FYI: go reread chapter 16 real quick if your fuzzy on past events! ^.^
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Taunting Repartee
Chapter Forty One
"You're certain?" Charles Xavier asked alarmed as he sat in front of Scott and Jean; whom were seated at the kitchen table.
"Yes, Rogue definitely absorbed Toad at the mall," Jean answered. "I saw her jump down from the second floor. She couldn't have done that without his powers," she added. The was no doubt in Charles' mind that the first thing Rogue would have done was search through Toad's memory for answers.
'Perhaps she didn't think to- no. Every time Rogue has a question, until yesterday, she has gone into her mind and found that answer if she is able. With Toad's mind in hers she would have been more than able to learn that Mystique was back in charge of the brotherhood. And if Rogue was aware of that, then why didn't she tell anyone?' he asked.
"Rogue absorbs the brotherhood boys all the time," Scott said; pulling him out of his thoughts.
"I know," Charles said dismissively. "Did anything else out of the ordinary happen that night?" Charles asked.
"Hm, let me think," Jean said.
"Jean, I apologize but I do not have much time, right now. May I look at the memory myself?" he asked.
"Alright, Professor," Jean said as she closed her eyes.
"Thank you," Charles muttered as he placed his figures on her temple and pulled into her mind.
Jean watched Scott with a sigh as she got into the front seat of the X-Van. Wordlessly, she watched Scott start the car and start to drive.
'He's really taking this hard,' she thought to herself before she turned back to glance out of the front window. She let out a gasp as she felt the van come to an abrupt stop; Scott quickly pulling the car over to the side of the road.
"Why'd we stop?" she heard Rogue ask from behind her.
"Something's wrong with the van," Kitty answered.
"Scott, what is it?" Jean asked. Scott turned the keys in the ignition.
"I don't know," Scott said. "It won't start up again," he said with anger as he hit his fist into the steering wheel.
"Scott, calm down," Jean said softy; she had never seen him like this before.
"At least we're, like, not in the middle of the street," Kitty offered. Jean gave Kitty a reassuring smile as she pulled out her communicator.
"Yeah, Scott. Good thing you pulled over," Kurt said. Scott wordlessly got out of the car, slamming the door behind him. They all watched him stand in front the van and lift the hood up.
'He needs to calm down,' Jean thought to herself as she brought the communicator closer to her mouth. "Professor?" she asked into the communicator.
"Man, this sucks," she heard Evan exclaim.
"It's not that bad... If Scott can fix the blackbird, he can fix a van, right?" Kurt asked.
"Storm?" Jean asked. "The van broke down on the way- … Hello?" she asked.
"Jean, what's wrong?" Rogue asked.
"I don't know. No one's answering," Jean said as she fussed with the communicator. "There must be something wrong with it. Does anyone else have their's?" she asked as she turned to face them. She heard Rogue let out a sigh.
"I forgot mine at the institute," Rogue said.
"I don't have mine either," Kurt said. "I know I brought it with me."
"Mine's gone too. I, like, must have dropped out of my pocket during the fight," Kitty said.
"Maybe when we were in the tree," Kurt said.
"Yeah, maybe," Kitty said.
"Evan?" Jean asked.
"Nope," he said shaking his head.
"We're not that far from the institute. Kurt could you teleport back and drive another car here to pick us up?" Jean asked.
"Yeah, no problem," he said.
"I'll come with you," Kitty said with a smile. Kurt smiled back.
"Tell Scott before you go," Jean said. He nodded as he teleported out of the van.
"See you later," Kitty said as she opened the door; waving at her. Jean waved back as she watched her get out of the car.
'What?' Charles asked himself as he paused the memory.
Out of the corner of Jean's peripheral vision he could see Rogue's face. Her eyes were facing the door. She looked terrified.
'That's the same expression Rogue had on her face yesterday when she recalled what occurred in the Sahara,' he thought.
Charles resumed the memory and studied Rogue's actions. He watched her slightly open her mouth as she stared up in fear at the thin air next to her. Charles paused the memory again.
