Memories

Jumpers

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Tony was about to go in the shower when the alarm sounded. A moment's thought brought the armour up around him and he shot off towards the area the disturbance was in. And then he landed neatly and froze, staring at the Avengers standing in a tight circle. And the Iron Man spoke.

"Dimensional jump succeeded."

Tony froze.

"Who are you?"

He heard Steve come hurrying up behind him, the other Avengers. The Captain America -whose face had more lines that Steve's did- stepped forward.

"We're the Avengers. We're here pursuing a dangerous criminal –a mass-murderer- who escaped our reality."

Steve stepped past.

"Explain."

"She was one of us. One of our greatest heroes. Or so we thought. There was a sudden spate of brutal murders –cannibalistic attacks. One of us… We found her coated in blood, having just taken the life of her twentieth victim. When we tried to take her into custody… She destroyed most of New York. Killed thousands. We finally caught up with her. She pleaded –she wasn't responsible. We couldn't take the risk. We had to kill her. But just as… Just as we… She dragged an innocent woman into her mind… We destroyed an innocent life and she escaped. It's taken us months to track her here."

"How did she escape?"

"That was one of her powers. She was in contact with other versions of herself."

Cap swore violently.

"You're talking about Tora Logan, aren't you?"

The other Captain looked away sorrowfully.

"Yes. I… I'm sorry… We tried… But your… She's dead. The woman you knew is dead. And in her head is the most dangerous woman to stalk the face of the earth."

There were awkward looks. Steve looked back.

"We want proof before we hand anyone over."

"You want proof? Here."

Photos thrown over. Numerous bodies –morgue photos- who had been carefully dissected and…butchered was the only word for it. A figure, unmistakably Tora, crouching over a body and ripping into it with her claws and teeth. A face streaked with blood turned to something not in frame and then one of her leaping up, away from the shot. Photos of destruction, a city in ruins. A wild-eyed, crazed woman lunging at Thor. A body, spread-eagled on the ground, the flesh over the spine seared away, someone having clearly used a laser to sever or burn away the spinal cord. Steve looked up.

"Why here?"

"We think she just grabbed the nearest unguarded mind that she could and swapped them around."

There was silence. The photos were slowly handed around. Some of the younger members looked like they were going to throw up. Tony flicked up his visor and pinched his nose.

"The X-Men aren't going to be happy. They'll see it as us interfering in their affairs again…"

"If Dragon is… If Tora is capable of something like that… Tony, we can't risk it. We have to get their help."

"Steve, we can't risk…"

"We need Professor X to substantiate these claims."

"It won't work. She was able to hide the fact she was a serial killer from him."

They looked at one another.

"We'll get in touch."

Phoenix shivered.

"No… You can't… Don't trust them…"

"Jean, dear, they can't hear you. It's like you're yelling at the TV. Hopless. Although admittedly, that never stopped you."

"Oh, shut up, you old bat!"

"You have cheek, callin me old. You're older than I am."

"No, I'm not. Include time travel and you lived much longer than I did."

"That doesn't count. Technically, I was dead."

"Still counts."

Tora was in the garden, trying to listen to a student whilst the songs of Cia and Krakoa slid through the bones in her head. It was low, so very low. A soothing tune that spoke of earth and growth and the dancing of trees. She knew the others couldn't really hear it. It was too low, too low for them to hear. But she could hear the songs and they were beautiful. Songs of love and loss and sorrow –so much sorrow- but that was countered by love, healing and peace found together. There were never words but the songs were beautiful nonetheless.

"Ms? Ms Logan?"

She jerked her head around.

"Pardon?"

"I just asked if you… Never mind…"

She walked off and Tora almost spoke out but she couldn't because there was now something screaming in the back of her mind and she felt her knees give way and she crashed to the ground. The songs stopped and she felt Krakoa try to get her somewhere safe and Cia's attempts to get help and then, just as Tora started seeing the black tunnel vision, she saw a worried face staring down at her. A face framed with red and black hair…

"Da, da dah!"

There was a long pause. Phoenix and the masked woman looked at each other. And then, as one, they slapped Death around the head, screaming "SHUT UP!"

Logan charged down, followed by Hank who was carrying a first aid kit. And he saw the slight figure, a teenaged girl dressed in orange and black who was crouching down, screaming in anger. And as he got closer, he could hear the voice.

"I came all this way to save you, you are not dying on me again, Maman!"

