to get restless and everyone knows it. I wonder why he even let her go with the Horsemen…he has to know that she's going to try and get them onto her side."
"Not my place to care, chère."
"It will be when all four of them come after us, Swamp Rat."
"And here I thought we were done with the name calling."
Rogue snorted as she glanced over at Remy. "Fat chance. You always seem to open your mouth and let stupid words come out."
Remy frowned. "Maybe I should find myself a new girl…one that isn't so mouthy."
"Sorry, sugar, but last I checked the Pink Power Ranger was taken."
"That isn't funny."
"I thought it was."
The pair was interrupted with their bantering when Juggernaut and Lady Deathstrike joined them. Juggernaut scratched his head with a frown on his face. "What do we do now?" he asked.
Taking a deep breath Rogue let it out slowly as she chose her words carefully, but no matter how hard she tried she couldn't find an easier way to say what she had to say. "We're going to stop Phoenix and the Four Horsemen…then we're going to kill Apocalypse."
At the same time, Apocalypse was coming up with a plan of his own. He sat on his throne and studied the empty throne room before him. "You are sure she is the one?"
"Positive," came a female voice from the shadows behind him.
"And not the other."
"The other has a different destiny. She is nothing more than a minor disturbance…not a threat to you."
"Then there is no other way." Apocalypse nodded solemnly to himself and glanced at the woman in the shadows. "Give the orders to kill the Rogue at any cost."
Stepping forward Sage bowed regally. "As you wish, My Lord."
A/N—As of June 2, 2007 this chapter has been revised.