'The angle she's looking up- yes, yes- she could easily be looking someone in the eyes. But how would that even be possible? If someone- … if Magneto was in the X-Van why would no else be able to see him? What caliber of telepath is Magnus?' Charles asked himself in fear.
Charles resumed the memory and watched as Rogue quickly closed her mouth. Jean's attention turned back to Scott as he got back onto the car. He tried to start the car. Jean let out a sigh in relief as it started up.
"Let's go home," Jean said, looking at Scott. Scott started to drive as she turned to look out the window. Charles continued to watch their entire trip home hoping to catch a glimpse of Rogue again. Unfortunately, Jean faced forward the rest of the ride.
Charles let out a sigh as he exited the memory and Jean's mind.
"Professor, did that help?" Scott asked.
"Yes," he said gravely.
"How?" Scott asked.
'Prof?' Charles heard Rogue project into his mind.
"One moment, Scott," Charles said. 'Yes, Rogue?' he asked.
'I'm ready ta go when you are,' she told him.
'I will met you in the elevator. Please wait for me indoors,' the Professor told Rogue firmly.
'I'm already in the elevator,' Rogue rolled her eyes as she glanced at the controls of the lift in front of her. 'Which floor are ya on?' she asked.
'Sub- level three,' he said.
'Still?' she asked incredulously as she pressed the button. 'I'll- ah, see ya in a minute, Prof,' she said as she felt the elevator move. 'Remember,' she started to think after a moment. She adjusted the strap on her back pack to be at the length as the other one as she paused; waiting for to see if the Professor responded. Thankfully, he didn't. 'Remember what we agreed on,' Rogue thought to the fragment.
'Yes, I know. I will not think a single thought unless asked,' he said dryly as the lift's doors opened.
"Good," she muttered satisfied as she stepped out of the elevator.
"Scott?" she heard the Professor asked.
'He's still down here too?' Rogue asked herself surprised.
"Is something else going on with Rogue?" Scott asked. "What's with all the secrets?" he asked.
"I will explain later. For now-" the Professor started to say.
"Hey," Rogue said as she entered the room; making her presence known. She leaned up against the door frame. "What's going on?" she asked as she crossed her arms over her chest.
"Ah- nothing," Jean said quickly. Rogue stared at her with a raised eyebrow; she was clearly lying. "I guess you don't want me to know what ya all were just saying about me, huh?" Rogue asked as she looked the Professor in the eyes. He sighed.
"Not at this moment, no," the Professor replied.
"That's fine. I don't need ta know every detail of every conversation somebody has about me. I can respect your right ta privacy," she said; driving in her point from before. The Professor sighed again. "Do ya still wanna have that conversation about that promise you've been wanting me ta make?" she asked. She raised an eyebrow as she saw him hesitate. 'He was so fucking eager to have it before,' she thought confused.
"I need some time to think," the Professor told her. She stared at him bewildered.
'What the hell were they talking about for an hour that he doesn't-?' she asked herself. "I'd ask about what. But I gotta feeling that's something else ya don't want me to know," she said; as she studied his face. The Professor looked uneasy. 'I must be right, then,' she thought. "So, I won't ask," she said.
"But you should be able to," Scott exclaimed suddenly as he stood up; catching her by surprise. "Professor, this is getting out of hand. I understand keeping secrets from anyone who doesn't live here but from each other?" he asked in disbelief. "Everyone keeps saying that we all trust Rogue, but I don't see how you can when you keep asking us to keep all of these secrets," Scott said. "So what if she absorbed Toad-" Scott said.
"Scott," the Professor exclaimed cutting off his statement.
'God damn it,' Rogue thought in anger as she felt the Professor's eyes on her. She fought to keep her expression neutral.
'Anna-' the fragment started to say.
'I'll handle this,' she thought irate. It seemed every conversation there was something new she had to cover up; a new lie she was forced to tell. She was getting sick of it.
"Professor, I don't-" Scott started to say again.
"Prof does trust me," Rogue insisted as she walked over to the table and sat down next to Scott.. "Ya do get how he thinks that Magneto's been overlapping the fragment, right?" Rogue asked.
"Yeah, I get that," Scott exclaimed.