Maman? Great. And then he faltered as the girl turned and he recognised the face.

"Eva…?"

"Dad?"

Father and daughter stared at each other and then Eva flung her arms around him.

"I missed you so much… Ever since they took you…"

He pulled himself away.

"Explain."

She flushed.

"Sorry. It's just… I've not seen you for years… I came here to warn you. They're coming for her. They're coming for every single one of her and they won't stop until she's dead."

"Who's dead?"

She turned to Hank and let out a little squeal, leaping over to hug him.

"Uncle Hank! Oh…I know I said I wouldn't get emotional but it's so hard."

She was crying softly.

"She should be okay. It was just the rebound from me getting here. I was warned it could happen. But… You have to be ready… They're coming for her… This is the first reality where I've got to her before they did…"

"Who did? Calm down and explain slowly."

Eva took a huge, gulping breath.

"I…I think I should explain it to everyone…"

And Tora groaned and started to pull herself up.

"Who took up tap dancing in my brain…?"

"Oh, I think I have to write that one down!"

"Phoenix? Why?"

Eva was sitting there, nursing a mug of Storm's fruit tea and looking exhausted. In this light, it was clear that for all her initial appearance was that of her mother's –tanned skin, red hair streaked with black, golden eyes- the shape of her face was different, as was her build. It was only when Little Eva –they'd resorted to thinking of them as Big Eva and Little Eva- came in, frowned and then said, somewhat muffled behind the thumb in her mouth, "She looks like Laura" that it had clicked. Little Eva had started asking awkward questions and Xixy had –through what may or may not have been a fair test- drawn the short straw and been dispatched to go and blow something up to appease Eva.

The older Eva looked up, her fear apparent in her eyes.

"I was eight years old when my mother was brutally murdered in front of my eyes by those she called her 'friends'."

She gulped and took another swig of tea.

"You see, there was a prophecy, that Dragon would be the one to destroy the Avengers. So they killed her. They shot her when she was least expecting it –when she was playing with me- and they cut out her spinal cord. And so began the pogrom –that's what Uncle Max called it. At least before they 'cured' him and imprisoned him."

Her hands were shaking and she put down her mug to prevent the still hot tea from spilling in her lap.

"They captured any and all who stood in their way. They lobotomised my brother, because they knew he was a threat. They captured Dad, killed Laura and used Jubes and Curt as test subjects. I was still a kid and I kept trying to run for help. The X-Men had been disbanded –forcibly- but they were still alive. At least until they tried to shelter me. I watch Uncle Hank burn to death after he saved me."

There were tears streaking her face now.

"I was thirteen when the final straw came. The Young Avengers had shielded me, tried to help me escape by rescuing Xixy. They were planning to use the K'Meer, Skrull and Kree to stop the Avengers. It didn't work. Wiccan… Wiccan sacrificed himself to get me to safety. So I swore I would never go for help again."

Tora, who had been sitting beside her future/alternate/possible daughter simply reached out an arm and hugged the girl, allowing her to rest her head on Tora's shoulder.

"And then they came. They called themselves the Exiles. They were…a mixed bunch, really. Loads of different people from loads of different realities."

"We've met them."

"Probably not this group. And one of them was Dragon. My mother. Only she wasn't. She was from another world, one where…where the world died. She was so very sad and so very beautiful, all ice and water and cold, hard angles. When we met, she just looked at me. I didn't find out until later… She joined the Exiles because she was promised the chance for everyone to come back."

Eva sobbed into Tora's shoulder.

"She wanted to save her world but when the Avengers realised there were more Dragons out there… They murdered that Dragon and stole the Exiles' reality-jumping technology… And so they left. The man who ran the Exiles… He told me I had to stop them. I had to stop them killing every single version of her in existence."

She lowered her eyes.

"I've jumped over a hundred times since then. I've seen hundreds of worlds –some good, some bad. I've seen worlds where Dragon was the greatest of the heroes, where her murder destroyed that world. I've seen worlds where Dragon destroyed entire cities and killed millions. But so far, I've never managed to get to a reality in time to save Dragon. You have to trust me. The Avengers are coming and they'll kill her!"

Silence reigned.

"Oooh, thrilling."

"Death?"

"Yes?"

"As much as I admire you, there are times I have to admit that you're a terrific pain in the neck."

"You were never beheaded."

"Death?"

"Yes?"

"Shut up."