"Okay, but apparently ya don't understand the implications that would have on our lives," Rogue said.
"Yes, I do," Scott said strongly.
"Alright, then. List them," Rogue ordered.
"Well, it would mean that Magneto would know everything about your powers," Scott said.
"Be more specific. What exactly about was it about my training with Magneto that would cause both me and Prof to be worried?" she asked.
"Hmm," he started to say.
"Information," Rogue said strongly. "Everything I told the fragment in confidences. Everything I learned about myself and the X-Men's past through the use of my powers; our fears, witnesses. What ya gotta understand is that knowledge is power," she said.
"A phrase you learned from Magneto?" the Professor asked curiously.
"And he got it Sir Francis Bacon. I doubt you got anything against him. He's been dead for over three hundred years," she said annoyed before she let out a sigh. She hated having to defend her education. Magneto was right; it didn't matter who she received the information from just that she learned.
"What was my point?" Rogue asked herself.
'Anna, if you plan to state what I believe you are going to then know, my girl, that you are about a most grievous error,' Max warned. She glanced at the Professor looked at her curiously; he had clearly heard the comment.
'My mistake to make,' she told him as she took a deep breath.
'Nevertheless, you should not do this. Once you state this knowledge out loud. Once you tell Charles you can not take that information back. Are you prepared to deal with the repercussions of your actions? ' Max asked.
'Yes, I am,' she told him.
'You're lying to yourself. You know you are. Anna, please, stop this now before you regret it,' Max said.
'No,' she thought determined. "Look, just imagine how different things would be if one of us had found out that Mystique was back in charge of the brotherhood or that she was masquerading at the Professor before she revealed it herself?" Rogue asked. She watched the Professor's eye widen in fear. "Magneto understands how powerful information is. Do ya all have any idea how many people he's blackmailed to keep certain secrets?" she asked.
"No, I don't," Jean said.
"It's a lot," Rogue said. "Eric ain't afraid ta use his powers to keep people from messing up his plans."
"Including you," the Professor said.
"Yeah, including me," Rogue admitted sadly. "When Eric was holding ya all as hostages he made me act as a negotiator. Given the situation I did the only thing I thought I could do; I cooperated with him. I don't know if working with him was the right thing ta do. There's a thin line between blackmail and betrayal and I ain't really sure whether I crossed it or not," she said.
"Rogue, you only answered a couple of questions. You didn't betray anyone," Jean said confused.
"Thanks, Jean," Rogue said with a smile. Although that wasn't what she was referring to. Rogue hoped the Professor was able to read between the lines and understand what she was attempting to tell him.
"Rogue, even if you did know that Mystique was pretending to be me and even if Magneto blackmailed you into silence it does not matter what you felt you had to do. Any actions you took were in self defense; for yourself and for the X-men," the Professor started to say strongly.
"What?" Jean asked quietly.
"Professor, what are you talking about?" Scott asked alarmed.
"He's speaking hypothetically, Scott," Rogue said quickly. She watched surprise cross the Professor's expression. "Right, Professor?" Rogue asked looking him in the eye.
"Y- yes, yes, of course.," the Professor said recovering quickly before he turned to look at the others.. "Rogue brought up Mystique and her past actions as a hypothetical example; which I choose to continue," he said smoothly.
"It's not like I had access to that information," Rogue lied. "None of us knew that Prof was missing and Magneto wasn't involved with what Mystique was doing here," she said.
"I must apologize to both of you," the Professor said. "Once again Rogue and I are continuing a conversation you do not know all the details of. I should have been more specific to begin with. Neither of us meant to frighten either of you," the Professor said.
"Yeah, we were just talking," Rogue shrugged.
"It's ah- it's alright," Scott said as he rubbed the back of his neck. "It's just this kind of talk is-" he started to say.
"Really uncomfortable," Rogue supplied.
"Yeah," Scott said.
"I've explained this to ya before, Scott," Rogue shrugged. "When Magneto involved we gotta talk about these issues. No matter how uncomfortable it makes us."
"Although, that does not necessary mean that we must all be present during these discussions," the Professor said.
"Prof, do ya wanna continue this conversation on the way to Mc Donald's. I'm seriously gonna be late if we don't go soon," Rogue said.
"My thoughts exactly," the Professor said as Rogue stood up. "If you two would please excuse us," he said before Jean nodded. "I will see you both at dinner," he smiled as they neared the exit.
"Yeah, see you later, Professor," Scott said uneasy. Rogue flashed him a reassuring smile, which he returned slightly, as she exited the room.
The two of them went in silence to the elevator. Neither of them speaking until the lifts door's closed; ensuing their words would not be heard.
"How long has Magneto's been blackmailing you?" the Professor asked as he glanced up at her.
"Too fucking long," she answered annoyed as her eyes met his. "I ain't going into more detail than that. I shouldn't have told you what I did but I am so tired of lying to you. If Magneto finds out that I told you than he take me from the institute and never let me come back," she warned."It's part of our agreement, " she said bitterly.
"That will not happen," he said strongly. "I know how to keep a secret," he said as Rogue nodded.
"I know you do. Sorry, you had to lie to them. I know ya hate doing that," Rogue said.
"It's better if they don't know," he said.
"It's safer for me if no one else knows," she said.
"Agreed... for the moment," he added.
"Thanks," she said.
"Your welcome... Thank you for not making that promise," he said.
"I couldn't bring myself to. Not when I've already made a deal with him," she said.
"He should not have asked that of you," the Professor said in anger.
"He didn't. I offered," Rogue told him.
"What?" he asked confused. "Why?"
"I didn't know what else ta do. I knew so much and the only power I had was talking to Eric. I had to change his mind about his plans. You have no idea what I talked him out of and I can't explain either. I've already said too much," she said.
"Is there anything I can do to help?" he asked.
"Just knowing that I ain't alone anymore. That I got an ally I can talk to about all this is unbelievably helpful. I've lost count of how many lies I've had to tell to keep all of this straight. Just knowing I don't have to lie to you anymore. Or at least I know, you'll know I'm lying," she said.
"This whole situation has just- it's so fucking complicated," she exclaimed. "If I didn't have a prefect memory I don't if I'd be able to keep it up for as long as I have," she sighed. After a moment she smiled. She let out a soft laugh as she leaned her head back against the wall.
"Rogue?" he asked concerned.
"I'm actually talking to someone else besides Eric about this. I actually having a honest conversation with someone I love," she said as tears of joy ran down her face. "No lying," she laughed "... No manipulation," she said as she opened her eyes; freeing the water trapped in the ducks of her eyes. "I ain't saying whatever the fuck I have ta to cover my ass," she said with a smile as she wiped the tears off her face
"It's nice being able to talk like this. I've missed this," she said as she glanced down at him. His eyes were fulled with emotion; sadness, concern, pity. "... But ah- aside from honest conversations," she started to say as calmed herself down, "if you could let me go meet up with Victor alone I'd appreciate it. If Magneto shows up I don't wanna have a hostage in the car with me. He's easier to deal with when it's just the two of us," she told him.
"...Alright," he sighed reluctantly .
"You can also help but not reading the fragment's mind. Eric hasn't done it in a while but he can overlap the fragment at any time. It would make my life a hell of a lot less stressful if I don't have ta worry about that. So, could ya please stop reading my mind?" she asked.
"I will," he said.
"Thank you," she said as she let out sigh in relief. "I need ta think. I sure I can come up with some more ways you can help me,"
"We'll think of something together," he said as he took her hand in his. "You are not alone longer. I will not sit by and allow him to continue to blackmail you," he said with conviction.
"Prof, I-" she started to say but paused. A part of her wanted to remind him that there was nothing he could do against Magneto but she didn't have the heart to at the moment. She was feeling hopeful and happy. She didn't want that feeling to end just yet.
"I'm sure we will," she smiled. She took her hand out of his and turned on the imagine inductor. She changed her body's position to imitate Logan's. "We'll talk later tonight, okay?" she asked.
"Please be careful," he said as the elevator doors opened.
"I always am," she told him as she walked away from him and towards the makeshift garage housing the institute's means of transportation.
'No, you're not,' Max said irate. 'That was the most dangerous move you have made in weeks. Have you completely lost you're senses, Anna?' he said enraged.
'No, I haven't,' she said annoyed. 'Your wrong it was the right move. The information's there. I found it easily as it was happening. Anyone capable of asking the right questions was gonna find out. And Prof kept asking them. It only a matter of time before he put it all together. I doing the same thing you did while you were holding me captive. You made sure to control when and what information I knew.'
'I'm doing the same with Prof. I ain't gonna explain half the shit I could. It's too dangerous too. I only gonna tell him what I really have to.'
'I thought you said you were finished lying to Charles,' he said.
'I am. Next time I don't answer one of his questions all I gotta say is it ain't safe for me to tell you that. Which is the truth. I ain't lying. Best fucking part is I won't have to worry about convincing anyone I'm okay. Prof will know that I ain't and he gonna help me keep that secret. Beside, the only way this can blow up in my face is if your counterpart finds out this. Who's gonna tell him?' she asked as she smiled. 'Prof, sure as hell ain't. I'm not gonna,' she thought as she entered the garage.
'Anna, you already have,' Max told her dryly.
'What?' she asked as she froze. 'No, you're the frag- he set up cameras ta see when I-...no no no no no no no no no no,' she thought frantically in disbelief as she lost control over her breathing. 'You're lying. You're just the fragment. You're just messing with me to teach me a lesson,' she thought. 'I- I- I ah- I get it. It would be horrible if he found out what I just did. I get it. I do. The ramif-' she started to think.
'Anna, stop ranting. I understand your disbelief. Allow me to provide you with some proof,' he said. 'Turn around, towards the left corner of this building. You will see a camera there. For the record I would like to state that you did not face that corner as you entered. The only possible way I could be aware of it's position is if I had the camera put there myself,' he told her. Slowly she followed his instructions. She let out a gasp as she spotted the camera.
'If any of your instructors felt it safe enough to inspect either camera they would have found that they were not functional. They were for display purposes only, Anna,' he told her as tears ran down her face; she reached down and turned off the imagine inductor; she had not reason to leave it on. 'You and I are long over do for a conversation in person. Get in a van, not a motorcycle,' he said strongly. 'Not in your condition," he said.
"You will drive to the cafe. My body is already there waiting. I will leave your mind once you have arrived but not a moment sooner. You will follow these orders. I don't believe I need to describe to you how displeased I will be if I have to collect you myself. Is that understood, Anna?" he asked.
'Yes, Max,' she thought tears running down her face before she slowly staggered up to one of the vans. She glanced behind her at the remains of the institute. 'This is the last time I'm gonna- Max, can I- can I please go say goodbye?' she asked in tears.
'No,' he said firmly; she cried loudly at his response as she leaned her head up against the van's door.
'Please,' she begged. 'If not gonna see them again, please let me-'
'Anna, you will not alert anyone else to your situation,' he told her. 'Open the door,' he ordered; she did so. 'Get in the van,' he commanded as she got into the driver's seat of the van. She leaned her head back against the seat as she fought back tears. She opened her eyes and glanced into the rear view mirror. She stared into her own tears fulled eyes. 'Take a- Take a few moments and drive when you're ready.' he ordered; his voice much kinder than it had been.
'Max, I- I-I ah- ain't trying ta- ta disobey you or anything but I really don't think I'm gonna be able to drive. I don't- I don't wanna crash the van. Can you- can you please, please, have someone. Fucking anyone come get me. I understand if it can't be you,' she thought. "Just- just- please," she muttered though her tears. She heard him sigh.
'You will wait there for me. You will not move from that van. You will not leave that vehicle. If you do, if you contact Charles, Miss Grey or anyone else in any way I will consider our deal broken and I will go through with my threats, all of them,' he thought strongly. "Do we understand one another?" he asked.
'Yes,' she thought quickly. "I won't go anywhere. I promise," she muttered.
'For yours families' sake I hope you keep that promise,' Max said before he left her mind.
Okay, so that's it for this chapter! Please review! I love hearing from you all!